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IAN CUMMENS - RANDY CABRAL - AVERY STOEHR |
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Randy Cabral Takes
“Perfect” Car to NEMA Midget Victory at
Wiscasset
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Wiscasset Maine - “Right out of the trailer, we
never laid a wrench on the car, ” said winning
car owner Tim Bertrand post race Saturday night.
Winner Cabral added, “That car was perfect.”
The Northeastern Midget Association traveled
north to Maine June 6th to run at the unseen
Wiscasset Speedway for a show packed with both
on and off track activities.
After a very
tense start of the day. The Bertrand #47 had a
good practice, timing in at 13.47 seconds.
Things got worse from there. The machine failed
to fire for the heat race and after
troubleshooting a number of possible issues, a
dead battery was found. Two concerns were now
present, limited track time and starting last
for the feature - 14th.
At the green,
Ryan Bigelow (#13) grabbed the lead from his
third starting spot followed closely by Jim
Chambers (#21) who started fifth, Doug Cleveland
(#87), pole sitter Matt O’Brien (#16), and Avery
Stoehr (#15a).
Lap three saw the first of
three yellows on the day as Todd Bertrand (#39)
and Paul Scally (#30) got together in turn two
and both spun.
On the restart Bigelow
hold the point as Ian Cummens (#29) moved into
the top five from his eight starting spot and
would be a factor as the race progressed.
Tough luck hit Chambers as the #21 stalled
on the back stretch on lap 6 for the race’s
second yellow.
The show's biggest
position shuffle would occur on the restart as
Cumens would rocket into second bringing young
Stoehr with him for third while Jim Santa Maria
(#99) would break the top five all the way from
his eleventh starting spot.
While the
top of the leader board was getting sorted out,
a patient Cabral was designing his “worse to
first” run. He broke into the top five on lap
eleven with the rundown: Bigelow, Cummens,
Stoehr, Cabral and Cleveland. Lap fourteen would
have a new fifth place runner in Bethany Stoehr
(#5b).
The third and final caution would
fly on lap nineteen for the O’Brien machine
stalling on the back stretch. At this point the
Bigelow Beast chassis midget began over heating
and Cumens took the lead on the restart. Bigelow
pulled off soon after.
Cumens held off a
very fast Cabral until lap twenty three when the
final lead change took place. The running order
from that point to the finish would be Cabral,
Cumens, A. Stoehr, B. Stoehr and Seth Carlson
(#71), who reached the top five from his twelfth
starting spot. The Bethany Stoehr and Carlson
machines looked to be a dead heat at the
checkers for forth but Bethany held on.
The next race on the NEMA schedule has the
Winged Rockets heading to Monadnock Speedway in
Winches, NH on Saturday June 21 for a special
event. The “Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial” awards
a trophy all drivers want in their case.
Cabral stated after the win, “I could not
drive this car wrong, it was perfect.”
Mixed emotions for second place finisher Cumens,
“We really need a win, but this was a great
points day for us, we’re happy.”
“Really
tired right now,” was the reaction from Avery
Stoehr post race. “I don’t run power steering,
and the car was lose all race, but we’re OK with
third.
 After
a decisive heat race win, Paul Scally changed
gears for the feature to improve the car.
This
was Matt O’Brien’s first 2014 race. He had a
lose car in the heat warranting a stagger
change.
Doug
Cleveland, not happy with his car, made no less
than five major changes for the feature.
Feature
winner Cabral presented his winning trophy to a
race fan; as well as the winners cap, display a
major NEMA sponsor logo, Allstar Performance.
As
predicted, the track record fell. Avery Stoehr
squeezed out a 13.38 in his heat race
In
appreciation to the track and fans, the NEMA and
Lites drivers took the time to sign autographs
at the on track “Meet and Greet.“ A special five
dollar fan appreciation tee shirt was the
popular purchase for the day. |
OFFICIAL RESULTS
NEMA MIDGETS - WISCASSET -
6/7/14 |
|
Pos.
