|
Keith Cyr Graphic
|
Cabral Scores Win
at
Waterford Finale |
Grabbing the lead four laps
in, Randy Cabral survived two yellows and a red to score a
dominating Northeastern Midget Association victory Sunday at
Waterford Speedbowl’s Town Fair Tire Finale. It was the second
win of the season for Cabral, both at the
Speedbowl.
Starting fourth, Cabral tucked the Bertrand #47 inside pole
sitter John Zych Jr. coming out of two. Only the yellows and red
slowed Cabral en route to his 12th career NEMA win, five of them
at the Speedbowl.
“The cautions helped me,” said Cabral. “I was driving through
the corners so fast I actually thought I was going slow but I
was greasing up the right rear a little bit. The cautions cooled
it down.”
The final yellow flew with two left, Cabral leaving Pete
Pernesiglio and Adam Cantor to battle for second, the latter
prevailing. Rookie Aaron Wall was fourth, Shane Hammond fifth
and Erica Santos, who started 15th, sixth.
“We decided to put a different set up in the car,” said Cabral
claiming the car had not been right since crashing in practice
at the Speedbowl in August. “I actually like taking the lead a
little later but I saw my chance and the car was so good I took
it. I was
waiting for everybody to catch me.”
Ill fortune plagued both title contenders, Ben Seitz and Joey
Payne Jr.
The red showed with seven left when Seitz wound up on his side
in the front stretch after a confrontation with Nokie Fornoro.
They were battling for second.
Fornoro took second from Zych shortly before the first caution.
After the restart, he was battling a motor “bogging down off the
corners” and was “pointing to his crew letting them know. I was
really mad because now I can’t catch the leader.”
Sietz, seeking a fourth straight championship, made a bold move
inside Fornoro heading into three. “[Fornoro] was waving his
arms down the straightaway, gestures like he was slowing down so
I passed him on the bottom,” said Seitz. “When we came off four
he was crowding my lane quite a bit.”
“I was on the white line,” said Fornoro. “I don’t know how much
lower you want me to be. Next thing you know [Seitz] he is top
of my nerf bar. I’ve got my feet off everything and I’m being
pulled down the front straightaway. We got to a point where I
just turned
right. I wasn’t taking it anymore.”
After exiting the car, Seitz ran down the front straight toward
Fornoro sitting in turn four. “A heat of the battle thing,” said
Seitz who was stopped by starter Steve Grant. He apologized “to
the club and to my sponsors. I was disappointed in myself.”
Fornoro was sent to the rear. He left the track instead. “I’m
not going to do that after I did nothing wrong,” he said.
On the restart, Pernesiglio inherited second with Cantor, Payne
and Wall battling for third. A blown motor with two left sent
Payne spinning into the infield, bringing out the final yellow.
Unofficially, 20 points separate Seitz and Payne heading into
Seekonk’s DAV Memorial Oct. 6-7. |
|
Waterford Speedbowl -
Sept. 23rd |
| Pos. |
# |
Driver |
Hometown |
Owner |
|
1 |
47 |
Randy Cabral |
Plymouth, MA |
Tim Bertrand |
| 2 |
80 |
Pete Pernesiglio |
Lake
Grove, NY |
Peter Pernesiglio |
| 3 |
7ny |
Adam Cantor |
Dix Hills, NY |
Cantor Racing |
| 4 |
29 |
Aaron Wall |
Shrewsbury, MA |
Bobby Seymour |
| 5 |
36 |
Shane Hammond |
E. Bridgewater, MA |
Glen Cabral |
| 6 |
44 |
Erica Santos |
Franklin, MA |
Ed Breault |
| 7 |
98 |
Mike Keeler |
Danbury, CT |
Robert
Santos Jr. |
| 8 |
49 |
B.J.
MacDonald |
Dublin, PA |
B.J.
