NEMA - NorthEastern Midget Association

NEMA MIDGETS & LITES
SEASON OPENER
FRIDAY, JULY 17th - 7:00 PM

THE NEMA
ANGELILLO MEMORIAL
Remembering Gene and Marilyn

Gene and Marilyn Angelillo were, for decades, the backbone of NEMA. Starting in 1983 Gene amassed 107 wins and 14 owner's championships. He also was president of the club for several years with Marilyn serving as secretary. The majority of his success came with Drew Fornoro, with Joey Payne, Jr. and Russ Stoehr also winning championships for him. Racing royalty drove Gene's cars, including the late Ted Christopher, who won for him at Waterford, Jimmy Broderick, a Waterford champion, and Joe Gosek, a Classic winner at Oswego.

They were a perfect partnership in NEMA and in life. If Gene was the stern dad of NEMA, Marilyn was the den mother, looking out for everyone, and every now and then keeping Gene in line (not an easy task)!

Gene's legacy transcends more than NEMA. Along with way he picked up an ARDC championship, and his #45 Dumo's Desire midget raced everywhere from Florida to Arizona. Gene had the means to field almost any type of race car, even on a national level, but his heart was forever with NEMA and the midgets.

While their accomplishments in NEMA are well noted, their devotion to family was paramount in their lives. If anyone could mellow Gene, it was his grandkids. Marilyn and Gene absolutely adored daughter Laura, and grandkids Tiana, Cami, and Brooke. Marilyn left us in 2007, Gene in 2010. Laura kept the team going for one more year, winning a last championship for Gene and Marilyn with Russ Stoehr. The #45 may not be on track anymore, but their legacy lives on forever.

ANGELLILO MEMORIAL PAGE HERE

NEMA MIDGETS WINNER - AVERY STOEHR #39



			*Photos by* *Norm Marx*

*NEMA MIDGETS - LEE USA - 7/17/20*
Pos.	#	Driver	Hometown	Owner
1	39	*Avery Stoehr*	*Lakeville, MA*	Bertrand Motorsports
2	47	Lanson Fornoro	Brockton, MA	Bertrand Motorsports
3	48	*Todd Bertrand*	*Danielson, CT*	Bertrand Motorsports
4	17	*Alby Ovitt*	*Somersworth, NH*	Bertrand Motorsports
5	74	Randy Cabral	Kingston, MA	Bertrand Motorsports
6	8	Jake Trainor	Medway, MA	Mike Trainor
7	30	*Paul Scally*	*Raynham, MA*	Paul Scally
8	69	*Matt Merry*	*Plaistow, NH*	*Matt Merry*
9	87	Doug Cleveland	Sudbury, MA	Doug Cleveland
10	7	Alan Chambers	Atkinson, NH	Mike Chambers
11	A1	Mike Horn	Ashland, MA	Jeff Horn
DNS	9	John Zych Jr.	Mendon, MA	John Zych Sr.
*HEAT 1: 47, 74, 30, A1, 8, 9*
HEAT 2: 48, 39, 17, 7, 69, 87

NEMA LITES WINNER - JIM CATALDO #5

NEMA LITES - LEE USA - 7/17/20

Pos.	#	Driver	Hometown	Owner
1	5	Jim Cataldo	Sterling, MA	Jim Cataldo
2	88	*Chase Locke*	*Chester, NH*	Ken Locke
3	38	*Ryan Locke*	*Chester, NH*	*Ken Locke*
4	11	*PJ Stergios*	*Candia, NH*	*Bill Stergios*
5	97	*Jim Santa Maria*	*Burlington, Ct*	Jim Santa Maria
6	18	DJ Moniz	New Bedford, MA	Dave Moniz
7	1	*Alby Ovitt*	*Somersworth, NH*	*Seymour Performance*
8	17	*Kyle Valeri*	*Monument Beach, MA*	*Peter Valeri*
9	19	Richie Coy	Haskell, NJ	Richie Coy
10	16	Matt Seavey	Pittsfield, NH	Christopher Butterweck
11	21	*Joe Bailey*	-	*Mike Scrivani*
12	94	Tiana Kibbe	Fairfield, CT	Curt Kibbe
DNS	22	*Anthony Payne*	*Fairlawn, NJ*	*Jim Susi*
DNS	55	*Drew Eldridge*	*No Chelmsford, MA*	*Drew Eldridge*
DNS	3	*Chris Vose*	*Gloversville, NY*	*Chris Vose*
*DNS*	35	Randy Cabral	Kingston, MA	*Glen Cabral*
*HEAT 1: 5, 17, 19, 21, 97, 94, 22*
HEAT 2: 88, 38, 11, 1, 16, 18, 55, 3

