NEMA - NorthEastern Midget Association

THE 21st BOSTON LOUIE MEMORIAL
WEDS., JUNE 28th, 2017
SEEKONK SPEEDWAY

NEMA MIDGETS AWARDS

Fast Time - JMT Motorsports
Anthony Nocella #33 - 11.056 - $100

Heat Winner #1 - Motorcars International
Seth Carlson #71 - $100

Heat Winner # 2 - Schrader Racing
Anthony Nocella #33 - $100

Dave Steele Hard Charger Award
- Heckman Motorsports & Chris DeRitis Motorsports
Anthony Nocella #33 - $200

Hard Luck Award - Leader Card Racers
Todd Bertrand #48 - $100

Outstanding Performance Award - Hoosier Tire
John Zych #9 - $100

Perseverance Award - Bertrand Motorsports
Doug Cleveland #87 - $100

NEMA LITES AWARDS

Fast Time - I Racing.Com
Jake Stergios #57 - 11.836 - $133

Heat Winner #1 - Pro Stock Kitchens
Ray Parent #45 - $100

Heat Winner #2 - Stergios Racing
Megan Cugini #41 - $100

Heat Winner #3 - Ktron and Bentley's Saloon
Jim Chambers #12 - $100

Dave Steele Hard Charger Award
- JMT Motorsports & Brown/Noffsinger Racing
Dylan Duhamie #5 - $233

Outstanding Performance Award - Hoosier Tire
Ryan Locke #38 - $100

Hard Luck Award - Gil Bertrand
Chris Lamb #9L - $100

"First Out Award" - Steve Stapp
Richie Coy #19 - $100

Long Distance Award - Leader Card Racers
George Kurtz #4, Denver, CO - $100

Jim O'Brien Perseverance Awards
Jeremy Decourcy - $100
Chris Vose - $100
Kevin Park - $100

NEMA MIDGETS WINNER - JOHN ZYCH #9









		*Photos by* *John DaDalt &* *Norm Marx*

		*Photos by* *Crystal Snape*
*Heats >*

*Photos by John DaDalt*

*NEMA MIDGETS - SEEKONK - 6/28/17*
Pos.	#	Driver	Hometown	Owner
1	9	*John Zych Jr.*	*Mendon, MA*	*John Zych Sr.*
2	39	*Avery Stoehr*	*Lakeville, MA*	Bertrand Motorsports
3	47	*Doug Coby*	*Milford, CT*	Bertrand Motorsports
4	33	*Anthony Nocella*	*Woburn, MA*	*Bobby Seymour*
5	74	Randy Cabral	Kingston, MA	Bertrand Motorsports
6	99	Jim Santa Maria	Burlington, CT	Jim Santa Maria
7	7	Alan Chambers	Atkinson, NH	Mike Chambers
8	21	Jim Chambers	Atkinson, NH	Mike Chambers
9	71	*Seth Carlson*	*Brimfield, CT*	*Gene Feigel*
10	48	Todd Bertrand	Danielson, CT	Gill Bertrand
11	5b	*Bethany Stoehr*	*Bridgewater, MA*	*Greg Stoehr*
12	30	*Paul Scally*	*Raynham, MA*	*Paul Scally*
13	87	Doug Cleveland	Sudbury, MA	Doug Cleveland
14	16	*Matt O'Brien*	*Wilmington, MA*	*Matt O'Brien*
15	A1	*Mike Horn*	*Ashland, MA*	*Jeff Horn*

LITES WINNER - DYLAN DUHAIME #5








	*Photos by* *Norm Marx*
*Heats >*

		*Photos by* *John DaDalt*
		*Photos by* *Norm Marx*

NEMA LITES - SEEKONK - 6/28/17

Pos.	#	Driver	Hometown	Owner
1	5	Dylan Duhaime	Loudon, NH	Jim Cataldo
2	12	Jim Chambers	Atkinson, NH	Jim Chambers
3	14	Chad Labastie	Uxbridge, MA	Chad Labastie
4	38	Ryan Locke	*Raymond, NH*	*Ken Locke*
5	13	Ryan Bigelow	E. Hampton, CT	Ryan Bigelow
6	51	*Dan CuginI*	*Marshfield, MA*	*Dan Cugini*
7	5b	Jessica Bean	Farmland, IN	Jessica Bean
8	45	Ray Parent	Tiverton, RI	Bertrand Motorsports
9	35	Randy Cabral	Kingston, MA	*Glen Cabral*
10	21	*Anthony Payne*	*Fairlawn, NJ*	*Mike Scrivani*
11	27	Kevin Iannarelli	Maynard, MA	*Kevin Iannarelli*
12	57	*Jake Stergios*	*Candia, NH*	*Bill Stergios*
13	8t	Jake Trainor	Medway, MA	Jake Trainor
14	9	Ben Mikitarian	Northborough, MA	*John Mikitarian*
15	24	Nikki Caroll	Andover, NJ	Joe Caroll
16	8	Sam Hatfield	Mooresville, NC	Sam Hatfield
17	7	Jim Cataldo	Sterling, MA	Jim Cataldo
18	16	Dennis O'Brien	Deerfield, NH	Chris O'Brien
19	35g	Jake Garcia	Monroe, GA	Jacke Garcia
20	9L	Chris Lamb	Greensboro, NC	Chris Lamb
21	52	Kevin Park	Foxboro, MA	Kevin Park
22	3	Chris Vose	Gloversville, NY	Chris Vose
23	41	Megan Cugini	Marshfield, MA	Glenn Cugini
24	88	Jeff Locke	Chester, NH	Ken Locke
25	34ct	Anthony Burr	Wallingford, CT	Anthony Burr
26	20	Jeremy Decourcy	Rochester, NH	Jeremy Decourcy
27	4	George Kurtz	Denver, CO	George Kurtz
28	19	Richard Coy	Haskell, NJ	Richard Coy

Zych, Duhaime Take Down
NEMA’s Boston Louie Memorial

Race Report Courtesy of Seekonk Speedway, Tim Bertrand

John Zych, starting fifth, piloted past Avery Stoehr and Alan Chambers, pole sitter Jim SantaMaria and outside pole sitter Doug Cleveland to take down the victory in a green to checkered finish to win his first Boston Louie Memorial this past Wednesday at Seekonk Speedway. Dylan Duhaime, driving the Cataldo #5 pulled off an epic last lap pass on Jim Chambers, who led the majority of the race, to take his first Boston Louie checkers in the Lites portion of the event, which ran 33 laps in memoriam of the late David Steele.

In the NEMA event, for the leaders, it was a matter of holding position, as Zych and Stoehr went the distance without being passed. SantaMaria had grabbed third during the second circuit, went halfway and then was passed by Todd Bertrand. Bertrand seemed a lock on third, as he went the rest of the way - almost. Mechanical problems forced him to withdraw with one lap remaining and the position went to Coby, who had held fourth for most of the race. It also elevated Nocella in the Seymour 33 to fourth.

It was a stretched-out field by lap five in a race which ran green to checkers without caution. Zych was enjoying a half-straightaway lead by this time and Stoehr was about the same distance ahead of Bertrand. By lap eight, they were encountering lapped vehicles. SantaMaria had moved into third, ahead of Bertrand. Cabral got by Chambers into sixth.

Zych was charging so hard that his right rear was showing smoke through the corners, especially turn four and it continued, raising concerns that he might lose the shoe or at least lose the speed he had been showing. But Zych continued to press down on the pedal and keep the space open between him and Stoehr. Zych would pass Bethan Stoehr, to put her a lap down, as the leaders closed. Bertrand was closing on Stoehr for the second spot, and Coby was not far behind, as the trio closed Zych's gap, and would run out of time. Zych took down his first Boston Louie ever, followed by Stoehr, defending race winner Coby, Anthony Nocella in the Seymour 33, and Randy Cabral in the Bertrand 74. Santa Maria, Alan Chambers, Jim Chambers, Seth Carlson and Todd Bertrand rounded out the top ten.

"We made a few changes each time out on the track but made 3 adjustments before the feature. We weren't fast during the day but there is no track that changes quite like Seekonk does, in my opinion. We did a few things to tighten the car up which was great because we were certainly loose towards the end. The car was great at the beginning but as the race went on and I had to pass some lap cars on the outside, I was just sliding through the corners and I knew I was heating the RR pretty bad. With maybe 8 or so laps to go I could feel the blistering on the tire so I just tried to keep the car as straight as possible and stay on the bottom. It is amazing to win the Boston Louie, definitely a career highlight," said Zych.

In the Lites Feature, Jeremy Decourcy leapt off the pole to lead the first four laps of NEMA Lite action in the Dave Steele 33, but Jim Chambers came on from fourth to get underneath through a three wide, dropping Sam Hatfield back, then another three-wide which put him past Jessica Bean on the outside. But as George Kurtz pirouetted down the front stretch, Caution flew.

It took two tries to get the field going again, as Anthony Burr spun just out of the starting box. Now, it was Chambers and Payne splitting around Decourcy on the start for a brief three-wide. The bracketing saw Chambers take advantage and grab the lead ahead of Payne while Chad Locke got under Decourcy. But a Nickie Carroll spin sent them back for another restart on lap six.

Chambers again snagged the lead while Locke got under Payne for a door-to-door. But lap seven saw a two car spin in turn two, involving Chris Vose, Jim Cataldo, Carroll and Jake Stergios.

They tried again, but laps eight and nine saw caution. Finally, the lap nine green had the field running laps again and Chambers was back to the lead. Locke bolted into second by the halfway point and went to Chambers' high side for the pass and it became a wheel-to-wheel affair but Chambers pulled away. Locke tried again as they began to encounter lapped traffic. By lap 18, Locke was snugged up against Chambers' bumper. The run was ended as Anthony Burr slowed to a stop on the front stretch. He was unable to continue.

Chambers began lapping the field on lap 27. Duhaime was looking for access to the front and found it on lap 29 of the 33-lapper. He dropped underneath with Chambers trying to block him. But Duhaime was solidly underneath and they approached a lapped car which Chambers slowed to avoid, allowing Duhame to slide out from under him and into the lead with one lap remaining. Further back, Bean slid past Randy Cabral on the final circuit to secure seventh and Ray Parent nabbed eighth. Cabral finished ninth.

"This was an awesome night. I was watching some videos of Ayrton senna the other day, and he would do a similar move. When he was going for a last minute pass at the end of the race, he would stick his nose underneath a car enough for them to know he was there and then drive into the corner somewhat hard and allow the other driver to decide whether or not they would give up the position. I tried to do the same thing, I knew Chambers could see my nose, and I drove into the corner hard enough that he would have to give me the position or wreck me. I had a good car with a great group of people behind me. A lot of hard work has gone into making this car race ready and if it wasn't for my dad and car owner Jim Cataldo I wouldn't be out there. It was also my dads birthday the day before and I knew it'd be extra special for him," said Duhaime.

DAVE STEELE - #33

The Legacy of Boston Louie
Lives On in the 21st Annual
Boston Louie Seymour Memorial

For the past 20 years, the race held in honor of the Massachusetts based car owner who campaigned his winning midgets, sprints and Silver Crown cars across America, has brought together the very best in open wheel Midget racing.

On March 25, 2017, the most accomplished pavement open wheel racer in America , Dave Steele of Tampa Fl. passed away at Desoto Speedway in Bradenton while attempting to win his 100th sprint car race in the state of Florida.

When the NEMA Midgets roll into Seekonk Speedway for the 21st Annual Boston Louie Memorial, NEMA will honor Steele by extending the customary 29 lap race to 33 laps (Steele's number) for the NEMA LITES portion of the event.

A special thanks to Seekonk Speedway, NEMA, the many sponsors, fans and dedicated race coordinators, who have helped produce this spectacular event for the past two decades.

The Seymour Family
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Auto racing and college football broadcaster Jack Arute Jr. will be joining NEMA announcer Pete Falconi to call the 21st Boston Louie Memorial.

Format for the 2017 Boston Louie Memorial

2-3 warmups (time dependent).

The driver’s time trial time will be the fastest lap turned out of any of the warmups.

The number of heats that will be run will depend on the car count and the heat race invert will be determined after time trials. Between 80 and 90% of the field will be fully inverted for the Heat races.

The number of transfer spots will be dependent on the number of heats. If there are 2 heats, 5 cars will transfer for a total of 10. If there are 3 heats, 5 cars will transfer for a total of 15.

The transferred cars will be stack ranked by their fastest overall time for the DAY, warmups and heats included. A pill will be drawn. If 10 cars transferred, the pills will be 8, 9 or 10. If 15 cars transfer, the pills will be 12, 14 or 15.

If, for example, a #12 invert pill is drawn in the case of 15 transfer spots, the fastest time for the day out of the qualified cars would start 12th, the second fastest 11th, the third fastest 10th, and so on. The 13th - 15th fastest, although they may have qualified through their heat, would start 13th - 15th, heads up. All cars that do not make the transfer will start heads up.

For LITES only - the format will be the same as 2016. 2017 feature winners from NEMA or the Eastern Midgets cannot start higher than 6th position in the feature.