Todd Bertrand Pulls down NEMA Midget Win at Twin State  

By admin June 30, 2014 Claremont Motorsports Park, NEMA

CLAREMONT, NH — On a night honoring special guests Whelen Engineering, Todd Bertrand, (#39), claimed his first win of the 2014 season in commanding fashion as he took the lead in the early stages of the caution free feature. Following in second was teammate Randy Cabral, (#47), with Bethany Stoehr home third.

Under a perfect sky, the Twin State facility played host for an evening of food, souvenirs and racing action for the employees of Whelen Engineering, located in nearby Charlestown, N.H. At intermission, the NEMA and NEMA Lites drivers passed out 350 NEMA fan appreciation tee shirts, followed by an on track meet and greet where fans were able to collect autographs, handshakes and photos.

As the racing action began, Bethany Stoehr, (#5b), pulled out to an early lead from her outside pole starting spot, followed by Bertrand and Ryan Bigelow, (#13).

Bertrand was able to power past Stoehr and take the lead on lap four, followed by Bigelow in third, Jim Chambers, (#21) in forth and Paul Scally, (#30), fifth.

A fast moving John Zych, (#9), starting ninth, took fifth on lap six, moved past Chambers for fourth by lap eight and past Bigelow for third on lap ten. While the top five was sorting out, team Bertrand became the show as Todd Bertrand was extending his lead and Randy Cabral, (#47), was weaving his way up through the field from his tenth starting spot and entered the top five on lap nine.  

By halfway, the running order was Bertrand, Stoehr, Zych, and Cabral, who now had moved past Bigelow for fourth.

A patient Seth Carlson, (#71), after starting eighth, was managing his was through traffic and was able to get to the top five on lap fourteen, remaining there for the next several laps. 

After a long chase, Cabral was able to catch and pass Stoehr for second on lap eighteen, and remained there until the end. Carlson was able to best Zych, who was fighting a loose race car, for fourth in the closing laps as Stoehr, Zych and Carlson were all wheel-to-wheel at the checkers. 

After the race, winner Bertrand stated, “The track was real slick in practice; we made a few minor adjustments, added a new scuff tire and went from there.”

Second place Cabral said post race that he was happy for his teammate, and “never adjusted the car today except for stagger, and it felt real good.”

Third place Bethany Stoehr battled a tight car after, “just making stagger adjustments all day.” She was happy with third.

The next stop on the NEMA schedule is July 19, at the Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, ME., for the Marvin Rifchin Trophy Race. Both the NEMA and NEMA Lites will be part of the Oxford 250 weekend, a premiere event in the Northeast. 

The 26th Lap:

– The Bobby Seymour owned, Ian Cumens driven #29 had engine problem very early and dropped out for the day.

– Alan Chambers, back from N.C. and former Lite driver, wheeled the family ex-Cantor NEMA midget for a shakedown run and everything performed well.

– Big thanks out to Melissa Tully and Kaylee Wallace for working long hot hours at the tee shirt trailer.

Sources: Bill Van Slyke/NEMA PR