MacDonald |
| 9 |
A1 |
Jeff Horn |
Ashland,
MA |
Jeff Horn |
| 10 |
9 |
John Zych
Jr. |
Mendon,
MA |
John Zych |
| 11 |
30 |
Paul
Scally |
Raynham,
MA |
Paul
Scally |
| 12 |
8 |
Rich
Gerbe |
Franklin Sq.,
NY |
Lee
Gerbe |
|
13 |
99 |
Jeremy Frankoski |
Newark Valley, NY |
Power Point
Racing |
|
14 |
35 |
Cory Cleary |
Plymouth, MA |
Glen Cabral |
|
15 |
77 |
Jeff Zuidema |
North
Brookfield, MA |
Mike Lugelle |
|
16 |
87k |
Bobby Kuiken |
Prompton
Lakes, NJ |
Robert Kuiken |
| 17 |
33 |
Shawn Torrey |
Marshfield, MA |
Shawn Torrey |
18
DNF |
45 |
Joey Payne |
Fairlawn, NJ |
Gene Angellilo |
19
DNF |
22 |
Chris
Leonard |
Pelham,
NH |
Dave
Leonard |
|
20 |
28l |
Paul Luggelle |
Holbrook, MA |
Paul Luggelle |
|
21 |
26b |
Greg Stoehr |
Bridgewater, MA |
Greg Stoehr |
22
DNF |
4 |
Nokie
Fornoro |
Stroudsburg,
PA |
Mike
Jarret |
23
DNF |
17 |
Ben Seitz |
Pocasset, MA |
Pete Valeri |
24
DNF |
81 |
Tim Heath |
Lebanon,
CT |
Tim Heath |
25
DNF |
5 |
Larry Cheetham |
Bristol, RI |
Larry Cheetham |
26
DNF |
47b |
Lou
Ciconni Jr. |
Aston,
PA |
Tim
Bertrand |
27
DNF |
78 |
Steve
Powers |
N.
Andover, MA |
Linda
Cleveland |
28
DNF |
52 |
Kevin
Park |
Foxboro, MA |
Kevin
Park |
29
DNS |
20 |
Andy
Shlatz |
Enfield, CT |
Andy
Shlatz |
|
|
|
|
Winning qualifying
heats for Sunday’s
Town Fair Tire Finale feature races were
Randy Cabral #47 & John Zych Jr. #9. |
|
|
|
|
Historic Milestone
For
NEMA-‘Bowl Marriage |
The Northeastern Midget
Association is about to celebrate a unique milestone. Sunday’s
appearance at the Town Fair Tire Finale (a 25 lapper) will be
NEMA’s 75th event at Waterford Speedbowl.
“It has always been one of my favorite places,” offers Nokie
Fornoro whose four Speedbowl wins stretch over 26years
(1981-2007). Earlier this year Fornoro won a 25 lapper in a
sensational six minutes, eight seconds. “Length, width,
surface,” he says, makes the three-eights Speedbowl “an amazing
Midget track.”
The Speedbowl’s NEMA connection goes back to May 31, 1953 when
Bill Eldridge triumphed in the second race in the club’s
history. Midgets now tour the Speedowl in the high 12 seconds
bracket, hitting speeds in excess of 107 mph.
NEMA brings another sizzling point battle to the Finale. Ben
Seitz, seeking a record fourth straight driving championship,
leads Joey Payne Jr. by 30 points. Both are multi winners at the
Speedbowl, Seitz owning four and Payne three including last
year’s Finale.
The midgets, one of 13 divisions at the Finale, will qualify on
Saturday and then join the Speedbowl’s SK-Modifieds, Late
Models, Mini Stocks and Sportsman on Sunday’s schedule.
Seitz, a one-time Legends champion at the ‘Bowl, and Payne share
Fornoro’s love for the Speedbowl. “I just love the place,” says
Payne. “It’s a pedal-to-the-metal place; a classic momentum
track
with plenty of room.”
Lou Cicconni Jr. and Randy Cabral have also won this season,
Cabral joining a group of six with four career Speedbowl wins.
In addition to Fornoro and Seitz, the club includes Bobby Santos
III, Mark Buonomo and the retired Bobby Seymour. Drew Fornoro,
Nokie’s bother and also retired, is the leader with six
Speedbowl
checkereds.
The absolute Speedbowl win leader is owner Gene Angelillo who
has won 11 times with four different drivers – Drew Fornoro (6),
Payne (3), Russ Stoehr and Ted Christopher – over 25 years plus.
“There are no secrets left at the Speedbowl,” says Angelillo.
“You have to go there prepared to run hard. Everybody, it seems,
runs their best at the Speedbowl. It is a great place for
Midgets.”
There have been 40 different NEMA winners at the Speedbowl
including current competitors Barry Kittredge, Pete Pernesiglio
and Mike Keeler. The list also includes legends like Dutch
Schaefer, Bill
Randall, Joe Csiki, Johnny Coy and King Carpenter.
In addition to NEMA and the regular Speedbowl divisions, the
Pro4 Modifieds, AllStar Race Trucks and Allison Legacy Cars are
on the Finale agenda. |
|
