Joey Payne Claims NEMA Checkers At Monadnock
Monadnock, NH — Joey “the Jersey Jet” Payne of Fair Lawn, NJ, piloting the Gene Angelillo Dumo’s Desire/Marilyn’s Passion mount, survived both competition and attrition in the Northeastern Midget Association event Saturday evening at Monadnock Speedway. It was the team’s first 2008 win after strong finishes thus far, (2nd and 3rd respectively), in the Helping Hands of America sponsored series.
Doug Cleveland and Paul Scally brought the field down for the green flag. After a couple of failed attempts, the action quickly heated-up, as Greg Stoehr blasted from his sixth starting spot into the lead by lap-2. Behind him, Adam Cantor in the IGA Fort Salonga Market 7NY quickly took pursuit, along with Payne, who started seventh, Jeremy Frankoski in the TSR Motorsports 63, and Randy Cabral in the Bertrand 47, who started in the tenth position.
The ninth circuit, which took over 35 minutes and eighty caution laps to complete, was the limiting factor for many of the teams in action. The incident first started when second-place runner Adam Cantor got into the back of leader Greg Stoehr, sending Cantor spinning in turn three. The next attempt saw second-year runner John Zych catch the wheel of the Seymour #29 with Jeff Abold aboard, sending Zych hard into the turn one fence. The next six attempts claimed the Chris Leonard #22, Paul Scally’s #30 and others.
Three circuits into a long green flag run, fuel mileage based attrition became the issue. Joey Payne blasted into the lead on lap fourteen around a faltering Greg Stoehr, who retired on lap fifteen out of fuel. Within the next three circuits, fuel claimed victim to the popular Erica Santos in the Breault 44 and others.
Payne had stretched out his lead to nearly a straightaway by lap seventeen. Randy Cabral in the Bertrand 47 broke free from the pack and began to mount a challenge for his third consecutive 2008 win. By lap twenty one, Cabral had caught Payne and tried the inside groove in turn three. The wily veteran shut the door on Cabral, who then tried the high line around Payne in turn one.
With Payne in command and Cabral in hot pursuit, the two entered heavy lapped traffic with three circuits remaining. Payne worked the traffic masterfully, lapping up to the fourth place car, going on to take the win, with Cabral finishing a car-length behind. Only six cars behind Payne and Cabral finished, with Lou Cicconi Jr. in the Santos 98 finishing third followed by Jeff Abold in the Seymour 29, Barry Kitteredge, William Wall, Frankoski, Paul Luggelle, Mark Irving and Erica Santos.
“I could hear the engine starting to skip and sputter with two or three laps to go,” said a relieved, but elated Payne. “I knew that in another lap, we were going to be out of fuel. We must have timed this one just perfectly, as we ran out of fuel shortly after the start/finish line,” concluded Payne.
Payne sits a mere 22 points behind Cabral in the Driver’s standings as NEMA resumes its schedule on June 27th at the Lee USA Speedway. More information can be found on the club’s website at www.nemaracing.com.
NORTHEASTERN MIDGET ASSOCIATION FEATURE RESULTS (25); 1. Joey Payne, 2. Randy Cabral, 3. Lou Ciconni Jr., 4. Jeff Abold, 5. Barry Kittredge, 6. William Wall, 7. Jeremy Frankowski, 8. Paul Luggelle, 9. Mark Irving, 10. Erica Santos, 11. Aaron Wall, 12. Greg Stoehr, 13. Doug Cleveland, 14. Abby Martino, 15. Adam Cantor, 16. Chris Leonard, 17. John Zych Jr., 18. Kevin Park, 19. Paul Scally, 20. Brain Cleveland, 21. Lee Bundy, 22. Neil Blatt, 23. Nokie Fornoro.
Sources:David Dykes/Waterford Speedbowl PR