Busy Granite State Weekend for NEMA
Defending Northeastern Midget Association champion Randy Cabral takes the drivers point lead in a busy holiday weekend in New Hampshire. Mike Jarret has the owners point lead as NEMA will be at Twin State Speedway on Friday night (Sept. 4) and at Monadnock for the Marilyn’s Passion Race on Saturday night, Sept. 5.
NEMA’s Lites division will be at both locales as well.
Cabral, who drives the Bertrand 47 and has not been out of the point lead since winning the 2008 season opener, had a 62-point edge on Nokie Fornoro, the latter Jarret’s driver. Tim Bertrand trails Jarret by a scant 17 points.
Among the other drivers (and owners) looking to improve their positions over the busy weekend are Adam Cantor (Cantor 47), Russ Stoehr (Angelillo 45), Greg Stoehr (Stoehr 26b), Chris DeRitis (Power Point 99), Erica Santos (Breault 44), William Wall (Wall 55) and John Zych (Zych 9).
NEMA’s all-time winner Drew Fornoro (in the Seymour 29) and Modified star Ted Christopher (in the Bertrand 74) will be joining the field at the $11,00-plus Marilyn’s Passion which memorializes long-time NEMA car owner and official Marilyn Angelillo.
A picnic is scheduled for Saturday at 1 pm at Monadnock. Dick Monahan, former NEMA official and announcer, will MC a day and evening of festivities open to NEMA competitors, officials and fans. Several former NEMA stars have expressed intentions of being on hand.
NEMA heads into the weekend with five winners –Cabral (3), Fornoro (2), Cantor, Chris Abold. Greg Stoehr and DeRitis, the top rookie, appear ready to join the group.
The odds are there will not be a driver who has won previously at Twin State in Friday night’s field. Drew Fornoro has a record 11 Monandock wins. Brother Nokie Fornoro has two including one earlier this year. Greg Stoehr had a couple while Russ Stoehr and Cabral have one each, Cabral’s coming this year.
NEMA NOTES – With the addition of Christopher and Drew Fornoro, who has 85 wins, there could be a dozen drivers who have at least one NEMA win in action this weekend. The list includes Nokie Fornoro (43), Russ Stoehr (40), Randy Cabral (23), Jeff Horn (19), Greg Stoehr (8), Howie Bumpus (8), Adam Cantor (3), Jim Miller (3), Erica Santos (1) and Doug Cleveland (1).
NEMA POINTS
Drivers: 1. Randy Cabral 929; 2. Nokie Fornoro 867; 3. Adam Cantor 832; 4. Russ Stoehr 724; 5. Greg Stoehr 655; 6 Chris DeRitis 647; 7. Erica Santos 535; 8. John Zych Jr. 527; 9. Paul Scally 508; 10. William Wall 494.
Owners: 1. Mike Jarret (4) 947; 2. Tim Bertrand (47) 929; 3. Gene Angelillo (45) 842; 4. Adam Cantor (7ny) 832; 5. Greg Stoehr (26b) 655; 6. Power Point Racing (99) 647; 7. John Zych Sr. (9) 527; 8. Paul Scally (30) 508; 9. Ed Breault (44) 500; 10. Lee Bundy (2) 493.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR