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2013 NEMA NEWS |
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Ellie Seymour |
Elena A.
(Birri) Seymour, 84, of Marlborough,
died Saturday,
March 23, 2013 at Brigham
and Women's Hospital in Boston
after an illness. |
Ellie
Seymour, matriarch of one of the country’s premier
racing families, passed away Saturday at age 84. The
widow of the legendary “Boston Louie” Seymour, “Miss
Ellie” had an immeasurable influence on three
generations of the Marlboro, MA based family.
Married to Louie
for 44 years, she leaves behind five children – sons
Michael and Bobby and daughters, Marylou Todd, Lois
Seymour and Celeste Mikitarian – and eight
grandchildren.
“She was always giving,” said
Bobby. “It was always about us.”
Northeastern
Midget Association President Mike Scrivani Jr.
argues it went much further. “She had such an
infectious smile,” says Scrivani, a long-time
Seymour associate. “You could not help returning
that smile. Miss Ellie made you feel good.
“She added a dignity to where ever she was,”
Scrivani continues. “She just brought so much with
her.”
Whether it was “driving the rig” or
staying home and “taking care of business,” Ellie
Seymour played a vital role in the accomplishments
that put her husband in both the National Sprint Car
and New England Antique Racers Halls of Fame. The
Seymours were successful in USAC Sprint and Silver
Crown cars thought out the country. Mike and Bobby
were midget standouts in family equipment, notably
with the Northeastern Midget Association.
She
was, Bobby recalls “a true quarter midget mom” when
her family raced at the Marlboro Airport. “She did
pretty much everything,” says Bobby, “whatever was
needed from flag person to announcer.” And when
travel became part of the operation, she was there
as well back in the days when “travelling through
the night was standard procedure.”
Sometimes
“Miss Ellie” was there when the Seymour cars were
racing throughout the Midwest, sometimes as far away
as California. “Other times she was home taking care
of business,” Bobby continues. “We were in the
fuel oil
business and that’s where we made our living.”
The Seymour family now operates Seymour
Enterprises Performance Products. It was not unusual
to see “Miss Ellie” showing up to “do what had to be
done.”
“She will be missed,” understates
Bobby. That’s true both in Marlboro, MA and in many
places where folks will now treasure her memory.
Calling hours will be from 2-to-8 PM on Tuesday
at the John Rowe Funeral Home, 57 Main Street in
Marlboro. The funeral will be 10 AM on Wednesday at
St. Bernadette’s Church 266 Main St., Northborough,
MA. |
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Briggs Speeds to Recovery
in Time for Waterford’s Blastoff |
Brockton, MA -
When Christian Briggs was 9 years old, he and his (late)
father, Charlie, drove down to the Coca Cola 600 together.
It was one of “the best memories” with his father. Upon
returning to the car, to start the fourteen hour ride home,
however, Briggs did not feel well. Something was not right.
He was “ill” for the entire ride home.
Soon after,
Briggs went back to school. His grades fell off. He couldn’t
hit a baseball anymore. Something was wrong, and both he &
his family knew it… That summer he admitted to Childrens
Hospital and was diagnosed with two aracnoid cysts on his
brain and spinal chord. While waiting for surgery he had a
stroke and seizure and was rushed into the operating room.
The surgery was successful and the cysts were removed. He
could not drive anything for a year and made a full
recovery. His only limitation was no football... ever. So he
chose racing, and that’s where it began.
Fast-forward
20 years to the NEMA banquet. While celebrating a great
season, Briggs was once again not feeling like “himself”, he
blacked out and hit his head. This along with a crash at
Beech Ridge, Briggs swears “may have saved his life”. The
crash at Beech Ridge triggered what was about to happen. His
helmet had bent the seat 2 inches. He was “out of it” on the
way home but thought he was concussed and would be fine. The
night of the banquet, upon being rushed to the Hospital, he
had a catscan and the ER doctors found a massive cyst where
the old ones were. His worst fear had come true.
After some difficult weeks, Briggs went back to work and
planned to “get through this” and get back to normal. After
going to Brigham and Womens he found out I needed surgery
again. “Everyone around me was so scared so I faked it and
focused on the race team,” said Briggs. “All negative energy
I had went to the car. My crew and family was worried about
me, I told them worry about being at Waterford for the
Blastoff. After a long talk with my Nuero Surgeon he said if
we operated I would be ready to race in five weeks,” said
Briggs. Waterford was five weeks away.
The surgery
was a great success. “The difference now is the support I
received not only from my family and crew, but my newly
acquired fans from the NEMA tour. I am good to go. No
worries,” he says.
Without racing, Briggs speaks of
a life that would be “incomplete.” He started racing at
Sugar Hill Speedway with his Dad at 12 years old. He moved
on to kart nationals and at 17 he was in a 350 super
modified at Star speedway. After a year in the Super, he and
his family decided that Late Models were the way to go and
they sold the car and got a famous frame from Wayne
Helliwell. “I was not able to run the car very much because
my Dad got sick. He had Cancer and fought for a few years.
During those years he got George Rego to drive the car while
I set it up and learned all I could from George. I did not
know it at the time but my Dad was training me to be a Team
Owner,” says Briggs.
After his Dad passed away he
moved and stopped racing all together. At the time, he had a
newly clipped Late Model and new crate engine sitting in the
garage. It just sat there. He never went in the garage or to
a race track. Racing was something he shared with his Dad.
One day, however, good friends of the Family Ricky and
Robbie Gifford approached Briggs, and said that Ricky's son
Chris was ready to move up to late models. “We made a tire
deal and the ride was his. They only got this ride because
my Dad was their hockey coach and they were determined to
get me to the track. I always ran the #18. After six years -
and as just a team owner I decided to race again. It was
time,” Briggs says.
Soon after, Briggs started to
build a Limited Sportsman for Thompson. “I went to the
racers expo to buy a suit, that is where I met Bobby
Seymour. He asked me what I was racing, and why I wanted
such a fancy suit. I told him and he said come see me at my
shop. When I got there to get my suit we got to talking and
I told him my story, he then showed me the NEMA Lite cars,”
said Briggs. Enter the next Chapter of Briggs’ racing
career.
“I sold my Late model team and the Limited
and bought a Lite Car out of Long Island. The number would
be 44, the year my Dad was born. The rest is history.”
Since returning to the wheel, Briggs’ Mother has stepped
into the place of his Dad and has been a major support
system for the team. “She makes sure I have the best safety
equipment possible…Also tires and fuel when I can't make it
happen. She has been great and I love her very much,” he
says. Briggs also credits his girlfriend, Melissa, with his
valiant return to the race track in 2013, and for the
support she has showed him.
Briggs says 2013 will be
a big year for his team, now called Charles Thomas
Motorsports – after his Dad. Briggs plans a full NEMA
schedule with the exception of Friday nights, when he works
at his major sponsor – the Gateway Tavern. “They have made
countless sacrifices and donations that allow me to race. I
could not do this without them,” he says. Briggs also counts
Canton Power & Electric, Facchetti & Facchetti, TMF
Logistics, Labonte Insurance, Northgate Advisors and Duck
Inn Pub as banner sponsors of his.
One thing there is
no doubt about. Christian Briggs is ready for 2013, and when
the pit gates open at Waterford Speedbowl this year, my bet
is that he’ll be one of the first in line. |
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10 Winners Back in NEMA Fold;
Cabral, Russ Stoehr Head List |
Brockton, MA – The Northeastern
Midget Association had 11 different winners in 2012, making
it one of the most competitive campaigns in club history.
Expect to see 10 of them back as NEMA begins its 61st season
April 6-7 at Waterford Speedbowl’s Budweiser Blast Off.
Defending champion Randy Cabral moved into the top-five
on NEMA’s all-time win list a year ago. Cabral, the only
multiple winner last year, returns with car owner Tim
Bertrand. He and Russ Stoehr, a six-time champion who sits
third on the all-time list, head up the list of returnees.
Stoehr is back in the Dumo’s Desire car.
The
returning winners include Greg Stoehr, Jim Miller, Todd
Bertrand, Anthony Marvuglio, Seth Carlson, Anthony Nocella
and John Zych Jr. Adam Cantor will not drive but will return
as part of the Cantor No. 33 crew.
Although he
insists “I don’t see myself in that category,” Cabral, who
has won four of the last five driving titles, loves being in
the company of Drew and Fornoro and Dave Humphrey, “guys who
did a lot of winning without power steering and with a lot
more cars on the track.”
Cabral crashed at the USAC
show at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway. While the Bertrand
team did “amaze” the USAC folks by repairing the car, the
damage was bad enough to demand “bringing it back down to
the frame,” according to Tim Bertrand.
Title defenses
are not to be discussed. “We never go into the year thinking
about points,” Bertrand insists. We only focus on the points
if and when we are "in it" and typically that comes with
about 3 races to go. Otherwise, we're going to try and have
some fun.”
“It is business as usual,” says Dumo’s
Desire team crew chief Joe Fiori, about to start his 18th
season with what is the continuation of late Gene Angelillo
operation. Part of a crash in last year’s final event, the
Beast Chassis is “ready to go,” says Fiori who actually
joined the Angelillo team in 1991 after ending a long stint
with the URC Sprint Cars. It will be the fourth season owner
Laura Kibbe will continue her father’s passion. Stoehr has
won at least once in each of the three previous seasons.
Only Drew Fornoro and Dave Humphrey have more NEMA wins
than Stoehr. The Angelillo/Dumo’s Desire team is NEMA’s
all-time most successful team. |
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Miller, Greg Stoehr, Zych
Set For NEMA Opener |
Brockton, MA – A midget win
at Oswego Speedway can inspire a competitor. It is among the
division’s ultimate tests.
“No doubt about it, but I
can’t complain about the entire season, says 57-year old Jim
Miller, one of 10 2012 winners returning to Northeastern
Midget Association action in 2013. NEMA begins its 61st
season April 6-7 at Waterford Speedowl’s Blastoff Weekend.
Defending champion Randy Cabral (Bertrand) and Russ
Stoehr (Dumo’s Desire), who sit third and fifth on NEMA
all-time win list, lead the list of returnees. In addition
to Miller, the list also includes Greg Stoehr,
Todd
Bertrand, Anthony Marvuglio, Seth Carlson, Anthony Nocella
and John Zych Jr. Adam Cantor will not drive but will return
as part of the Cantor No. 33 crew.
Miller, part of
NEMA since the 1989s, dominated at Oswego and finished
second in the finale at Lee. With Shawn Torrey turning the
wrenches, Miller and Lee Bundy will be teammates in 2013
with Shawn Torrey the crew chief. Pointing out he “doesn’t
feel like 57,” Miller, who “wants to have some fun,” has no
plans for retirement.
Greg Stoehr isn’t talking
retirement either. He plans on a full season in the #26b but
can’t guarantee it because “the emphasis,” will be on
daughter Bethany. “Maintaining two cars can be expensive so
it he comes down to me or her needing something, Bethany
will get it,” he says.
NEMA’s win list includes
brothers, a brother and sister and some father-and-sons. The
addition of a father-daughter combo could be another
milestone in the Stoehr family’s storied career.
Zych, last year’s Blastoff winner, was actually the point
leader in early going last year. Then weather and
rescheduling problems caught up with the then Louisville,
KY-based Hershey Company executive. Still, six top fours in
nine starts in the Esslinger/Drinan #9 is amble evidence
they’re solidly in the contender category. A move back to
the northeast means that John will be
entered in all the
NEMA races of 2013.
Ryan Preece, Bobby Santos III and
Lou Cicconi Jr. will all be in the Cantor #33 Reider this
year. “All have given me dates that can run the car,” says
Cantor. “It’s likely others will drive it as well.” Adam’s
dad Allen will be the “running the show.”
Cantor 2012
win at Lee came a couple days before the passing of his
stepfather Joe DeMonte. It was a key factor in Cantor, part
of NEMA since 2001, getting out of the cockpit. “There is no
other race I could win that would mean as much as that one
did,” he says.
As promised, the Betrand team expects
to have a third car ready for NASCAR national Modified
champion Doug Coby to drive at Blast Off. Coby was a crash
victim in last year’s fnale at Lee. |
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NEMA Veteran Scally Readies
for 2013 Waterford Blastoff |
Brockton, MA -
One of NEMA’s long time mainstays, Paul Scally, has spent
the winter preparing for the 2013 season. A mix of
mechanical improvements and concentrated efforts around the
“finer details” made up Scally’s busy off- season.
An
open wheel competitor since the early 1990’s, Scally made
his mark running early on with the Granite State Mini Sprint
club, and later came to NEMA. Like many NEMA teams, Scally’s
is no different in that most of his racing career has been
spent with family, mainly his father. “Me and my dad have
been racing together since 1990. We have had some success,
and a lot of fun. My Dad and I have different skill sets
mechanically,” states Scally. “What I lack he excels at and
vice versa. So it makes working on the car very practical. I
could not even maintain a car with out him.”
Scally
has also had new additions to the crew over the past few
years, one of the most important being his girlfriend,
Rachel LeClerc. “Rachel is like a breath of fresh air for
us. She is from a racing family and doesn’t mind getting her
hands dirty,” said Scally. “For example, she doesn’t let the
car go on the race track without checking the wheels to
ensure they are tight.” A mistake far too many NEMA teams
know, from experience, can be very costly and dangerous.
Scally also counts two key sponsors as part of his
success and effort to attend every NEMA show. “Charter
Environmental has been a 4 year sponsor, the owner Bob
Delhome is a huge NEMA fan. He went through the driving
school 2 years ago and has been hooked ever since,” said
Scally. “Security and Alarm technologies has been on for 3
years, Brian and his son Riley love going to the shows. I
couldn’t do it without these guys.”
When asked about
2013 – Scally focused on one word “reliability.” “We
consistently start every race, but mechanical failures don't
allows us to have a consistent finish. We feel if we
finished consistently we could improve our overall series
performance. To go out and win some races would be the
ultimate goal,” said Scally. An improved braking system is
one thing the team invested in, during the winter months.
Citing Seekonk, Waterford and Star as his favorite
tracks, “Usually the smaller, tighter tracks is where the 30
car is most competitive,” said Scally. “We’ve got some new
tracks on the schedule as well - Mike has worked really hard
and has got NEMA into new places and that's exciting."
When asked when he misses most during the off-season, he
misses “the people.” “I really miss the people. In the
off-season racing takes a different tone, and after a while
you just start to miss your friends. Some times we take the
off-season too serious, and its just time to have fun with
good people,” he said. I’m sure most would agree…
NEMA kicks off its busy season in just four weeks at
Waterford Speedbowl’s 2013 Blast Off. |
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| Bethany Stoehr |
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| Ian Cumens |
Bethany Stoehr, Ian Cumens
Definite NEMA 2013 Threats |
Brockton, MA – Over the past 10
seasons the Northeastern Midget Association has had at least
one first-time winner.
Youngsters Bethany Stoehr,
who won’t be 19 until Nov. 2, and Ian Cumens, who’ll turn 21
on July 20, are prime candidates to keep that streak alive.
Both are part of established NEMA teams, Cumens with the
Seymour folks while Bethany is the daughter of veteran
campaigner Greg Stoehr.
NEMA opens its 61st season
April 6-7 at Waterford Speedbowl’s Blastoff Weekend.
According to her dad, Bethany “proved she’s a racer,” at
Waterford Speedbowl last summer, winning her heat (beat
Uncle Russ) and turning a sizzling 12.986 lap in a Beast
chassis that was purchased from Mike Jarret. She’ll be in
the same car this summer, now painted blue and carrying the
number 5b.
Bethany has made 26 Lites starts over the
past two seasons, posting four seconds in 2012. A fifth at
Waterford was the best of seven full-midget results. Cousin
Avery, a two-time winner a year ago, will spend another
season with the Lites where, Uncle Greg insists, “he will be
a force to be reckoned with.”
”She goes as fast as
the car will let her,” Greg continues, making it clear
Bethany is top priority this year.” He plans to make as many
shows as possible but points out “maintaining two cars can
be expensive. If it comes down to a part, she’ll get it.”
The Hoosier Tire Lites Challenge Champion, Cumens will
be a steady competitor in one of two Seymour maintained cars
– a VW/Hawk and a Beast/Mopar. “He has paid his dues; he has
been to just about every track we run at,” said owner Bobby
Seymour. “He is a definite threat to win in 2013.”
Cumens finished third in his full-Midget debut last year at
Lee. A Lites winner at Seekonk in 2012, Cumens had a win,
three seconds and four thirds in the Lites a year ago.
Four of NEMA’s 11 winners in 2012 – Anthony Marvuglio,
Todd Bertrand, Anthony Nocella and Seth Carlson – are
“graduates” of the Lites program.
Anthony Nocella, a
Seymour mainstay for the past three years, will make four or
five starts for Seymour around a modified commitment.
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Carlson/Feigel Eying
2013 NEMA Crowns
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Brockton, MA – Car owner
Gene Feigel is not shy. He and his driver Seth Carlson see
themselves as contenders for the 2013 Northeastern Midget
Association championships.
The team found another
Drinan chassis to replace the one that was destroyed at
Beech Ridge. It was also the one he drove to victory at
Seekonk Speedway’s Open Wheel Wednesday. Carlson, who will
not be 21until October, was one of 11 NEMA winners last
year.
While veterans like Randy Cabral, Russ and Greg
Stoehr, Adam Cantor and Jim Miller did checker, youth was
served as well. Ten of last year’s 11 winners will be back
including youngsters Anthony Marvuglio, Todd Bertrand and
Anthony Nocella.
NEMA begins its 61st season April
6-7 at Waterford Speedbowl’s Blast Off.
It will be
the fourth season for Feigel and Carlson- two at Whip City
and one with the NEMA Lites. “No question the kid is very
good,” says Feigel. “It is a matter of putting him in a car
that’s good enough.”
“I think we proved we can run
with the leaders,” offers Carlson who was leading the race
when an axel broke at “The Ridge.” At that point, he adds,
“we had made major gains in overcoming early season motor
problems.”
Anthony Marvuglio was the other
first-time winner in 2012. “Winning makes you see why we do
it,” says Marvuglio back in the Chris Derosier/Tammy Barbeau
car on a “race-to-race deal.” Victory, he adds, “gets the
monkey off your back. You go out knowing we are competitive,
knowing you are fast enough to win. That means less stress
on the driver and the team. It becomes more fun and that’s
what we want.”
Todd Bertrand and Anthony Nocella will
be looking to extend yearly win streaks to three. Nocella’s
effort will be restricted by a full-time Modified
commitment. Bertrand, however, comes back full-time in a new
race car.
“Todd is switching to a new lighter chassis
this year, a mid rail design,” reports brother and car owner
Tim Bertrand. “His car was historically 125-150lbs over the
minimum weight. We are looking forward to seeing what he can
do in the new car.”
Can Todd expect help from
teammate Cabral? “Todd has a Drinan but it is different and
our driving styles are very different,” says Cabral. “I’m
hesitant to give a lot of advice for fear of sending him
down the river.”
Zych, last year’s Blast Off winner,
was actually the point leader in early going last year. Then
weather and rescheduling problems caught up with the
Louisville, KY-based Hershey Company executive. Still, six
top fours in nine starts in the Esslinger/Drinan #9 is ample
evidence they’re solidly in the contender category.
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| SPEEDWEEKS at NEW
SYMRNA |
| USAC
MIDGETS on Feb. 17th & 18th |
Sunday - Feb. 17
Bobby Santos III - #17 -
wins 1st heat - 10th in feature
Cole Carter - #5 - 9th in
the feature
Randy Cabral - #47 - crash in practice - 13th in the feature
(See Photo of the Day #736 at
Coastal181.com)
Monday - Feb 18
Bobby Santos III - wins 2nd
heat - wins the feature
Cole Carter - 10th in the
feature
Randy Cabral - 13th in the
feature |
| John Dadalt Photos |
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| Where the Race is Really
Won! |
| By Bill Van Slyke
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When the checkered flag falls
on a Northeastern Midget Association race, the average race
fan packs up and heads home to reflect on the night’s
action. The NEMA race team packs up, heads to their
“home-away-from-home and gets to work. The preparation for
the next race starts immediately, It starts in the “race
shop.”
Recently, I grabbed the opportunity to visit
the race shops of four very successful NEMA teams. The four
teams have a combined total of over three dozen NEMA
championships.
The Dumo’s Desire #45 operation is
located in Oxford, CT. The late Gene Angelillo, a 14-time
owner champion, built the facility in 1988 and made sure he
had plenty of room. The shop is not only big enough (2,700
square foot) to house two race cars but also the 30-foot
camper/hauler. It also boasts a full machine shop in the
back and upstairs storage which held a classic Badger midget
racer for years. In the main shop area you’ll find the usual
tools and equipment: an engine hoist, work benches, tool
boxes and assorted parts hanging on the walls. Three decades
of awards, trophies, plaques and pictures hang on all walls.
My tour guide, long time Angelillo family friend Joe Fiore,
can recall every detail of all memorabilia. Joe points out
no less than twelve race cars have passed through the shop
over the years, even dirt sprinters. It is truly impressive.
My next Connecticut stop was at the modest shop of
Bertrand Motorsports in Suffield, CT. It is literally a
26-year old, two-bay garage attached to the family house.
Tim Bertrand has been the owner champion four of the past
five seasons. This shop is small at 900 sq. ft. but every
inch is used wisely. Three midget chassis sit in different
stages of completion. On this day, space heaters kept the
place warm while Tim’s brother Todd, a driver, worked on
sheet metal templates. Along one wall is a work bench with a
lathe and a tire rack hangs in the back with an engine hoist
in the corner. Father Gil has a story for each of the body
panels that hang from the wall. Along with the panels are
awards from past racing successes. Amazingly, this small
shop has housed 10 quarter midgets and micro sprints as well
as 8 full-size midgets.
It’s off to the Bay State
and the shops of Bobby Seymour Enterprises in Marlboro. The
busiest shop on the tour, this facility not only houses four
full-midgets (plus one bare frame that was once driven by
Jeff Gordon), but also a machine shop, welding shop, engine
shop and enough parts inventory to supply the entire club.
According to veteran Bobby Seymour, the place’s history goes
back some 60 years starting with his legendary father Boston
Louie Seymour. The Seymour family, including Bobby and Mike,
has written a ton of NEMA history. On this particular day,
Mike is working on a customer’s engine while Bobby’s son
Matt was installing gauges in a racer. Cleanliness and
organization is everywhere as two large roller tool boxes
sit in the back, bins of nuts and bolts sit to one side with
a milling machine and engine hoist on the other. Bobby
estimates around 60 racecars have called his place home.
If Seymour’s shop is the busiest, the most unique shop
is the Stoehr family facility at the Motor Car International
facility in Bridgewater MA. The Stoehr family has been
racing for four generations, the latter two still active –
brothers Russ, a six-time champion, and Greg and their
children, Avery and Bethany respectively. Russ met me at the
door, took me in the back where I saw no racecars. “Where
are the cars?” I asked. He pointed straight up, literally to
the rafters. Seeking no elevator or ram, I ask “How do the
cars get up there?” He taps the back of a vintage fork lift
as we walk by. After “taking the stairs” we enter the
elevated race shop. Space (approximately 2,000 square feet)
is tight. A frame sits on a jig, part of a collection that
includes a vintage chassis, Avery Stoehr’s Lite car, Greg’s
#26 and the newest addition to the fleet, Bethany’s Beast
chassis that sits front and center after receiving some
graphics to accent new paint. Standing upright, leaning
against the wall is Avery’s top secret future ride. The
family uses the “high rise”space during the off season.
During racing season, the cars stay in the trailer and are
brought into the dealership bays only when repair is needed.
The shop is loaded with trophies.
So, when you see a
NEMA race team pull out of the pits after a race you know
their night has just begun as the preparation for the next
week’s race will start soon at the race shop, where the race
is really won. |
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| NEMA Sets 2013
Schedule |
Brockton, MA – Established
haunts make up the 2013 Northeastern Midget Association
schedule including a return to Monandock Speedway after a
two-year absence. As NEMA President Mike Scrivani puts the
finishing touches on the final schedule, there are 15 races
currently on the NEMA agenda while the NEMA Lites will make
17 stops in what will be the club’s 61st consecutive season,
making it New England’s oldest sanctioning body.
Randy Cabral and owner Tim Bertrand will begin defense of
their NEMA championships and the Lites will begin their
sixth season at Waterford Speedbowl’s Budweiser Blast Off on
April 6-7.
Monadnock returns to the schedule hosting
both NEMA and the Lites for the Iron Mike Scrivani Race on
June 22. The club will honor the 30th anniversary of the
passing of the legendary car owner on the speedy high banked
quarter mile.
The full midgets and the Lites will
share the billing eight times including Stafford Motor
Speedway Carquest Super Saturday on June 29. It will be the
Lites first time on the historic half mile. Both divisions
will return to New York State’s Oswego Speedway as well on
Sept.14
Two special events – the Marvin Rifchin
Trophy Race at Star Speedway on June 8 and the Shane Hammond
Memorial at Waterford on July 27 will also include the
Lites. Lee USA Speedway hosts both on July 12.
NEMA
will also return to Seekonk’s Open Wheel Wednesday (July 17)
and Waterford’s Wings & Wheels (August 10), two traditional
stops.
The season ends in traditional style –
Waterford’s Finale, Lee’s Oktoberfest and Thompson’s World
Series, the Lites part of the first two.
“We’ve run
hundreds of races on these tracks,” said NEMA Scrivani.
