Shane Pecore celebrates his victory in the 2023 Pete Mitchell Memorial Sportsman Modified race and becomes only the second racer to win the event for a second time. It would be the second night of the annual Mohawk Nationals from the Mohawk International Raceway along with the last night of racing for the 2023 from the Mohawk International Raceway. There would be five divisions in attendance on the night and all for big money the Sportsman Modified would be the headliner on the night with the 10th running of the Pete Mitchell Memorial and the 2500 to win. Along with the Pro Stock, Limited Sportsman Modified, Mini Stocks, and Eastern Ontario Antiques. With all the heat racing and Last Chance Qualifiers run it would be onto the main events. The first main on the night would be the Mini Stocks and their 20 laps 400 to win the event it would see 22 cars take the green flag and it would see Francis White take the early lead and it would look like he would be on his way to win and his second of the weekend. Although while battling in the closing laps with Jock Symonds they would both get together and Kevin Greenfield would take the lead. Although he would have a battle of his own on hand with Emily Massy for the win and Greenfield would hold on for the win. Then next up would be the Limited Sportsman Modified and there $500 to win 20 lap event it would see 11 cars take the green flag and it would see Bradly Howard take the early lead and he would be pulling away but then he was going down the backstretch in the closing laps and the car would get away from him and end up in the inside light pole. So inheriting the lead would be Thunder Anderson although he would get a challenge from Matthew LaValley for the win he would hang on down the stretch for his first career win. Then we would have the Eastern Ontario Antique Club with their two classes and 20 lap event and it would go green to checker and the winners would be Matt Barbour and Greg Hale. Then we would have the Pro Stock out for the $2,000 to win 30 lap event and there would be 33 racers that would enter the pits but they would only start 28 for the main event. The race would start with Denis Gauvreau getting the lead off the start but Luke Horning and Chad Jesso would come charging from 11th and 20th starting spots to be in the fight at the top. Horning would be able to get by Gauvreau for the lead and Jesso would also get by him to take second place. With that, we would have your classic Pro Stock battle from central New York as both of them are multi-track champions fighting for the $2,000 win. Something would happen to Chad Jesso though as he would go sliding off the top of turn 2 and end up in the pond. Then with Luke Horning and Denis Gauvreau on the front row for the next restart Horning would take control and get his second win on the weekend at Mhawk International Raceway to get the $2,000 check. Then it would be the headline event of the night the tenth running of the Pete Mitchell Memorial and the 54-lap $ 2,500-to-win race. It would see Shane Pecore and Robert Delormier starting on the front row and Shane Pecore would take the lead off the start. The battle up front for the early part of the race would be between Pecore and Casey Swamp. Although there would be a hard charger on the high side that would come and contend for the lead and that would be D.J. Gonyo. However, with a late race restart the Gonyo car would start to fall off and enter David Rodgers as he would show his nose for the win. Although Shane Pecore would hold on for his second Pete Mitchell win. Now with the racing at Mohawk International done for the 2023 season, all eyes shift towards Oswego and Super Dirt Week 51 in about three weeks. Gallery

Peru's Sawyer Schlitt (33) with the stiff arm on Plattsburh's Bradley Augustine (55) as he comes around the corner going for the first down. It would be week #3 of the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference season and we would have the old crosstown rivalry once against as the #20 Peru Nighthawks would host the Plattsburgh Hornets at the Apple Bowl. It would take till there were just under three minutes left in the first quarter to get the first score of the game when Sawyer Schlitt would score on the 1-yard lead for the 6-0 lead. Then with just under forty seconds left in the quarter, the Nighthawks would double their lead on an 83-yard run from Sawyer Schlitt for his second score of the game and take the 13-0 lead, and that was where the game would stay to end the half as there was no scoring in the second quarter. When the teams would return for the third quarter the Nighthawks would start to pull away as Sawyer Schlitt would score for the third time in the game this time from 14 yards out and take the 20-0 just under five minutes into the third quarter. Then at the 7:33 mark of the third quarter, Sawyer Schlitt would get his fourth score of the game this time from 16 yards out, and extend their lead to 27-0. With just under four minutes left in the quarter, the Hornets would break up the shutout bid as Riguelson Filosca would get the touchdown on a 15-yard pass and cut the deficit to 27-8. However, with just over a minute left in the quarter the Nighthawks would score again this time on a 29-yard run from Zack Engstrom and make it a 34-8. Then just 3:29 into the fourth quarter Nighthawks Sawyer Schlitt would add his fifth touchdown of the game on a five-yard run and secure the 40-8 victory. In the winning effort, the Nighthawks will go to 3-0 on the season as they will head to the Saranac Spartans on September 23rd while the Hornets fall to 0-3 and will host Beekmantown Eagles on September 22nd. Gallery

Saranac's Nathan Hamel (44) plows through the defenders as he takes it up the middle on the run for the first down. It would be the second week of action high school football in New York and the Saranac Spartans would host the Ogdensburg Blue Devils from section ten in nonconference action. The Spartans would get the opening score of the game on an 88-yard break-out play by Nathan Hamel to take the 7-0 lead five minutes into the game. The game would stay there till midway through the second quarter when the Spartans would strike again this time on a 33-yard pass to Alex Clancey to extend their lead to 14-0 and that's where the game would be at the half. Although when the teams would come back for the second half the Spartans would bring their offense with them as they would score on a 1-yard run by Nathan Hamel to extend the lead to 20-0 halfway through the third quarter. Then on the next offensive drive for the Blue Devils, Spartans Isaiah Lopez would pick up the fumble and take it in for the score to give the Spartans the 27-0 lead. Then as time would expire in the third quarter the Spartans would strike again on a 22-yard pass to Bryce Deangelo to extend their lead to 33-0. In the fourth quarter with just over half the quarter left Addison Kelting would score on a 25-yard run and the Spartans would take the 40-0 lead. However, the Blue Devils would be able to avoid the shutout as they would score in the closing minutes of the game. Although the Spartans would get the 40-6 win they would go to 2-0 on the season as the Blue Devils started 0-1. Gallery

Peru's Sawyer Schlitt (33) is breaking tackles as he comes around the corner as part of a 4-score game. It would only be the second week of the high school football season but it would be a big match-up as the Beekmantown Eagles would host long-time rival the Peru Nighthawks for early season bragging rights. The Eagles would get on the board first in the early stages of the first quarter with a field goal and take a 3-0 lead. However, the Nighthawks would answer back as time would expire in the first quarter on a 75-yard run by Sawyer Schlitt and take the 7-3 lead. Halfway through the second quarter the Eagles would soar and retake the lead at 10-7 on a 80-yard pass to Zack Lapier for the score. Although with just under 2 minutes left in the half, the Nighthawks and Sawyer Schlitt would strike again for his second score of the game and take the 13-10 lead at the intermission. The Eagles would come out flying in the third quarter as Nathan Parliament would score on a fifteen-yard run and retake the lead at 17-10. However, from there the Nighthawks would take control of the game as Sawyer Schlitt would score two more times and take a 27-17 lead after the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Nighthawks would put an end to the rivalry game on this night when Landon Duprey would have a pick 6 for 85 yards and secure the 33-17 win. In the winning effort, the Nighthawks go to 2-0 while the Eagles fall to 0-2 on the season. The Nighthawks will look to see if they stay undefeated next week as they host the Plattsburgh Hornets while the Eagles will look to get their first win of the season as they will travel to Moriah. Gallery

Travis Bruno (33r) was crowned a three-time straight champion in the J+S Steel Sportsman Modified with his seventh-place finish. It would be Taylor Rental Championship Night from the Airborne Speedway to finish the 2023 racing season with the J+S Steel Sportsman Modified, Hartson Total Opening Renegades, Taylor Rental Street Stocks, and the Northern Blacktopping Limited Sportsman Modified and all the points races would still be up for grabs. The night would start off with the makeup feature for the Taylor Rental Street Stocks. The night would start off well for championship hopeful Ryan Senecal as he would start on the front row and lead all fifteen laps for the win and keep his championship alive. As for the guys leading the points, Josh Laporte would finish 2nd, Jake Fountain fifth and Matt LaValley seventh giving Laporte a slight lead as they would have their second feature to finish off the night. Then it would be onto all the heat races for the racing championship night. Then the features for the last race of the season and first up would be the traveling tour that joined us on the night the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds and their four divisions would see Frank Hoard Jr., Greg Hauslin, George Palmer, Jack Miller and Nathan McFadden getting the wins. Then it would be onto the Northern Blacktopping Limited Sportsman Modified for 15 laps and getting the last win of the season in the nonpoints event would be Robert Laware for his second win of the year. Then it would be onto the J+S Steel Sportsman Modified for there 25 lap championship event and it would see Craig Wholey and Chris Cayea starting on the front row Wholey would lead the first few laps and then Chris Cayea would overtake him and try and go and hide out there. He would have a challenge though as Josh Jock and his second-half-season surge would continue but Cayea would get the win. Although Travis Bruno would finish in seventh and Joey Scarbrough fifth giving Travis Bruno his third straight track championship. Then it would be onto the Hartson Total Opening Renegades. It would see Tyler Irwin getting the lead at the start of the race but Josh Terry would come charging hard from his seventh-place start to get up there and battle with Irwin for the win knowing he pretty much needed to win to get the title. Richir Turner would start in fifth and fall back off the start to tenth and then just start working his way back up and get a fifth-place finish and clinch his second straight championship title. Then there would be one race left on the season at Airborne Speedway and that would be the Taylor Rental Street Stock for 15 laps with 32 cars starting the race every spot would be important and there would be 8 cautions throughout the night. Speedy Bressette would charge from his seventh-place starting spot to get the eventual win with Ryan Senecal second and Rick Doner third, As for the championship we would have co-champions when it was all said and done with Josh Laporte and Ryan Senecal champions with their 9th and 21st place finish on the night and that will put a wrap on the 2023 season at the Airborne Speedway. Gallery

Plattsburgh's Riguelson Filosca (5) with the high tackle on the Tigers ball carrier. It would be the opening weekend of High School Football in New York and the Plattsburgh Hornets would start off by welcoming the Hudson Falls Tigers in for a nonconference game. The Tigers would start the scoring off just over 8 minutes into the game with a 2-yard run by David Gonzalez for the 8-0 lead. The Hornets would answer back with just under 90 seconds left in the first quarter on a 29-yard pass to Dominic Deangelo and get the two-point conversion to tie the game at eight after the first quarter. That is where the game would stay until there was 1:23 left in the third quarter when Jayden Harwick would score for the Tigers and get the two-point conversion to take the 16-8 lead. However, the Hornets would answer right back with three seconds left in the third quarter on a 61-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Deangelo for the second score of the game and tie the game 16 after the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers would retake the lead once again four minutes into the fourth quarter when Peyton Dupuis scored on a five-yard run with 7:36 left in the game and got the two-point conversion to take the 24-16 lead. Although the Hornets would answer right back as Landon Ladue would take back the ensuing kickoff for a 73-yard score they would come up short on the two-point conversion and the Tigers would hold the 24-22 lead and get the win. In the winning effort, the Hudson Falls Tigers would start the season 1-0 as they head to conference play and take on Glens Falls. The Hornets will look to get the ship going again as they will take on the Saranac Lake Red Storm. Gallery

Nathaniel Guay (97.5) comes around to capture the checkered flag for the Hartson Total Opening Renegades main for his first win of the season. It would be a quick turnaround for all the racers at Airborne Speedway as they would be back at the track in just three short days for another full night of racing. This would have special meaning though as we would honor our Military before the races with the North Country Honor Flight. Then at intermission, it would be the annual back-to-school back pack and the racers and staff would knock it out of the park as they would have over 400 backpacks on hand to give away this year. As for the racing on track once the dust settled from the heat races it would be onto main event time. First out of the box would be the Hartson Total Open Renegades for their 25-lap race and starting on the front row would be Amber Rhoades and Hunter Sawyer with Sawyer leading the first six circuits. Although he would eventually be overtaken by Nathaniel Guay and then the battle would be on up front between him and Josh Terry for the win and Guay would get it for his first of the season. Then we would have the J+S Steel Sportsman Modified for 25 laps and it would see Jonathan Toohill start off on the pole he would get the lead off the start of the race and look to go hide but there would be a hard charger that wouldn't give up and that would be Joey Scarbrough and he would chase him down and get the lead with two laps to go and claim his third win of the season. Although the race would see a major shake-up in the points as high point man and leading most of the season Jamy Begor would have mechanical issues and have a do not finish giving the lead to Travis Bruno with one race to go in the season. Then we would have the Northern Blacktopping Limited Sportsman Modified for their fifteen-lap race and getting the win for the second time in three nights would be Matt LaValley. Then there would be one race left to go on the night the Taylor Rental Street Stock but as the cars were going around on their pace laps the skies would open up and soak the racetrack and races would be done for the night. The Street Stock would have their main pushed to the following week giving them double features for championship night Gallery

