Host of Winners Due For NEMA’s 900th
Lee, NH — The Northeastern Midget Association, clearly one of oldest sanctioning bodies in auto racing, will run it’s 900th feature Friday (Sept. 12)night at Lee USA Speedway. Since the first race (May 30, 1953 at Seekonk) there have been 114 winning drivers.
As many as 18 could be on hand at Lee, a dozen of them part of an entry list that includes 2008 Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman. The popular Newman, no stranger to Midgets, will be in one of three cars entered by Bertrand Motorsports.
The current/active list includes Jeff Abold, current point leader Randy Cabral, Adam Cantor, Lou Cicconi Jr. (who’ll be driving the Santos #98), Doug Cleveland, Nokie Fornoro, Jeremy Frankoski, Jeff Horn, Mike Keeler, Barry Kittredge, Joey Payne, Erica Santos and Greg Stoehr.
The overall list includes Tim Bertrand, who’ll be fielding cars for Cabral and Frankoski in addition to Newman, Russ Stoehr, crew chief for brother Greg, and Bobby Seymour, the owner of Abold’s #29.
The club approaches the milestone as competitive as it has ever been. There have been five different winners -Cabral, Bobby Santos III, Greg Stoehr, Abold and Payne – in 12 races this season. Speeds are at a record pace everywhere including Lee, credit to both the cars and drivers.
Only 75 points separate positions three through seven – Bobby Santos, Cantor, Erica Santos, Greg Stoehr and Frankoski – in the point race.
Nokie Fornoro is the top winner among active drivers. He sits third all-time with 43 including two at Lee.
Eyes will also be on Cabral, who has yet to score at Lee and on Horn and Payne, the latter still seeking that elusive 20th career triumph. Horn has three Lee wins, Payne one.
Payne will be looking to give Gene Angelillo, far away the win leader among owners, his 106th victory.
Newman will be “coming home” to both the open cockpit (he has 17 USAC wins) and to the Drinan (the Midget chassis he was most successful in).
The NEMA Lites, a definite success story is season, returns to action at Lee as well.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR