NEMA Brings Experienced Hands to Seekonk
Brockton, MA — The Northeastern Midget Association returns to Seekonk Speedway’s Open Wheel Wednesday. The top three on the club’s all-time Seekonk win list will be in the field.
Nokie Fornoro, coming off a win at Stafford Speedway in the Jarret 4, has eight career Seekonk wins. Defending champion Randy Cabral, who has won the last two at the ‘Konk, and Russ Stoehr, are tied for second with five wins apiece.
There is a seven-way tie for fourth with three wins and two of them, Jeff Horn and Greg Stoehr, will be on hand as well. Horn will again join Cabral in Bertrand cars. They were second and fifth at Stafford. Greg Stoehr will be in his own 26b and brother Russ in the Angelillo 45.
“You come prepared,” offers Fornoro of Seekonk, a classic momentum track that is steeped in Midget history. “There are not a lot of secrets here. The track can be a great equalizer when it comes to equipment.”
Still, surprises can happen. Jeff Abold drove the Seymour 29 to victory three Seekonk races ago, besting Cabral. Since then, the second-generation driver has finished second to Cabral twice.
Adam Cantor, working on three straight top-fives, Chris Leonard Erica Santos are all possibilities at Seekonk.
Cabral, who has not been out of the lead in driver standings since winning the ’08 season opener, and Bertrand are the point leaders heading into the fourth race of the season for NEMA.
NEMA NUGGETS:
- With two wins this year, Randy Cabral, who recently turned 30, has moved into a seventh-place tie with Bobby Seymour on NEMA’s all-time win list, each with 23. Ahead are Drew Fornoro (85), Dave Humphrey (73), Nokie Fornoro (43), Russ Stoehr (39), Bill Eldridge (34) and Johnny Mann (29).
- Cabrals’ teammate Jeff Horn just recently turned 64 and has shown no signs of slowing down with a great top 5 run from the back at Stafford Speedway. A native Vermonter, Horn’s first race was at the lamented Catamount Stadium in Milton, VT. He is just a win shy of the 20 mark in career wins.
- Other than Cabral (two firsts and a second), Adam Cantor has been the most consistent competitor so far with three straight top fives in the family 7ny.
- Seekonk hosted its first-ever event, a Midget race, on May 30, 1946. Oscar Ridlon was the winner. The first-ever NEMA race was at Seekonk on May 30, 1953. Fred Meeker was the winner.
NEMA Winners at Seekonk
No. Driver First Last
8 Nokie Fornoro 1995 2006
5 Randy Cabral 2000 2008
5 Russ Stoehr 1996 2000
3 Dick Brown 1959 1960
3 Mark Buonomo 1997 2005
3 Lou Cicconi Jr. 1996 2007
3 Jeff Horn 1992 2001
3 Johnny Mann 1972 1976
3 Ben Seitz 2005 2007
3 Greg Stoehr 1993 1994
2 Joe Csiki 1963 1965
2 Bill Eldridge 1953 1964
2 Drew Fornoro 1986 1998
2 Dave Humphrey 1965 1986
2 Joey Payne Jr. 2005 2007
2 Al Pillion 1956 1957
2 Bobby Seymour 1999 1999
2 Mike Seymour 1994 1995
2 Jerry Wall 1971 1972
One-time Seekonk winners: Chris Abold (2008), Keith Botelho (1998), Len Boyd (1979), Ray Burke (1956), King Carpenter (1962), Barney Davis (1957), Bob Hart (1971), Russ Klar (1967), Red Marlow (1959), Fred Meeker (1953), Tony Romit (1960), Bobby Santos III (2006), Dutch Schaefer (1965), Lee Smith (1983), Hank Williams (1960).
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR