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HEAT 1
29 - Buonomo
45 - Payne
16 - O'Brien
18 - Gerbe
7ny - Cantor
2 - Bumpus
98s - E. Santos
48 - Bertrand
33 - Spada
25 - S. Dolan
57 - Brandbury
54me - Zrinski-DNS |
HEAT 2
17 - Seitz
25 - B. Santos
50 - Pernisiglio
36 - R. Cabral
37 - Hammond
44 - Breault
15 - R. Dolan
81 - Heath
11 - Bundy
22 - Shlatz
78 - D. Cleveland |
DASH
17 - Seitz
29 - Buonomo
35 - Santos
45 - Payne
7ny - Cantor |
Photos by
Sheila Somers
Photos by
John DaDalt
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Waterford Speedbowl
August 14,
2004
L to R: Mike Seymour; Randy Cabral,
3rd; Winner Ben Seitz;
Joey Payne, 2nd; and Bobby Seymour
The
Boston Louie
Waterford Speedbowl - 8/7 |
1 - 17 - Ben Seitz***
2 - 45 - Joey Payne***
3 - 36 - Randy Cabra
4 - 35 - Bobby Santos
5 - 29 - Mark Buonomo
6 - 50 - Pete Pernisiglio
7 - 44 - Ed Breault
8 - 18 - Rich Gerbe
9 - 7ny - Adam Cantor
10 - 15 - Ryan Dolan
11 - 37 - Shane Hammond
12 - 16 -Matt O'Brien
13 - 25 - Sean Dolan
14 - 57 - Bob Bradbury
15 - 22 - Andy Shlatz
16 - 11 - Lee Bundy
17 - 33 - Tommy Spada
18 - 98s - Erica Santos
19 - 54me - Don Zrinski
20 - 81 - Tim Heath
21 - 2 - Howie Bumpus
22 - 48 - Tim Bertrand
23 - 78 - Doug Cleveland ( DNS)
*** - Hard Charger Award |
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Boston
Louie Special Awards of $100.00 |
For: |
From: |
To: |
Furthest Distance
Travelled |
Parker Sanitary |
Pete Pernesiglio |
Feature Winner |
Campanale Bros. |
Peter Valeri |
16h Place
Finisher |
Campanale
Bros. |
Lee Bundy |
Hard Luck Award |
Campanale Bros. |
George Heath |
Hard Charger Award |
The Race Depot |
Ben Seitz &
Joey Payne |
2nd Finishing Car with an
Autocraft Engine |
Autocraft Engines |
Bobby Seymour |
|
Seitz Wins NEMAs Boston Louie
When Ben Seitz took second away from Pete Pernesiglio with 15 laps remaining, Joey Payne
Jr. was almost a halfway straightaway ahead. Still, the Northeastern Midget Association
point leader was feeling confident.
The stagger wasnt right in the beginning and we sort of guessed at it,
Seitz explained. Then the car started coming to us and about the time I was getting
better and better I noticed Joey [Payne] was getting looser and looser.
Seitz chased down and passed Payne with nine laps left and then survived a late restart to
capture NEMAs 29-lap Boston Louie Memorial Saturday night at Waterford Speedbowl.
Seitz, who called it without doubt the biggest feature of my career, is the
eighth winner in as many Louie races. He also won the Helping Hands Across
America Dash.
The race honors the patriarch of the Seymour family. Randy Cabral was third followed by
Bobby Santos III (in the Cabral 36) and Mark Buonomo (in the Seymour 29). It was the third
win of the season for Seitz and the Pete Valeri #17.
Payne (Angelillo 45) and Seitz started side-by-side in the sixth row, the former
immediately moving to the front. There were just a bunch of cars everywhere and I
just wiggled my way through and before I knew it I was fourth, said Payne
easily the fastest car in the early going.
When the first caution flew five laps in, Payne and Seitz were fourth and fifth behind
leader Pernesiglio. On the green, Payne settled in behind Pernesiglio and Santos, passing
the latter on lap 18 and then assuming command heading in one with 16 left.
Once I got up through the car was really good and I probably should have slowed
down, been a little smoother, said Payne, pointing out he freed the car
up before the feature. With NEMA theres probably 10 cars that can win
and you cant sleep here [the Speedbowl.]
Seitz, who won earlier this season at the Speedbowl, passed Pernesiglio with 15 left. He
caught and passed Payne down the front chute with nine showing. He appeared headed to an
impressive win when the final caution showed.
I had nothing for him, said Payne. I knew my right rear was gone. I knew
we were done. I was concerned with holding on for second.
Cabral came from sixth to third in the final laps, passing Santos on the final circuit. He
was pleased with the teams two top-five efforts. They had a lot more than
me, he said of Seitz and Payne. I just pulled a third out of the air. He
said Santos fourth proves he can drive this track.
Mark Buonomo, driving the car Santos drove to four Speedbowl victories including one
earlier this year, was fifth. Pernesiglio, the early leader, held on for sixth. Seitz and
Buonomo were the heat winners.
Seitz called the win very special pointing out that Seymour played a leading
role in the Valeri team moving from Legends Cars to Midgets three years ago.
Its just a real prestigious event because they have such a name throughout the
whole country, he explained. Its a big race for everybody.
It was the eighth race of the season for NEMA and the
seventh top-five finish for Seitz including a win at Lee on July 23. |
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Buonomo, Seymour
Take Aim
On Louie Win at Speedbowl |
Mark Buonomo has moved into the No. 29 and comes to
Saturday night's eighth-annual Boston Louie Memorial
intent on adding to Seymour family's impressive Waterford Speedbowl resume. The gem of the
Northeastern Midget Association, the event honors the memory of Louis Seymour, the
patriarch of the Seymour clan.
"I've won five times there," says Bobby Seymour. "My brother (Mike) has one
win and Bobby Santos III had three wins there in my car (including one earlier this
season). Mark has won four times in his own car. So, I guess we know our way around the
place."
Seymour and Buonomo agree that the Speedbowl is close
to an ideal Midget facility. "It appears everybody is at their best there," says
Buonomo. Laps in the low 13 seconds are commonplace. It's possible as many as a dozen
drivers with at least one Speedbowl win could be in the field.
The SK-Modifieds (35-lap feature), Late Models (30), Sportsman (20) and Mini Stocks (20)
are on the program
as well. In addition to two qualifying heats, NEMA has a special match race.
Russ Stoehr won the first "Louie" in 1997 and there has yet to be a two-time
winner driver-wise. Two owners, however, have done it. Gene Angelillo did it with Drew
Fornoro in 1998 and last year with Joey Payne Jr. Santos won in a Seymour car in 2002
matching Bobby Seymour's 1999 effort.
Payne can become the first two-time winner and he can
put Angelillo atop the owner stats. Buonomo aims to do
the same for Seymour.
Randy Cabral joins Payne, Fornoro and Stoehr in hoping to become the first two-time
winning driver. A year ago, Cabral appeared to have that honor only to see it evaporate in
tech (too wide).
Ben Seitz, a winner earlier this year at the Speedbowl, takes a 37-point edge on Cabral
into "The Louie" with defending champ Payne, a winner last weekend at Beech
Ridge Motor Speedway, 93 back.
Among the other hopefuls are Eric Santos, now driving
her own car, veterans Nokie Fornoro, Howie Bumpus and
Ed Breault, youngster Tim Heath, Pete Pernesiglio and
Tim Bertrand. |
Seymour To Be
Honored with Annual NEMA Classic on Saturday at Waterford |
Marlborough, MA: For the second time this season, the
Northeastern Midget Association will compete for an increased payday. This weekend the
club heads to the Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford, CT for the running of the 8th Annual
Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic. There is more than just the nearly $10,000 in purse
and contingencies on the line, there is also the prestige of the event that makes a win a
coveted prize for the drivers and teams.
The Boston Louie Seymour Memorial was started back in 1997 as a tribute to the man who
helped shape Midget Racing in New England. "Boston" Louie Seymour, the patriarch
of the Seymour Family of Marlborough, MA, made his name nationally in the open-wheel ranks
with drivers like Kenny Schrader. His love for the sport, his knowledge of mechanics, and
his genuine personality made him one of racings most endearing car owners. Although a
national treasure, it is right here at home in New England where is influence is most
keenly felt. Even today, the traditions that he helped to build run strongly through his
entire family.
Due in large part to the racing community's support of the race that bears Boston's name,
with contingencies and lap money, the Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic continues to
be the most lucrative race for the Northeastern Midget Association. Mike Jarrett and
Helping Hands of America have once again stepped up their involvement with NEMA by making
a generous contribution to the purse for Saturday's race. Helping Hands of America is a
private foundation located in Wrentham, MA that solicits tangible goods for donation with
portions of all proceeds directly helping associated charities.
Past winners of the prestigious Seymour Memorial event include Russ Stoehr, Bobby Seymour,
Bobby Santos III, Randy Cabral, Drew Fornoro, and Joey Payne. Cabral, Stoehr, and Payne
are looking to become the first two-time winners of the Classic but they will have their
work cut out for them as Ben Seitz, Mark Buonomo, Tim Heath, and a host of other talented
NEMA drivers look to put their names in the record books.
As in years past, the Seymour #29 is one of the favorites to win on Saturday night. With a
tradition learned from Boston Louie himself, owner Bobby Seymour has once again picked a
talented young driver for the seat of his Midget. This weekend Mark Buonomo of Waltham, MA
will be aboard the #29 with high hopes of winning his first Boston Louie and the third for
the Seymour stables.
Nokie Fornoro of Stroudsburg, PA has made an explosive return to NEMA racing in the Don
Barrio owned #2. With a win in his first race at Stafford Motor Speedway and most recently
a 6th place finish at Beech Ridge, another Fornoro name could very well be added to the
list of Classic winners. So too could a Santos. Erica Santos of Franklin, MA, sister of
2002 winner Bobby, will be in competition in her own car this weekend looking not only for
a Classic victory but also to become the first female winner in NEMA's history.
The list of Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic hopefuls continues and the race is
anyone's to win. Put the ultra-competitive NEMA roster on the Waterford Speedbowl,
possibly the best Midget track in New England, and you have a recipe for a tremendous race
and tons of racing excitement.
Companies like Campanale Fishing Vessels and Parker Sanitation of Wrentham, MA have joined
the family of sponsors to present the 8th Annual Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic on
Saturday night at the Waterford Speedbowl. Racing gets underway with qualifying for all
divisions, including the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, at 5:00 PM. Features are expected to
go green at approximately 7:00 PM. General admission prices are $14 for adults and youth
(ages 6-14) tickets are available for only $5.00. Pit Passes with a NASCAR License are
$23.00 and $31.00 without a NASCAR License. |
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Photos by
Sheila Somers
Race Action:
Photos by
John DaDalt
Photos by
Sheila Somers
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