Cabral Repeats at Twin State
Claremont, NH – Randy Cabral made it two-for-two at Twin State Speedway, winning the rain-shortened 19-lap Northeastern Midget Association segment of Open Wheel Sunday. It was the fifth win of the season for defending champion and current point leader.
Coming from fifth, Cabral took the lead after a three-lap side-by-side battle with eventual runner-up Adam Cantor (Cantor 7ny). The duel followed a lap 13 restart.
The win keeps Tim Bertrand in the owner’s point lead over Mike Jarret, Nokie Fornoro driving the latter’s car to a third. Jim Miller (Miller 3m) and Jeff Horn (Horn A1) completed the top five.
The race, ended on a red-flag situation, Mike Horn, Greg Stoehr and Lee Bundy involved in an altercation. A sudden rainstorm appeared before the cleanup was complete.
Russ Wood Jr. won the 20-lap “Lites” feature. Wood took the lead with an eighth-lap master move.
Cantor, who started third, had the lead immediately, also lost a restart challenge to Cabral on lap five. He immediately got the lead back, however, and was in control when the second yellow flew.
“My car started to get a little tight and that was good for me,” said Cantor, who moved ahead out of turn four. “I was getting faster and faster and he appeared to be getting loose.”
Cantor was “loose off by then,” and “just couldn’t get wide open fast enough” on the restart.
Wood found a hole between leader Rick Hart and Anthony Nocella coming out of four in the caution-free “Lites” event. It was the first win of the season for the second-generation racer who started on the pole.
The race immediately turned into a four-way battle that continued to the checkered. Anthony Nocella, Jake Stergios and Rick Hart, the latter the only other leader, were in a bunch at the finish.
NEMA and the “Lites” continue the grand slam season finish at this weekend’s DAV at Seekonk Speedway.
NEMA Nuggets: Cabral finds it “impossible” not to think about points “because everybody keeps bringing it up.” He is “looking at the small picture” which is “winning races” and insists “when you start looking a point you start being stupid”…Nokie Fornoro’s 12.484 mark on 17 was the fastest lap in the feature.
Nokie’s son Lawson drove his first-ever race in the Lites event. “He kept the car straight and didn’t cause any trouble,” said the happy father
Barry Cannon returned after an eight-year absence to drive the Luggelle 77. “I saw Mike Luggelle at a car show,” said Cannon. “He said he was picking different drivers. I called him last night and he said OK.”
Bobby Seymour got back in uniform to drive the family 29, protecting the handicap for Jeff Abold who’ll drive the car at the DAV.
”It is a tough place,” Cabral said of Twin State. He is convinced, however, the drivers are catching on to the unique layout.
RESULTS: 1. Randy Cabral, 2. Adam Cantor, 3. Nokie Fornoro, 4. Jim Miller, 5. Jeff Horn, 6. Russ Stoehr, 7. Chris DeRitis, 8. Abby Martino, 9. Matt O’Brien, 10. Barry Cannon, 11. Lee Bundy, 12. Greg Stoehr, 13. Mike Horn, 14. Bobby Seymour, 15. John Zych Jr., 16. Anthony Marvuglio, 17 Barry Kittredge (DNS).
LITES 1. Russ Wood Jr., 2. Anthony Nocella, 3. Jake Stergios, 4. Rick Hart, 5. Paul Luggelle, 6. Eric Cabral, 7. David Rose, 8. Lawson Fornoro, 9. Joey Chick, 10. Joe Spinzola (DNS), 11. Anthony Marvuglio (DNS).