|
#
|
Driver |
Hometown
|
Owner |
|
1 |
47 |
Randy Cabral |
Plymouth, MA |
Tim
Bertrand |
|
2 |
29 |
Ian Cumens |
Lydell, PA |
Bobby Seymour |
|
3 |
15a |
Avery Stoehr |
Lakeville, MA |
Russ Stoehr |
|
4 |
5b |
Bethany
Stoehr |
Bridgewater,
MA |
MCI Racing/
Greg Stoehr |
|
5 |
71 |
Seth Carlson |
Brimfield, CT |
Gene
Feigel |
|
6 |
99 |
Jim Santa Maria |
Burlington, CT |
Susan Santa
Maria |
|
7 |
30 |
Paul Scally |
Raynham,
MA |
Paul Scally |
|
8 |
39 |
Todd Bertrand |
Suffield, CT |
Bertrand Motorsports |
|
9 |
87 |
Doug Cleveland |
Sudbury, MA |
Doug
Cleveland |
10
DNF |
46 |
Kenney Johnson |
Bethany, CT |
Jeff Johnson |
11
DNF |
13 |
Ryan
Bigelow |
E. Hampton, CT |
Randy
Bigelow |
12
DNF |
7 |
Joe Scanlon |
Salem, NH |
Jim Chambers |
13
DNF |
16 |
Matt O'Brien |
Wilmington, MA |
Matt O'Brien |
14
DNF |
21 |
Jim Chambers |
Atkinson, NH |
Mike Chambers |
15
DNS |
77x |
Steve Powers |
- |
Mike Luggelle |
16
DNS |
6 |
Frank Swan |
Plymouth, MA |
Frank Swan |
17
DNS |
77L |
Mike Luggelle |
Hull, MA |
Mike Luggelle |
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Heat 1:
15a-21-13-7-16-99 - 77L(DNF) - 47(DNS)
- 6(DNS) |
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Heat 2:
30-39-29-46-87-71-5b - 77x(DNS) |
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PJ STERGIOS - SCOTT BIGELOW - DANNY CUGINI |
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Scott Bigelow Makes it “Four for Five” NEMA Lite
Wins for Team Bigelow at Wiscasset Speedway
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Wiscasset Maine - The Bigelow winning ways
continue for the East Hampton, CT based team as
Scott claimed his second Northeastern Midget
Association Lite feature of the year and made it
four in a row for the team.
Scott is now
the first repeat winner of the 2014 Lite season.
The Lites 2013 season yielded 3 repeat winners.
At the green, Megan Cugini (#41) jumped
to the lead from the outside pole, followed by
Andy Borrows (46x), Jake Smith (#93), pole
sitter Dennis O’Brien (#16), and Scott Bigelow
(#32), from his eight starting spot.
On
lap four, Bigelow’s biggest challenge for the
win, Danny Cugini (#51) entered the top five
from his seventh starting spot and would
progress toward the front.
A caution on
lap seven slowed the field as Paul Bigelow
(#31), winner at Waterford on May 10th, stopped
on the backstretch and pulled out of the race.
On the restart, it was inside second row
driver Scott Bigelow that shot to the front
followed by Barrows and Ryan Krachun (#29), who
had made his way to the top five back on lap
five, Danny Cugini, and PJ Stergious (#11).
The machine of young Matt Swanson (#9)
brought out the next yellow on lap eleven as he
stalled in turn four and exited the race.
Danny Cugini’s march towards the front
continued as it took him 10 laps to finally got
past the stout race cars of Krachun and Barrows
for second by lap seventeen. He then set sail
for leader Bigelow. Stergious was also able to
best Krachun and Barrows and move to third by
lap twenty.
The order remained the same
and at the finish as it was Bigelow with a
commanding win. Cugini was gaining in the
closing laps but settled for second. Stergious
was third with Krachun and Barrows closing out
the top five.
Winner Bigelow would state
later, “The car was on rails at the start but
the tires started to go away at half way. I just
held on, hit my marks, and hoped for the best.”
A fast-closing Cugini added, “I needed a few
more laps - lapped cars played a roll, but I
could have caught him. I have to thank my crew
for all the hard work.”
The twelfth place
starter Stergious offered, “Strange. My car was
lose at one end and tight at the other. On that
last restart, the 51 got away and that was the
deciding moment of the race for second for me.”
The Lite division’s next race will be at New
Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway on Saturday June
21st for the “Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial."
Christian
Briggs prepared long and hard for the weekend's
racing having to juggle an increasingly busy
work schedule and ready two Lite race cars. He
had to add crew members to handle the work load.
Anthony
Payne spent hours in the paddock area signing
autographs after his Scrivani #21 Lite lost an
engine early in the program.
Big
thanks to Sharon Spector for the cookies she
baked for the Meet and Greet. Enjoyed by all the
kids. |
OFFICIAL RESULTS
NEMA LITES - WISCASSET -
6/7/14 |
|
Pos.
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#
|
Driver |
Hometown
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Owner |
|
1 |
32 |
Scott Bigelow |
E. Hampton, CT |
Scott
Bigelow |
|
2 |
51 |
Danny Cugini |
Marshfield, MA |
D. Cugini |
|
3 |
11 |
PJ Stergios |
Candia, NH |
Bill Stergios |
|
4 |
29 |
Ryan Krachun |
Neschanic Station, NJ |
Mike Krachun |
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5 |
46x |
Andy Barrows |
New Ipswitch, NH |
Jeff Johnson |
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6 |
42 |
Juris Kupris |
Williamsburg, NY |
Charles Thomas
Motorsports |
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7 |
93 |
Jake Smith |
Stroudsburg, PA |
Ted Smith |
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8 |
44 |
Christian Briggs |
Mattapoisett, MA |
Charles
Thomas Motorsports |
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9 |
41 |
Megan CuginI |
Marshfield, MA |
D. Cugini |
|
10 |
25 |
Richie Morrocco |
Plainville, MA |
Richard Morrocco |
|
11 |
16 |
Dennis O'Brien |
Deerfield, NH |
Chris O'Brien |
|
12 |
52 |
Kevin Park |
Foxboro, MA |
Kevin Park |
|
13 |
20 |
Myles DeVits |
Barrington, NH |
- |
14
DNF |
27 |
Kevin Hutchens |
E.Waterborro, ME |
Dan Hutchens |
15
DNF |
9 |
Matt Swanson |
Acton, MA |
Matt Seymour |
16
DNF |
31 |
Paul Bigelow |
Kensington, CT |
Paul
Bigelow |
17
DNS |
35 |
Randy Cabral |
Plymouth, MA |
Glen Cabral |
18
DNS |
21 |
Anthony Payne |
Fairlawn, NJ |
Jennifer Scrivani |
|
Heat 1:
32-42-41-46-16-25-52 - 9(DNF) |
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Heat 2:
93-44-29-11-51-31-27-20 |
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Wiscasset Speedway & NEMA
Team Up for a June 7 Show
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The Northeastern Midget
Association will be returning to Maine's Wiscasset Speedway
for the first time in 42 years. NEMA and the NEMA Lites will
be part of the three eights-mile "NEMA Night" on Saturday,
June 7.
NEMA's last and only visit to Wiscasset was
July 1, 1972 when Butch Walsh, in the Connor #58, defeated
Jerry Wall and Walt Gale.
"The Wiscasset fans are
excited, and the anticipation is growing" said track owners
Vanessa and Richard Jordon. "Fan chatter is on the rise and
we can't wait until the 7th gets here."
NEMA makes a
habit of showing up and toppling existing track records,
especially on the shorter ovals. The winged warriors are
expected to set a blistering pace. Doug Coby's 13.00 second
lap at Evans Mills last week was a perfect example.
"Wiscasset is a new challenge and there is nothing NEMA
likes better than new challenges," said club president Mike
Scrivani Jr. "Our record in adapting to tracks is well
documented."
Defending NEMA champion John Zych won
twice last year on tracks he saw for the first time -
Airborne and Riverside (Groveton, NH) Speedways. He'll adopt
the same adjustment policy at Wiscasset. Four-time champion
Randy Cabral also has a sterling record on tracks he has
visited for the first time.
Last week's feature
winner, Seth Carlson, loves racing at new ovals. "We
approach a new venue with an open mind which I believe is an
advantage, we get excited for a new challenge"
Long
time car owner and former driver, Tim Bertrand, will field a
pair of midgets next week with Randy Cabral, (#47), and
brother Todd, (#39). "Our drivers like similar set ups, so
we'll start more "neutral" and adjust from there."
In the NEMA Lites division, Connecticut's own "Team Bigelow"
is on fire. They absolutely owned the month of May winning
all three races on the schedule. Brothers Paul checkered at
Waterford May 10, Scott May 24th at Evans Mills and Ryan
just last weekend at Star. The rest of the field at
Wiscasset will not only have to figure out the new oval, but
also how to dethrone the Bigelows.
Owner Vanessa
Jordon continues, "We're opening the track to the NEMA club,
we consider them our guests for the night." So, in
appreciation, a NEMA driver Meet and Greet is planed at 5:30
PM as well as souvenir giveaways for the fans. Plans are
also in the works to make available NEMA race cars for the
kids to sit in for photographs.
Along with the
winged midgets, the racing card will also include the
exciting Late Models, Strictly Streets, Thunder 4's and
Trucks.
Full Event Schedule at
WiscassetSpeedway.com
NEMA Drivers Meet and Greet at 5:30 PM
Racing at 6:00 PM
Grandstand Admission = $5
(kids 6 and under Free)
(207) 491 – 3720
Location: 274 West Alna Road, Wiscasset, Maine 04578 |
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