Impressive “Guest List” For Bertrand Team
Brockton, MA — Jeff Horn, a New England open-cockpit mainstay, will be the first of several high profile names to drive a Bertrand midget in 2009 Northeastern Midget Association competition. Horn, who has 19 career NEMA wins, will drive the Esslinger-powered #39 Drinan car at the club’s season opener Saturday night May 23 at Monadnock Speedway.
Tim Bertrand and Randy Cabral, in the #47, will begin defense of the owner and driver championships at Monandock. It is the first of 17 races on the ’09 schedule.
According to Bertrand, current Sprint Cup competitor and one-time USAC open-cockpit star Ryan Newman will drive the #39 at Lee USA Speedway on Friday night, June 26. Current USAC driver Cole Carter, son of the legendary open wheel chauffeur Pancho Carter, will drive at Waterford Speedbowl on July 25 and at Seekonk’s “Boston Louie” on Aug. 8 in a new car that is currently being constructed.
Bertrand also said Newman is “tentatively scheduled” to drive the car at Lee and Canaan Speedways in September. There is also the possibility of other drivers to appear within the Bertrand stable in 2009 dependent upon sponsorship opportunities that the team is working on.
“Jeff Horn is the perfect choice to start this program off,” said Bertrand. “We are there to race but he’ll also be feeling the car out a little bit for us to ensure Ryan has a solid ride for Lee. Monadnock is a place where experienced guys seem to do well and few guys know the place better than Jeff. I also like Jeff because respects the equipment having owned his own cars for years.”
Plans for Newman to drive for Bertrand at Lee last year were rained out. Currently driving the US Army car for the Stewart-Hass team, Newman was one of the top open cockpit drivers in the nation before moving to NASCAR. He has a Midget and Silver Crown championship on his resume.
Carter, who will drive midgets, sprints and silver crown cars this year, is the third generation of Carter racers beginning with grandfather Duane. Father Pancho, a sprint and champ car stalwart for many years, made 17 Indianapolis 500 starts.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR