Fornoro Boys Story Headed To Thompson

By admin October 10, 2007

The Fornoro boys – Drew and Nokie – are together again and coming to Thompson Speedway’s World Series this weekend.They bring some Northeastern Midget Association history to a spot already loaded with it.

The point battle - Joey Payne Jr. and owner Gene Angelillo come to the World Series with an eight-point edge on Ben Seitz and owner Peter Valeri – takes center stage. There are a number of “stories” accompanying what will be the 67th NEMA feature on the storied five-eights. The Fornoros are one of them.

Seitz has won the last two Thompson NEMA shows including last year’s World Series. Payne, who comes to Thompson off last Sunday’s DAV win at Seekonk, hasone Thompson victory – Angelillo’s 100th checkered in the 2000 World Series.

Between them, the Fornoro brothers have well over 200 Midget victories and that includes a combined nine Thompson NEMA wins – five for Drew. NEMA’s all-time winner, Drew returned last weekend to drive John Seaman’s entry at Seekonk’s DAV. Angelillo “brokered the deal.”

Seaman actually purchased the car from Angelillo. “I told John Drew has 99 wins and he agreed to put him in the car,” said Angelillo. “I called Drew and he agreed to drive it.”

“It’s nice to be back,” said Drew. “We threw a lot of stuff at the car and we did OK (seventh). We learned some things.” He said he is really looking forward to Thompson, calling it his “favorite track.”

“It was great having my brother back,” said Nokie, pointing out Mike Scrivani Jr., the crew chief on his #4 car, actually worked on the Seaman car. “It was good racing with him and I’m looking forward to doing it as long as he wants. It is a pleasure to race him.”

Both agree their father Nick, who passed away recently, would love what’s going on.

Nokie’s first Thompson win was in 1983 driving for the legendary Mike Scrivani Sr.; Drew’s initial Thompson checkered came in 1982 in an Angelillo car.

“Thompson has always been a ‘separate the men from the boys’ kind of place,” says NEMA president Mike Scrivani Jr. “The World Series has become the No. 1race for NEMA. A Thompson World Series Midget win stands all by itself, puts you in a special group.”

In addition to the Fornoros, Seitz (3) and Payne (1) Thompson winners among active NEMA drivers include Randy Cabral (4), Bobby Santos III (1) and Greg Stoehr (1).

NEMA NOTES: Jeremy Frankoski, who came so close before losing to Payne at the DAV, has one last chance to become the first rookie in NEMA’s long history to record two victories. He was a winner earlier this year at Beech Ridge…The World Series will settle a five-way battle for the three through five positions.It finishes one of the most competitive seasons in recent NEMA history with eight different winners…Included in that group is Erica Santos who became the club’s first female winner at Stafford in July…The legendary Dutch Schaefer won the first NEMA race at Thompson on April 24, 1960. The all-time Thompson NEMA winner leader is Johnny Mann with six…The Coy family remains unchallenged at Thompson. Johnny Coy Sr. won there as did his sons Johnny Jr. and Joey, the latter a NEMA champion.

Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR

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