Erica Santos Seeking Second NEMA Win
Erica Santos wants, make that needs, another victory. The sooner it comes the better it will be for Santos who made Northeastern Midget Association history last year when she won at Stafford Motor Speedway, the first female in the club’s history to do so.
NEMA’s busy ’08 campaign continues May 3-4, helping Seekonk Speedway open its season. You can bet on folks talking about Erica at Stafford.
“They can stop with Stafford,” says Santos. “They don’t need to keep talking about it. It’s time [for me] to back it up. I want to win other races.”
In her second season in the Ed Breault-owned #44, she is cautiously optimistic heading into Seekonk. Admitting she “hasn’t run great there in the past,” Santos returns believing “we might have found something the last time we were there. I think we should be pretty good.”
“If they know nothing else, people go home knowing how Erica did,” explains NEMA president Mike Scrivani Jr. Within the club, she is treated as any other potential winner.
“When I do pretty good or OK people make such a big deal about it,” she continues. She understands “there are not too many girls racing midgets” but sees herself “as another race driver. I’ve been driving longer than a lot of the people out there so I should be doing what I’m doing.”
The #44 team will come to Seekonk with a fast car. “We’ve had good cars on both weekends,” said Santos who captured heats at both Waterford and Thompson. “We are ahead of last year and last year was good. We have to keep doing what we’re doing.” Santos and Breault wound up fifth in their respective standings in ’07.
At Waterford’s Modified Nationals she was ahead when the rain came. “Had the rain not come, had it stayed green, I probably would have been OK,” she says. “After the long delay [winner] Randy Cabral’s car was better; mine was a little worse.” Admitting to a mistake, she wound up fifth.
“I need to be fast, consistent,” she says. “I need to be in a position where we can win.”
She shares the spotlight with heralded brother Bobby III who often pilots the family-owned #98. Although the #44 is maintained by Lou Breault, Erica’s father and brother “put the set up in it.”
As much as possible, Erica tries to follow her brother in practice. “First,” she explains, “I know that’s he is usually one of the fastest cars. If I can keep up with him I know I’m in pretty good shape. And, it’s easier for my dad. He doesn’t have to watch two cars on opposite sides of the track.”
Seekonk, she says, is “definitely a handling race track” and having a car that’s “comfortable” is key “because you are always turning there. If I’m not in a good handling car I’m going to get tired quickly.”
Strength is one of the things that, Santos believes, puts girls at a disadvantage in auto racing. “We are not as strong and we not as aggressive, things you need to be a good race driver. Guys are just so naturally competitive and really aggressive,” she offers.
She sees herself as “really competitive” and “pretty aggressive for a girl.”
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR