Cabral is World Series Winner

Thompson, CT - Grabbing the lead on lap 12, Randy Cabral survived a restart six circuits later and went on to capture the 25-lap Northeastern Midget Association segment of the World Series at Thompson Speedway. Cabral's victory, his first of the year, brought NEMA's 51st season to a close.

Starting sixth, Cabral had the lead before the race was two laps old. He lost it to Adam Cantor but then took it back at the halfway point. The last challenge came on a restart with seven left, Cantor actually getting the jump before Cabral regained control in turn one.

"Adam got a great jump," Cabral said of the final restart. "He was getting great jumps all race. Basically, we just drag raced in the first turn and he got there first. Then I just kind of drove
around him. You can trust Adam. You know he's going to give you the room."

Cabral was fighting an ill-handling race car ("I made some set up mistakes") when Cantor passed him earlier. "I decided to follow him but then he starting leaving me," Cabral said. "I thought I had lost it, but then we got the last yellow."

Joey Payne Jr., who already had the championship clinched, came home third despite having to pit on lap12 to clean his front screen of leaves. The combination of wind and leaves was a key factor in only nine cars finishing the race.

Ben Seitz was fourth and Nokie Fornoro, in the Campanale Bros. 91, fifth. Fornoro also pitted on lap 12 to correct tire and overheating problems.

Mechanical problems ended Bobby Santos III bid for two straight wins. Electing to start last and accept the Synergin Challenge, Santos charged to fifth by lap five before dropping out.

Kyle Carpenter also came from deep in the field and was running third when he came to a stop forcing the last yellow. Pete Pernesiglio was a definite factor before becoming one of six or seven victims of the leaf problem.

"I just got lucky," said Cabral about the problem. "We've got the same pickup everybody has."

It was the second Thompson but the first World Series win for Cabral who had suffered through a season of near misses including a devastating DQ at the Boston Louie. "This helps a lot,"Cabral said. "I was looking for a least one win this year. The World Series is a big one because it was one of the first races I went to watch my father race. This sort of soothes things; makes the winter a lot easier to take."

He is the eighth different winner this year