“That coupled with a field of good drivers and great
equipment is a recipe for a great season. Last year saw some
terrific speeds. We’ll be quicker this year.” |
| PRINTABLE PDF OF SCHEDULES
HERE |
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| 2013 NEMA Midgets
Schedule |
April 6-7 - Waterford Speedbowl
- CT (Budweiser Blastoff Weekend)
June 2 - Seekonk
Speedway - MA (Boston Louie Memorial Classic)
June 8 - Star Speedway - NH (Marvin Rifchin Trophy Race)
June 22 -
Monadnock Speedway - NH (Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial)
June 29
- Stafford Motor Speedway - CT (10th Annual Carquest Super
Saturday)
July 12 - Lee USA Speedway - NH
July 17 - Seekonk
Speedway - MA (Open Wheel Wednesday)
July 27 - Waterford
Speedbowl - CT (Shane Hammond Memorial)
August 3 -
Airborne Speedway - NY
August 10 - Waterford
Speedbowl - CT (Wings and Wheels/Angelillo Memorial)
August 17 - Riverside Speedway - NH
Sept. 14 - Oswego Speedway
- NY
(Fall Championship Weekend)
Oct. 5-6 - Waterford
Speedbowl - CT (The Finale)
Oct. 12-13 - Lee USA Speedway
- NH
(Oktoberfest)
Oct. 19-20 - Thompson Speedway - CT (The World
Series of Speedway Racing) |
| Schedules Are Subject to
Change |
| |
 |
| 2013 NEMA LITES
Schedule |
April 6 - Waterford Speedbowl -
CT (Budweiser Blastoff Weekend)
May 11 - Star Speedway - NH
May 31 - Lee USA Speedway -
NH
June 2 - Seekonk Speedway - MA (Boston Louie Memorial
Classic)
June
8 - Star Speedway - NH (Marvin Rifchin Trophy Race)
June 22 - Monadnock Speedway
- NH (Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial)
June 29
- Stafford Motor Speedway - CT (10th Annual Carquest Super
Saturday)
July 12 - Lee USA Speedway - NH
July 27 - Waterford Speedbowl - CT (Shane Hammond Memorial)
August 3 - Airborne Speedway - NY
Aug. 9 - Lee USA Speedway
- NH (Ollie Silva Memorial ISMA Summer Classic)
August 17 - Riverside Speedway - NH
Aug. 24 - Star Speedway
- NH
Sept. 7 - Star Speedway - NH (ISMA Star Classic)
Sept.
14 - Oswego Speedbowl - NY
(Fall Championship Weekend)
Oct. 5 - Waterford Speedbowl
- CT (The Finale)
Oct. 12-13 - Lee USA Speedway - NH
(Oktoberfest) |
| Schedules Are Subject to
Change |
|
NEMA STATS -
with 2012 updates
by Pete Zanardi
-
PDF HERE
.
NEMA TRACK
HISTORIES with 2012 updates
by Pete Zanardi
-
PDF HERE |
 |
| 'Open-Wheel FALL
FINALS' Bolsters Oswego's Fall Championship |
OSWEGO, NY (January 23,
2013) – Oswego Speedway announced Wednesday the addition
of the ‘Open-Wheel FALL FINALS’ to the already highly
anticipated Fall Championship Weekend set for Saturday,
September 14.
The FINALS will bring the NEMA
Midgets, NEMA Lites, and ATQMRA TQ Midgets together with
Oswego’s Novelis Supermodifieds and Pathfinder Bank SBS
Series, as they will be competing in extra distance
events during the final round of their ‘Road to the
Championship.’
All five divisions will compete
during one night of open-wheel festivities for the same
great price announced with the initial Speedway
schedule, just $20 with kids 16 & under FREE.
“After last season’s Fall Championship, it was clear
that Oswego’s fan base is hungry for more racing after
Classic Weekend,” said Oswego Speedway co-owner, John
Torrese. “In taking notice of this we felt the time was
right to turn the weekend into a celebration of our
fans, racers, and open-wheel racing as a whole. We know
times are tight, so we appreciate and thank everyone who
makes it out to the Speedway every single weekend, or
only once a year. We invite all of you out for the
‘Open-Wheel FALL FINALS’ to watch five incredible
open-wheel divisions in one night, for only $20! Let’s
show everyone that paved, short-track, open-wheel racing
is alive and well and right in our backyard.”
NEMA made their long awaited return to Oswego Speedway
in August of 2012 with Jim Miller taking the win in a
green to checkered finish over a quality field of
winged-Midget racers. Miller held off multi-time NEMA
Midget champion Russ Stoehr and Oswego Supermodified
pilot Jeff Abold for his first win since 2001.
The NEMA speedsters are certainly a sight to be seen on
the fast 5/8 mile Oswego pavement, with several racers
running in the low 17-second range and a few even
breaking the 16-second barrier at over 130mph.
Joining the NEMA Midgets for the FINALS will be the NEMA
Lites division, which made their first trip to Oswego
last August with Ian Cummens making his way to victory
lane. Cummens out-muscled Paul Bigelow and Avery Stoehr
in a hotly contested battle, as he drove the Seymour
Enterprises machine to the win.
Coming in along
with NEMA’s premier divisions to make up the full FINALS
agenda will be the ATQMRA TQ Midgets. The three-quarter
size racecars pack a full-size punch; featuring wheel to
wheel action on Oswego’s smaller inside oval.
New Jersey Supermodified ace Joey Payne, who ran to
third in the final Novelis Supermodified standings at
Oswego in 2012, swept the TQ Midget events at Oswego
last season including a triumphant win in the Bud Light
TQ Midget Classic during Budweiser International Classic
Weekend.
