NEMA Fete Celebrates Competitive Campaign

The presentation of several awards, including Rookie of the Year and Mechanic of the Year, will highlight the Northeastern Midget Association’s 2007 Awards Banquet Saturday evening at White’s of Westport in Westport, MA.

Champions Ben Seitz (Driver) and Peter Valeri (owner) head the list of honorees as the top 15 owners and drivers will receive appropriate trophies and point checks. It was the fourth straight championship for Seitz and third in four years for Valeri.

The banquet puts the finishing touches on the ’07 season, one of the most competitive in the club’s 55-year history.  There were eight different winners – Seitz (3), Randy Cabral (3), Lou Cicconi Jr. (3), Joey Payne Jr. (2), Erica Santos, Nokie Fornoro, Greg Stoehr and rookie Jeremy Frankoski.

Seitz and Valeri finished 30-points up on the Payne/Angelillo duo. Randy Cabral and Tim Bertrand captured the respective third place finishes.

NEMA honors its history at every banquet with the presentation of awards honoring past leaders including the coveted Wen Kelley Memorial (exemplary dedication to the club), Joe Csiki Memorial (Most Improved Driver) and Ray Roberts Memorial trophies. The  Pat Thibodeu Youth and Determination and the Evans/Thrall top owner/driver hardware are no less sought after.

Kelley served NEMA in a variety of roles (officer, handicapper, car owner) for over 37 years. Three-time driver champion, Csiki was instrumental in establishing NEMA’s forward-looking approach to Midget racing. Roberts, Ronnie Evans and Len Thrall were long-time competitors and contributors.

The Johnny Thomson Award and the newest members of the Dick Gallagher NEMA Hall of  Fame will also be on the busy agenda. Thomson, a Lowell, MA product, is arguably New England’s best-ever open cockpit driver white Gallagher’s dedication to NEMA is unchallenged. Both the Thompson and the Hall of Fame awards are determined by independent groups.

History also serves to illustrate the competition NEMA enjoyed in ’07. Nokie Fornoro, a 31-year veteran, collected his 44^th career checkered going back to 1980. Frankoski and Erica Santos won their first-ever features.

NEMA NOTES –Payne’s two wins in ’07 pushed owner Gene Angelillo’s NEMA win total to 111, the first with Drew Fornoro at Hudson Speedway in 1981…Other drivers extending win totals in ’07 were Payne (18 since 1994), Cabral (13 since 2000) and Stoehr (six since 1992)…Nokie Fornoro and Greg Stoehr added to the brothers’ win list as well. Thanks to Erica’s’ triumph at Stafford, NEMA can now start brother-sister win stats as well…Drew Fornoro, who drove in the last two races of ‘07, holds the NEMA record for season-opening wins with six. Second on the still active list is Jeff Horn with three. Payne and Seitz have two apiece. 

OWNER POINTS
1. #17 Pete Valeri, 1710; 2. #45 Gene Angelillo, 1670; 3. #47 Tim Bertrand, 1529; 4. #4 Mike Jarret, 1415; 5. #44 Ed Breault, 1389; 6. #26b Greg Stoehr, 1296; 7. #99 Power Point Racing, 1282; 8. 7NY Adam Cantor Racing, 1274; 9. #29 Bobby Seymour, 1214; 10. #80 Pete Pernesiglio, 1009; 11. #47b Tim Bertrand, 972; 12. #35 Glen Cabral, 939; 13. #77 Mile Luggelle, 918; 14. #30 Paul Scally, 858; 15. #33 Shawn Torrey, 839.

DRIVER POINTS
1. Ben Seitz, 1710; 2. Joey Payne Jr., 1670; 3. Randy Cabral, 1529; 4. Erica Santos, 1389; 5. Greg Stoehr, 1389; 6. Jeremy Frankoski, 1282; 7. Adam Cantor, 1274; 8. Nokie Fornoro, 1235; 9. Shane Hammond, 1199; 10. Lou Cicconi Jr., 1044; 11. Cory Cleary, 873; 12. Paul Scally, 858; 13. Chris Leonard, 837; 14. John Zych Jr., 837; 15. Shawn Torrey, 805.

Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR

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