Mike Mahaney (35) with the pass on Chris Raabe for the lead and win during the 30 lap Be Cool Heating and A.C. 358 Modified main. It would be the second attempt to get the Hebert Lawn Care Night of racing in as their original night would get rained out after the heat races got ra back on July 8th. To get the night of main event racing underway would be the J+S Steel Sportsman for their 25-lap event. Josh Jock would get the lead off the start of the race over Michael Wright and he would lead all 25 laps to get his first win of the season. However, it would not come without challenge from Beau Reeves and Bucko Branham that would round out the top three on the night. Then next up would be the Be Cool Heating and A.C. 358 Modifieds with their 30-lap regular event. Lance Willix would get the lead at the start of the race although he would be quickly challenged by former track champion Chris Raabe. However, in the closing stages of the race, there would be a third player who would come up and put his nose in the mix and end up getting the win on the night and that would be Mike Mahaney. Then we would have the Hartson Total Opening Renegades for their 25-lap race and Tyler Irwin would get the lead off the start. Although you would have last year's champion Richie Turner coming from the sixth place start and would take the lead and the win for his first of the season. Then we would have the Northern Blacktopping Limited Sportsman Modified for their fifteen laps and it would see Matt LaValley for his first career Sportsman Modified win. Then the last race of the night would be the Taylor Rental Street Stock for 15 laps and they would have 28 cars taking the green flag. John Brown would be starting on the pole but the lead would be short-lived as Nate Smart would come around and lead the first lap. With the fast guys starting mid-pack, they would come charging to the front, and in the closing laps John Michael Bressette would take the lead and get his first career dirt win but it would be not without competition as Matt LaValley and Jake Fountain would round out the top 3. It will be a quick turnaround for all the drivers as they will be back in action in just three short days as part of Military and Back to School night brought to you by Huntley Trucking. Gallery

Burt Stannard and Determination carried the wheels down the track for a run of 254 feet for a fifth-place finish in the Super Stock Tractors class. The New York State Tractor Pullers would make their annual return to the Franklin County Fair to close out the week at the fair and also end a four-day stretch of pulling for the NYTPA. The NYTPA would bring six classes for the evening with the Modified Tractors, Super Stock Tractors, Super Stock Trucks, Super Farm Tractors, Limited Pro Tractors, and the Two Wheel Drive Trucks with a total of 40 entries. First out of the box would be the Super Stock Trucks and the winner would be All Bottled Up and Dan Komarony with a pull of 314 feet beating out the Mad Dog by four feet for the win. Then next up would be the would-be Limited Pro Tractors and the winner would be Roddy Burns and Blindside by just over three feet over the Udder Obsession. Then we would have the mighty Two Wheel Drive Trucks and the winner would be the Bear Express as he would put about 20 feet on the competition as the old Ken Brockman Kodiak truck lives on. Then we would have the Super Farm Tractors and the first tractor out the Addiction and Nate Williams would lay down the mark to beat and they would all come after him but Extreme Pleasure would come the closest but would still be nine feet away to give the Addiction the win. Then we would have the Modified Tractors their numbers might have been small but they were not lacking in power as one had two jet turbines and the others were both with allision aircraft engines and the jet turbines would get the win with Lee Poement and the New York. Then to finish of the evening would be the Super Stock Tractors and the win would go to Robbie Horton and the Lil Less Patience by just over foot over Lance Micek and High Hopes. The NYTPA will be back in action in just three short days as they will invade the Delaware County Fair on August 16th. Gallery

Jesse Mueller (19) celeberates as he win the Small Block/Big Block Challenge and earn the auto start for the Outlaw 200 in September. We have hit the month of August at Airborne Speedway and the chase for the title has begun as there are five races to go in the championship fight. We would start the chase with the Small/Big Block Challenge Presented by Gamache and Be Cool as the Modifieds, Sportsman Modified, Renegades, Limited Sportsman Modified, and the Street Stocks with just the sight of 100 cars in the pits. After the heat races were in the books, we would start the main events with the Northern Blacktopping Limited Sportsman and see Mike Arnold start on the pole and run away and hide to win over Dale Gonyo and Matthew Jordan to round out the top 3. Then next up would be the Be Cool Heating & A.C. Small Block/Big Block Modified Challenge 40 lapper which would see Jessey Mueller start on the front row and get the lead early over Matt Woodruff with an early Then on a long green flag run he would pull away from Tim Fuller through the lap cars and Fuller couldn't get clean enough track to make a run and Jordan McCreadie would round out the top three. Then we would have the J+S Steel Sportsman Modified for there 25 lap event and it would see Mike Wells and Dylan Rabtoy on the front row with Rabtoy getting the lead off the early start but there would be hard chargers from the top couple of guys in the points Travis Bruno and Jamy Begor coming from row five and six but they would just run out of time and Dylan Rabtoy would get his first win of the season at Airborne Speedway. Then we would have the 15-lap race for the Taylor Rental Street Stock and we would see a back-to-back win for John Michael Bressette would get the lead off an early race restart over Jason Bradley. Although the race would stay in the family as Speedy Bressette would be charging up and get behind brother as they would go for the win and Kenny Tourville would round out the top three. Then the last race of the night would be the Hartson Total Opening Renegades 25-lap race and would see Shawn Duquette make a late race pass on Richie Turner for the lead and pad his points lead in the division as the Terry Brothers (Josh & Tylor) would round out the top three. The track will be back racing next weekend with Military Night as the Sportsman Modified, Renegades, Limited Sportsman Modified, and Street Stock will be in action. Gallery