All three of these open-wheel divisions
will join Oswego’s regular cast of gladiators as a part
of the ‘Open-Wheel FALL FINALS,’ that at night’s end
will declare track champions in both the Novelis
Supermodified and Pathfinder Bank SBS divisions.
Oswego Speedway has not declared a track champion after
Budweiser International Classic Weekend since 2005.
However, after bringing back Fall Championship Weekend
as a non-point event in 2012, track officials deemed the
time to be right to add another ‘Road to the
Championship’ event after Classic due to the events
subsequent success one year ago.
The time table
for Fall Championship Weekend featuring the ‘Open-Wheel
FALL FINALS’ is tentatively set-up as follows. Pit
parking will begin at 10am on Saturday, September 14
with hot laps beginning at noon. The day’s first green
flag will fly at 3pm. A rain date of Sunday, September
15 is also set.
Oswego Speedway racing takes
place most Saturday nights throughout the summer from
May through September. To purchase season tickets for
the 2013 racing season call the Speedway box office.
For more information visit online at
www.oswegospeedway.com, LIKE on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway, or FOLLOW on
Twitter @OswegoSpeedway. |
|
Coby, Rocco
Probable
2013 NEMA Competitors |
Doug Coby, the National
NASCAR Whelen Modified champion, and Tim Bertrand are
talking about doing a handful of Northeastern Midget
Association races for next year, including the opener.
Coby spelled Todd Bertrand in the #39 at Lee’s
Ocktoberfest, finishing second in a heat before being
involved in a first-lap feature crash. “I am looking
forward to it,” said Bertrand. “Doug was incredibly
impressive in the car for his first ever run, and just
an absolute pleasure to work with as a driver.”
There are some other possible topics for conversation at
the NEMA Banquet Saturday night (Nov. 17) at White’s of
Westport in Westport, MA.
Long-time Midget
competitor Bobby Seymour delights in the probability of
Keith Rocco and Coby running with NEMA next season.
Rocco made four Lites starts, winning one at Waterford
in a Manafort car. Returning to Waterford, he had a win
taken from him but returned to run at Lee. “I want NEMA
to be good and having these guys run with us is good for
the club, for the fans, for the promoter,” says Seymour
who insists a number of drivers in other divisions
continue to seek NEMA rides.
More testimony to
the equity in NEMA: There were three first time winners
for the past two years, Seth Carlson, Anthony Marvuglio
and John Zych Jr. doing it this season. Mike Horn, Todd
Bertrand and Anthony Nocella, first timers in 2011,
scored their second career wins in 2012.
Russ
Stoehr on passing Nokie Fornoro on NEMA’s all-time win
list: “It’s unfair to list Nokie’s accomplishments only
by what he’s done in this club. It’s only a small part
of what he’s done in Midget racing around the country.
Look at the numbers he’s put up (100-plus wins). It’s
just amazing.” The car Nokie drove to his last win will
be the regular ride in 2013 for Russ’ niece and Greg’s
daughter Bethany Stoehr. Stoehr’s win at Waterford made
it 19 straight seasons the Dumo’s Desire #45 has visited
victory lane.
The 2012 championships were the
fourth in five years for Bertrand and Randy Cabral. “The
first championship is always the best because you’ve
never sure you’re ever going to get one,” says Cabral,
who also puts special value on the 2011 crown “because
it went right down to the wire.” Winning in NEMA’s 60th
season does, however, reduce some of the sting he
remembers finishing second, driving for his dad, in
NEMA’s 50th campaign. “I would have loved to win that
one,” he says.
Cabral admits he is motivated by
goals. He can set his sights on Dave Humphrey’s 36 NEMA
wins with a car numbered 47. Cabral currently has 28.
Actually seven different drivers have won in a #47 –
Jeff Horn (16), Lou Fray (7), Al Pillion (2), Tim
Bertrand (1) and George Tilton (1) joining Humphrey and
Cabral. There are just four car owners: John McCarthy
(47), Bertrand (29), Bay Hayes (14) and Tilton (1). Lou
Cicconi won three times in a Bertrand 47b.
Zych,
Cabral insists, deserves special mention. After four
straight top fives including a win in the opener at
Waterford, the Louisville, KY-based Customer Sales
Executive (for the Hershey Corporation) ran into a
series of postponement/business commitment problems.
“Without them, he could have well been the champion,”
says Cabral. Zych wound up with six top fives in nine
starts. He is also the first driver with a name starting
with ”Z” to win a NEMA list. The only letters not
represented: I, Q, U, X. |
|
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