Angelillo 45 Remains NEMA Contender
Brockton, MA – The beat goes on for the Dumo’s Desire/Marilyn’s Passion team. The number 45 with Russ Stoehr aboard will be on hand when the Northeastern Midget Association opens its 59th season March 26-27 at Waterford Speedbowl’s Budweiser Blastoff Weekend.
“We have decided to run because that’s what he would have wanted,” said Laura Kibbe of her late father Gene Angelillo who passed away March 1. “The car is ready.”
Stoehr will join a number of drivers out to end defending champion Randy Cabral’s opening day win streak at two. It’s three in a row for Bertrand who won with Lou Cicconi back in ’07.’ The team will debut a Honda motor at the opener.
Other top contenders include Greg Stoehr, Adam Cantor, who finished strong last summer, and 2009 Rookie of the Year Chris DeRitis, now driving for Lou Cicconi. Rookie of the Year candidate Jesse State will be making his full Midget debut in the Power Point car.
The NEMA Lites, beginning its third season, will also be part of the busy weekend agenda. NEMA will qualify on Saturday and run its feature on Sunday. The Lites will do both on Saturday.
“We are, of course, pleased that the 45 will be part of the 2010 season,” said NEMA president Mike Scrivani Jr. “There is no way we will not miss Gene but the car being with us is great.”
This would have been Angelillo’s 30th consecutive season with NEMA.
The 45 will continue to be maintained in Oxford, CT and the crew – Joe Fiore, Curt Kibbe, Jackie Giannini, Kurt Kiermont, Scott Law, Carl Kibbe, Paul Liphardt, Nick Rinaldi and Dave Shore – remains intact.
NEMA NUGGETS – The earliest opener in NEMA’s history, it is the fourth time in the past six years the club has lifted the lid at Waterford…Cabral is actually after a fourth opening day victory which would tie him with Bill Eldridge and Dutch Schaefer. Drew Fornoro is the leader with six…
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR