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The 66th Annual NEMA AWARDS BANQUET |
| SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10,
2018 |
White's of
Westport
66 State Road,
Westport, MA
Cocktails at 6:00 PM
Dinner & Awards at 7:00 PM
DJ & Dancing around 9:30 PM |
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BERTRAND MOTORSPORTS
2018 NEMA MIDGETS CHAMPIONS |
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CUGINI MOTORSPORTS
2018 NEMA LITES CHAMPIONS |
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| O'BRIEN AWARD TO JOHN
ZYCH SR. |
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Appreciation Awards:
Race Day Operations |
Appreciation Awards:
NEMA Public Relations |
Appreciation Awards:
Push Truck Drivers |
NEMA LITES
Jim Cataldo
- 11th Driver-15th Owner
Bobby Seymour
for Frank Manafort
- 11th Owner
Matt
Merry
- 19th Driver |
NEMA MIDGETS
Alby Ovitt
- 11th Driver
Pete
Pernisignlio
- 12th Owner
Matt O'Brien
- 12th
Driver-15th Owner |
Lifetime Member Award
presented by
Avery Stoehr
to
Kurt Kibbe
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Charles Thomas Motorsports
NEMA Midgets
Andy Lunt
-
10th Driver
- The Ed Clotheir
Rookie of the Year
Christian Briggs
- 13th Owner |
Horn Racing Team
NEMA Midgets
Mike Horn
- 9th
Driver
Jeff Horn
- 10th Owner |
The Brian Curuso
Hard Charger Award
Midgets - John
Zych
LITES - Dan Cugini |
Ralp Miller Award
presented by Matt O'Brien
to Pete
Pernisiglio Sr.
|
Trainor Racing Team
NEMA LITES
Jake Trainer
- 8th
Driver
Mike Trainor
- 9th Owner
Team Perfect
Attendance |
Valeri Racing Team
NEMA LITES
Kyle Valeri
- 7th
Driver
Peter Valeri
- 7th Owner |
The Hard Luck Award
NEMA LITES
Meg Cugini |
The Ray Roberts
Memorial Award
John Mikitarian |
Cleveland Racing Team
NEMA Midgets
Doug Cleveland
-
7th Driver
- 7th Owner
Team Perfect Attendance |
Locke Racing
NEMA LITES
Ryan Lock
- 6th Driver
Ken Locke
- 6th Owner
Team Perfect Attendance |
The Joe Csiki
Most Improved Driver
Richie Coy |
Up & Coming Drivers
LITES - Jake Trainor
Midgets -
Alby Ovitt
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The Jim O'Brien
Memorial Award
presented by
The
O'Brien Family
to John Zych Sr.
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Mikitarian Racing
NEMA LITES
Ben Mikitarian
- 5th
Driver
John Mikitarian
- 5th Owner
Team Perfect
Attendance |
Scally Racing
NEMA Midgets
Paul Scally
- 5th Driver
- 6th Owner |
#48 Bertrand Racing
NEMA Midgets
Todd Bertrand
-
5th Driver
Gil Bertrand
- 9th Owner |
Mechanics of the Year
LITES - David Cugini
Midgets -
Glen Cabral
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The Pat Thibodeau
Youth, Determination,
and Talent
Award
Kyle Valeri
|
The Shane Hammond
Sportsmanship Award
presented by
Anthony Marviglio to
Randy Cabral |
Zych Racing Team
NEMA Midgets
John Zych Jr.
- 4th
Driver
John Zych Sr.
- 3rd Owner |
Coy Racing Team
NEMA LITES
Richie Coy
- 3rd Owner
- 4th Driver
Team Perfect Attendance |
The Associates
Never Say Die Award
Midgets - Christian
Briggs
LITES - Meg Cugini |
The Wen Kelly
Memorial Award
Steve Cleveland
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Stoehr Racing
Avery Stoehr
- 2nd Driver LITES
- 3rd
Driver Midgets
Perfect Attendance |
The Evans/Thrall
Top Owner/Driver Award
Midgets - Paul
Scally
LITES - Dan Cugini |
The Angellilo
Memorial Award
Sharon Spector |
Scrivani Racing Team
NEMA LITES
Mike Scrivani
- 2nd
Owner
Avery Stoehr
- 2nd Driver
Team Perfect
Attendance |
The "Iron Mike" Memorial
Hard Chargers
Midgets - Paul
Scally
LITES - Jake Trainor
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The Ed Clotheir
Rookie of the Year Award
NEMA Lites
Jake Trainer & Kyle Valeri
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Chambers Racing Team
Jim Chambers
- 2nd Driver Midgets
- 8th Owner Midgets
- 10th Driver LITES
Perfect
Attendance
Alan Chambers
- 8th Driver Midgets
Mike
Chambers
- 2nd & 8th Owner Midgets
Perfect Attendance |
The Dick Gallagher
Memorial Hall of Fame
presented by
Matt O'Brien to Doug Cleveland
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Cugnini Racing
NEMA LITES
Dan Cugini
- 2018
CHAMPION
OWNER/DRIVER
Perfect Attendance
Meg Cugini
- 9th Driver
Perfect Attendance
Glenn Cugini
- 10th
Owner
Perfect Attendance |
Cabral Racing
Randy Cabral
- 2018 CHAMPION
NEMA
Midgets Driver
Perfect Attendance
- 3rd Driver LITES
Glen Cabral
- 4th Owner LITES
Perfect Attendance
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Bertrand Motorsports
Tim Bertrand
- 2018 CHAMPION
NEMA Midgerts Owner
Perfect Attendance |
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Photos by
Norm Marx |
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NEMA 2018 SEASON RECAP |
We opened our 66th year with an annual appearance at the
Thompson Icebreaker on a chilly April 7. The Lites were on hand
for this one and we saw Todd Bertrand got out to a four second
lead, only to have it erased by a late race caution. But Todd
proved his strength by jumping out to a sizeable lead on the
restart and winning his second Icebreaker in a row. Randy Cabral
and Jim Chambers had the other podium finishes.
It was
about a month before we were back in action at the New
London-Waterford Speedbowl and that is where Paul Scally proved
his 2017-two-win season was no fluke. After picking his way
through lapped traffic and while feeling the heat from Randy
Cabral, the dangerous one returned to victory lane in the first
race of the season for the NEMA cars. Randy finished second and
Todd Bertrand was third. In the Lites portion, Avery Stoehr
turned some of the fastest laps of the day on his way to victory
in the Scravani #21, followed by Danny and Meg Cugini rounding
out the top 3.
The Lites were rained out at Star on May
19, so it was again almost month before we were on the track.
This time it was a tow to the coast of Maine at Wiscassett
Speedway. John Zych continued his dominance at that track with
the NEMA win, followed by Randy Cabral and Jim Chambers. Zych
and Chambers would return to the podium in the Lites portion,
but that was a race that Jim Cataldo would like to do over. He
got an early lead and was headed to apparent victory until a
split-second decision in lapped traffic allowed Chambers to get
by. After post-race inspections it turned out that Paul Scally
finished second and Dan Cugini third.
Another long tow
just the next week was to Riverhead Long Island. Avery Stoehr
had left Wiscassett with a wrecked race car but switched over to
the team's #47 and proved he could drive that one too because he
roared to victory on that Saturday night that saw a Bertrand
team podium with Todd Bertrand second and Randy Cabral third.
Randy was right back in victory lane in the Lites race along
with Danny Cugini second and the guy who passed the most cars in
that race, Jim Chambers third.
Another Lites only race at
Thompson on a Wednesday in June and Danny Cugini was the class
of the field, with Seth Carlson taking an impressive second and
Randy in third.
The Butch Walsh memorial race was only a
few days later at Star. A couple of late race, single-file
restarts in the NEMA cars made for some drama, but no one was
getting around Randy Cabral. Jim Chambers finished second and
John Zych was third. In the Lites race, Ryan Locke had the
second big test of the day at his home track. He had started the
day with his high school finals and finished the day being
tested by another Star Speedway local, Jim Chambers. Ryan aced
this test by beating Chambers to the line and Richie Coy picked
up first podium finish of the year.
The Boston Louie at
Seekonk was next. Randy Cabral became the first four-time winner
of that prestigious event and lead another all Bertrand
Motorsports podium, with Todd second and Avery, back in the #39
finishing third. The Lites race went green to checker and Danny
Cugini dominated the race over modified driver Calvin Carroll
and Seth Carlson.
Back to the place where NEMA has run more
races than anywhere else, Star Speedway for the Marvin Rifkin
memorial. This is where Jim Chambers showed his talent as he got
around leader Mike Horn in lapped traffic to take the win. Mike
had an impressive second place finish and John Zych was third.
In the Lites, Avery Stoehr won the second of the season in the
Scravani 21 over Dan Cugini in second and another podium finish
for Richie Coy.
A week later and we're back at Waterford
with the Lites for the 50 lap Jim O'Brien Memorial race. This is
where young Jake Trainor broke into victory lane for the first
time with NEMA. Avery Stoehr put him to the test late in the
race, but Jake showed confidence and talent beyond his years to
hold off Stoehr and take the historic win. Avery was second and
yet another podium finish for Richie Coy.
NEMA-only at
the next Thompson midweek race and Todd Bertrand got around
there the fastest with a multi-car length win over Jim Chambers
and visiting driver Cole Carter.
Lites only at Star on Labor
Day weekend as Jim Chambers takes the win after post-race
inspections, Richie Coy inherited second and Ryan Locke third.
Back up the coast to Wiscassett the next week and another
long-distance race for the Lites and Ryan Locke showed how
experience is paying off by leading most of the event and going
on to an impressive win. His second of 2018. Podium regulars
Richie Coy was second and Danny Cugini third. Avery Stoehr won
the NEMA portion after posting some laps close to John Zych's
track record. Randy Cabral was second and John Zych third.
The next week saw a quick change in the schedule as
President Tim Bertrand worked into the night on Friday to find
us a place to race after Waterford was abruptly closed for the
weekend. We ended up at Monadnock and Jim Chambers ended up in
victory lane, followed by the same drivers that finished second
and third the week before, Randy and John Zych. In the Lites,
Seth Carlson passed Ben Mikitarian with just two laps to go to
take his first win in the Lites. Ben Mikitarian finished a
season high second and Dan Cugini third.
Right back to
Monadnock the next Saturday for the Iron Mike Scravani Memorial
race. Todd Bertrand aboard the team's #47 took down the win,
with Randy in second and Avery in third making it another all
Bertrand Motorsports podium after a hotly contested race right
through the field. In the Lites, Danny Cugini continued his
dominance with an impressive win over Kevin Iannarelli and
season best third for Jim Cataldo.
On to Waterford for
the Angelillo Memorial race and Randy Cabral had skill and luck
on his side that night as he won both the NEMA race in his
regular ride and the Lites race in the Frank Manafort #76. Avery
was second and John Zych third in NEMA. Pennsylvania's Matt
Janisch was second in the lites followed by "Mr. Podium" Richie
Coy.
Heavy hearts at Thompson for the next one as we
remembered Shane Hammond at his annual memorial race. For this
special 10th anniversary, Shane's brother Anthony and mom Deb
brought out Shane's original #37 to mark the event. John Zych
won the NEMA feature in dominate fashion, Randy was second and
Jim Chambers third. Chambers won the Lites portion of the
weekend in a back and forth battle with Avery Stoehr. At the
finish, Todd Bertrand got by Avery for second and Avery finished
third.
And we wrapped it up just a few weeks ago at
Waterford. Almost breaking the 13 second mark, John Zych won his
second in a row, Paul Scally was second and an impressive third
place run for NEMA newcomer Alby Ovitt. In the Lites it looked
like Jake Trainor might score his second of the season, but a
late race caution sealed his fate when the field was closed up
around him and Danny Cugini would put an exclamation point on
his championship season with the win, Avery Stoehr second and
early leader Jake Trainor third.
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