NEMA 2014 Banquet

"TIRES DESIGNED FOR CHAMPIONS"

2014 NEMA BANQUET
Saturday, November 22nd
Royal Plaza Hotel
Marlboro, MA

2014 NEMA Midgets & NEMA Lites Driver Champions - Randy Cabral & Ryan Krachun

2014 NEMA Midgets Owner and Driver Champions - Randy Cabral and Tim Bertrand

2014 NEMA Lites Driver Champion - Ryan Krachun & Family

2014 NEMA Lites Owner Champion - Scott Bigelow & Family

The Jim O’Brien Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to family
and racing was presented by the O'Brien family to Pete Pernisiglio Sr.

The final Johnny Thomson Memorial Award was presented to Linda Cleveland

*Appreciation Awards*	*Push Truck* *Appreciation Awards*	LITES Perfect Attendance Awards
NEMA Perfect Attendance Awards	*LITES:* *11th to 15th*	*NEMA:* *11th to 15th*
Mechanics of the Year LITES - Bigelow Motorsports NEMA - Bertrand Motorsports	Up and Coming Yound Driver Awards: LITES - Ryan Krachun NEMA - Avery Stoehr	Hard Luck Awards: LITES - The O'Brien #16 NEMA - The Johnson #46
The Jim O’Brien Memorial Award	The Jim O’Brien Memorial Award	The Jim O’Brien Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to family and racing was presented by the O'Brien family to Pete Pernisiglio Sr.
The Jim O’Brien Memorial Award	The Ralph Miller Memorial Award Jeff Johnson	The Wen Kelley Award Tim Bertrand
Ray Roberts Memorial Award: NEMA - Joe Santa Maria	The Brian Caruso Hard Charger Award: LITES - Scott Bigelow	Pat Thibodeau Youth and Determination Awards: LITES - Anthony Payne NEMA - Kenney Johnson
*LITES - 10th Place*	*LITES - 9th Place*	*LITES - 8th Place*
*LITES - 6th Place*	*NEMA:* 6th to 10th	The final Johnny Thomson Memorial Award Linda Cleveland
The final Johnny Thomson Memorial Award Linda Cleveland	Marilyn & Gene Angelillo Memorial Women Behind the Men Award: *Rachael LeClerc*	Associate Member Never Say Die Awards: LITES - Kevin Park *NEMA - Doug Cleveland*
Joe Csiki Memorial Most Improved Driver: NEMA - Jim Chambers	Evans/Thrall Top Owner/Drivers: LITES - Scott Bigelow NEMA - Paul Scally	Shane Hammond Sportsmanship Awards: LITES - Kevin Park NEMA - Seth Carlson
Ed Clothier Rookies of the Year: LITES - Ryan Krachun NEMA - Avery Stoehr	Team Appearance Award	NEMA Support Appreciation: Mike & Lu Jarret
NEMA Lifetime Member Award: Alan Cantor (Accepted by Peter Pernisiglio Sr.)	*LITES:* *2nd* *to 5th*	*NEMA:* *2nd to 5th*
*Scott Bigelow*	2014 NEMA Lites Owner Champion Scott Bigelow & Family	2014 NEMA Lites Driver Champion Ryan Krachun & Family
*Randy Cabral*	2014 NEMA Midgets Owner and Driver Champions Randy Cabral and Tim Bertrand	2014 NEMA Midgets Owner and Driver Champions Randy Cabral and Tim Bertrand
2014 NEMA Midgets & NEMA Lites Driver Champions Randy Cabral & Ryan Krachun

NEMA CLOSES 62nd SEASON
WITH AWARDS BANQUET

Marlborough, MA - Champions were honored and achievements recognized during the annual awards banquet for the Northeastern Midget Association Saturday night.

Hundreds of competitors, crew members, fans and their families gathered for the gala event held at the Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlborough, MA. NEMA's announcer Pete Falconi was host for the evening assisted by Speed Sport News television announcer Derek Pernesiglio, who made the announcement that the 2015 Boston Louie Classic for NEMA will once again be nationally televised.

The crowd gave a rousing ovation to the night's special guest, six time champion and multi-hall of famer Dave Humphrey. Humphrey's first NEMA championship came in 1967 and his sixth in 1978 driving for Mike Scravani.

The team of driver Randy Cabral and car owner Tim Bertrand picked up their champion awards for the fifth time in seven seasons in NEMA's top division.

Bertrand was also the recipient of the Wen Kelley Memorial Award, given to a NEMA member that exemplifies outstanding dedication and service to the club, as Wen Kelley did for over 37 years.

NEMA Lites rookie driver Ryan Krachun took home the champion's hardware and so did Scott Bigelow as the champion owner for 2014.

Bigelow finished third in the drivers' standings.

Trophies were awarded to the top 15 drivers and owners in both the NEMA Midgets and the NEMA Lites.

Race car owners with perfect attendance, push truck operators and weekly officials were all given awards.

Krachun was also named one of two Up and Coming Young Drivers for 2014, as well as the recipient of the Ed Clothier Memorial Rookie of the Year Award.

Avery Stoher took the Rookie of the Year honors for the NEMA Midgets.

Long time NEMA supporters Mike and Lu Jarrett were given a special award by club President Mike Scravani for their tireless devotion to NEMA and its competitors.

After almost 50 years, the final Johnny Thomson Memorial Award was presented.

Given annually by a small group of NEMA members from the Lowell, MA area, the award was given to honor the memory of New England's greatest open-cockpit racer. Besides an outstanding career in midget and sprint cars, Thomson raced the Indy 500 eight times, winning the pole in 1959. He
died in a sprint car crash in Allentown, PA in the fall of 1960 at the age of 38.

Veteran NEMA member Bruce Beane announced that it would be the final time the award was given, as many of the originators of the award have passed.

The final recipient of the Johnny Thomson trophy was Linda Cleveland, long time NEMA official and secretary.

Linda is also the wife of veteran driver Doug Cleveland, who won the NEMA Associate Member Never Say Die Award.

Kevin Park was the recipient of the same award in the NEMA Lites.

Other prestigious awards given at the banquet include the Jim O'Brien Memorial Award, given by the O'Brien racing family. This year's honor went to Pete Pernesiglio, Sr. The award is given for outstanding contributions to family and racing.

The Ralph Miller Memorial Award for outstanding and continuing perseverance was presented by the O'Brien family and former NEMA President Dick Monahan. This year's recipient was car owner Jeff Johnson.

The Joe Csiki Most Improved Driver Awards went to Jim Chambers in the NEMA Midgets and Logan Rayvals in the Lites.

The Pat Thibodeau Youth and Determination Awards went to Kenney Johnson and Anthony Payne.

Joe SantaMaria was given the Ray Roberts Memorial Award and Scott Bigelow picked up the Brian Caruso Hard Charger Award.

The Gene and Marylin Angelillo Memorial Award is given for an outstanding "Woman Behind the Man" in NEMA. This year's recipient was Rachel LeClerc, who works on the crew of Paul Scally's #30.

Deb and Anthony Marvuglio, mother and brother of the late Shane Hammond, awarded the annual Sportsmanship Award in his name to Kevin Park and Seth Carlson.

The Mechanic of the Year Awards went to Bertand Motorsports and Bigelow Motorsports.

The Ronnie Evans/Len Thrall Top Owner-Driver honors went to Paul "Dangerous" Scally in the NEMA Midgets and Scott Bigelow in the Lites.

The award that no one sets out to win, the Hard Luck Award was given to Dennis and Chris O'Brien in the Lites and Jeff and Kenney Johnson in the NEMA Midgets.

Allan Cantor was named this year's NEMA Lifetime Member.

Photos by
Norm Marx