redtop left.gif (1869 bytes)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

redtop right.gif (1870 bytes)
























 

 





























































































































































 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

home.gif (2228 bytes)

 




 


 

 

 

300-MENA-ALONE-Logo.jpg (12577 bytes)

Saturday, September 3rd, 2016

NEMA LITES ONLY
CABRAL - PAYNE - HAMILTON
Photos by
Norm Marx
rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)   rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)   rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)
Spirit of Jim O'Brien Awards,
Sponsored by Seymour Performance Products

Outstanding Innovator presented to Bill Stergios.
(For a mechanic of the race who displays talent and innovation, with the results evident on the racetrack)


Outstanding Competitor
presented to Kyle Hamilton.  
(For a driver who showed great and memorable skill moving through the field, putting on the best show for the fans)

Outstanding Racer presented to Jim Cataldo.
(For a driver or owner who shows the most dedication, ability, sportsmanship, and passion)
Photos by Norm Marx
rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)   rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)   rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)
Photos by Tiffany Payne
 
NEMA LITES - NL-WS - 9/3/16
Pos. # Driver  Hometown Owner
1 21 Anthony Payne Fairlawn, NJ Mike Scrivani
2 35 Randy Cabral Plymouth, MA Glen Cabral
3 76 Kyle Hamilton Speedway, IN Frank Manafort
4 30 Paul Scally Raynham, MA Paul Scally
5 12 Jim Chambers Atkinson, NH Jim Chambers
6 57 PJ Stergios Candia, NH Bill Stergios
7 51 Danny Cugini Marshfield, MA D.  Cugini
8 84 Joey Ciprianno III - Joey Ciprianno III
9 32 Ryan Bigelow East Hampton, CT Scot Bigelow
10 9 Ben Mikitarian Northborough, MA John Mikitarian
11 39 RJ  Tufano West Haven, CT RJ Tufano
12 46x Matt O'Brien Wilmington, MA Andy Barrows
13 38 Ryan Locke Raymond, NH  Ken Locke
14 20 Jeremy Decourcy Rochester, NH Jeremy Decourcy
15 17 Alan Chambers Atkinson, NH Mike Chambers
16 2 Jim Cataldo Sterling, MA Jim Cataldo
17 3 Chris Vose Gloversville, NY Chris Vose
18
DNF
15a Bethany Stoehr Lakeville, MA Russ Stoehr
19
DNF
16 Dennis O"Brien Deerfield, NH Chris O'Brien
20
DNF
42 Juris Kupris Brooklyn, NY Christian Briggs
21
DNF
36 Myles Devits - Glen Cabral
22
DNS
44 Christian Briggs Mattapoisett, MA Christian Briggs
23
DNS
13 Scott Bigelow E. Hampton, CT Randy Bigelow
Anthony Payne Victorious
in O’Brien Memorial
New London, CT  -  Anthony Payne beat back a late race charge from multi time NEMA champion, Randy Cabral, to take down a coveted win at the Jim O'Brien Memorial this past Saturday evening at the New-London Waterford Speedbowl. A full field of 21 NEMA Lites were on hand for the event to celebrate the O'Brien Memorial.

O'Brien's time in NEMA crossed a span of four decades, which personified the best of NEMA. At a very young age, he was introduced to the Midgets by his father and in 1970, joined the NEMA family as a car owner. He earned feature wins with Johnny Evans, driving his Falcon powered Kurtis, and Doug Cleveland who powered to victory in his home built "Pink Panther" laydown chassis. In 1975 he won the Coca-Cola dirt track championship with Hank Stevens at the wheel.

Jim was an innovative fabricator and engine builder and with his sons by his side, he always built his own cars and motors.

For years he served as a NEMA contest board member, once a vice-president, and for 13 consecutive years as the treasurer. His life-long dedication to the club was truly outstanding and in 2003, he was inducted into the NEMA Hall of Fame.

On Saturday evening, at the drop of the green, Paul Scally led the 21 car field to the green as Cabral, Payne and Ben Mikitarian followed. Cabral rocketed into the lead, only to have it called back on lap 3 as Bethany Stoehr came to a stop on the back straight.

On the restart, Cabral jumped out into the lead over Scally, Jim Chambers, Mikitarian, and Ryan Locke. Just two laps later, a yellow and then red flag flew for Juris Kupris, who was into the turn three wall, hard with heavy damage. Kupris was taken in the ambulance, but escaped with minor leg injuries.

When the action picked back up, Payne shot into the lead, followed by Cabral, Scally, Mikitarian and Danny Cugini from his 7th starting spot. The top five ran under a blanket, as further back PJ Stergios and visitor, Kyle Hamilton were slicing their way through the field.

By lap 10, Payne and Cabral were still puling away while Stergios and Hamilton broke the top 6 passing high and low.

Even though the top 10 were strung out by the 15th lap, the fast closing Stergios and Hamiliton finally broke the top 5. Mikitarian and 5th place starter Matt O'Brien were starting to fade back in the field.

Over the final laps, the leaders were now encountering heavy lapped traffic, but Denis O'Brien brought out the yellow, stalled on the back straight.

On the single file restart, Cabral turned up the pressure on leader Payne, but Payne was able to keep the lead. Hamilton put pressure on Stergios and got by in the closing laps for third. At the checkers Payne pulled away followed by Cabral, Hamilton, Scally and Jim Chambers who hung in the top five all day. Stergios, Danny Cugini, Joey Cipriano, Ryan Bigelow and Ben Mikitarian rounded out the top ten.

"It means a lot to win the Jim O'Brien memorial. He did so much for the club, and was very instrumental in the success of the club for many years," said Payne. "I'm excited for our team and can't thank the Scrivani family enough, Mike and Lu Jarrett, Jim Susi and the whole crew," he said.

Third place Kyle Hamilton enjoyed his second trip and second podium with the Lites this year as well. "The biggest adjustment I had to make when running a wing car was the corner entry speed. You have to drive in so much deeper to get the car to set. Once I figured that out, I was able to pass a lot more cars. With the way that NEMA does large inverts we've had to fight from deep in the pack and that has been a fun challenge. Last night the first 5 laps were hectic getting into position. Once we got in line I worked some passes. Waterford is awesome because you can sail the car down into the corner on the flat part and make some exciting passes. My final pass on Stergios was really fun because both of our tires were wearing down and we had to really fight. That's what I love about coming to run on the east coast. Clean hard racing!," he concluded.
NEMA Celebrates O’Brien Memorial at
New London Waterford Speedbowl
Saturday night 9/3, when the NEMA Lites series rolls into the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, it will be to celebrate legendary car owner and club supporter, Jim O'Brien.

Brothers Matt and Dennis O'Brien will both be competing - Dennis in a car owned by brother, Chris O'Brien and Matt in an Andy Barrows owned BEAST Chassis. An O'Brien Memorial win will be a coveted one, on the minds of many Lites racers. One of those is NEMA Champion and Lites competitor, Randy Cabral.

"Jim was such a good guy, and always thought about the little guy. Maybe we aren't considered the little guys anymore, but for many years when we were showing up with a 1979 Edmunds on a snow mobile trailer, Jim was always there to greet us with a smile. It would be such an honor to win this race," said five time champion, Randy Cabral. "He did so much for the club, I'd like all of the younger generation to understand who he was, and the impact he had on what we have today," Cabral went on to say.

"Jim O'Brien was a staple in the foundation of NEMA," said NEMA President Russ Stoehr. "He was one of the pioneers who helped pave the way for pavement midget racing in the Northeast, as we see it today," he said.

O'Brien's time in NEMA crossed a span of four decades, which personified the best of NEMA. At a very young age, he was introduced to the Midgets by his father and in 1970, joined the NEMA family as a car owner. He earned feature wins with Johnny Evans, driving his Falcon powered Kurtis, and Doug Cleveland who powered to victory in his home built "Pink Panther" laydown chassis. In 1975 he won the Coca-Cola dirt track championship with Hank Stevens at the wheel.

Jim was an innovative fabricator and engine builder and with his sons by his side, he always built his own cars and motors.

For years he served as a NEMA contest board member, once a vice-president, and for 13 consecutive years as the treasurer. His life-long dedication to the club was truly outstanding and in 2003, he was inducted into the NEMA Hall of Fame.

However, most notably Jim was always one that stood up and fought for fair competition and defended the "little guy" - racers who ran with small budgets.

In the same spirit of Jim O'Brien, the NEMA Lites were created with two principals - cost effectiveness and fair competition. While the NEMA midgets are considered the fastest midgets in the world, the NEMA Lites boast to be "lite" on the wallet, making them the perfect fit to highlight the Jim O'Brien memorial race.

The O'Brien family would like to thank the race sponsors, they are as follows:


Title Sponsors:
R.E. Dinneen Architects
United Consultants
Motor Cars International


Spirit of Jim O' Brien Awards Presented by:
Seymour Performance Products

Bronze Sponsors:
The Richmond Group, Inc.
Mike & Lu Jarrett
Daniel O'Brien
Eileen Engels
Chris O'Brien
The Oullette Family
Mike Scrivani
Liz Greenberg
rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)   rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)   rebullet.gif (1845 bytes)