Cataldo Takes First Career Win;
Stoehr Best in NEMA’s Angelillo
Memorial in Photo Finish
at LEE USA Speedway

The Northeastern Midget Association visited LEE USA Speedway for its delayed season opening event this past Friday night, July 17th. 28 midgets filled the pits, and the action was extremely close as both feature events went green to checkered and both were decided by less than a bumper's length. Jim Cataldo took down his first ever feature event victory in the Lites by .06 seconds over Chase Locke and 2019 Champion Avery Stoehr took down the NEMA victory over teammate Lanson Fornoro in a photo finish margin of .003 seconds.

The night commemorated NEMA's most successful car owners in the history of the club, Marilyn and Gene Angelillo. In addition to 14 championships, Gene and Marilyn claimed well over 100 features including 14 at the Waterford Speedbowl. They also served the club in many positions. Gene was president and Marilyn secretary for several seasons.

The Angelillo's first Waterford win came with Drew Fornoro aboard in 1982.

Over the next 30-plus summers, Russ Stoehr and Joey Payne joined Fornoro winning at Waterford in Angelillo equipment. The versatile Ted Christopher's only Midget win came at Waterford on May 24, 1998 in an Angelillo car.

Gene's final win was Waterford's 2009 Wings and Wheels. Russ Stoehr was the driver.

In the NEMA Lites race, Jim Cataldo led in a wire to wire race, but not without much pressure from youngster Chase Locke. Cataldo got out into an early lead, from the pole starting position, and was followed early on by Chase Locke, DJ Moniz, and by the halfway point, Ryan Locke and PJ Stergios had broken free of traffic and were on the hunt. As the final laps wore down, youngster Chase Locke would begin to pressure Cataldo, and make a valiant move on the last lap, but Cataldo went on to hang on for his first ever event victory. Locke would finish second, followed by Ryan Locke, PJ Stergios, Jim Santa Maria, DJ Moniz, Alby Ovitt, Kyle Valeri, Richie Coy, and Matt Seavy.

"I trusted my crew chief, my brother Joe, for the strategy and to make the right adjustments to keep up with the track," said Cataldo. We were using tires we had left over from last year and the last 5 laps the right rear started to go away. I'd like to thank all of the NEMA officials and LEE USA Speedway for putting this race together. It felt great to be back at the track," he said.

In the NEMA feature, Avery Stoehr pulled off a masterful pass with three laps to go on teammate Lanson Fornoro in the Bertrand Motorsports 47, with a margin of victory of inches, a mere .003.

When the green flag flew in the feature, Alan Chambers in the Mac's Auto World #7 blasted out into the lead, with Fornoro settling into second. Chambers set the pace for the first five laps, with Fornoro a carlength behind. Chambers night would come to an end with an injection issue, and Fornoro took over the point. He would stretch out his lead to over a straightaway, but as lapped traffic approached, Avery Stoehr and Todd Bertrand began to close the gap. As Fornoro tried to get around the lapped car of Matt Merry, Stoehr would dive to the bottom and take the lead with three to go. Fornor made a bid on the final lap, and pulled to the outside and ahead of Stoehr down the back stretch, but Stoehr would beat him back to the line by inches. They were followed by across the line by Bertrand, Aby Ovitt, Randy Cabral, Jake Trainor, Paul Scally, Matt Merry, Doug Cleveland, and Alan Chambers.

"After I got under Lanson, I knew I had used up my tires and was surprised to see him back on the outside of me. I gave it everything I had, and the tire was so spent I actually spun out after the checkered flag. It was so awesome to win such a close race, I hope the fans enjoyed it," said Stoehr.

NEMA picks back up this coming Saturday at Monadnock at the IRON Mike Scrivani Memorial.