NEMA Takes Show To Thompson
Brockton, MA – The Northeastern Midget Association comes to Thompson Speedway Thursday night with three winners in as many events.
Chris Leonard, defending two-time champion Randy Cabral and Adam Cantor have been victorious. Russ Stoehr, however, has been the most consistent. He is the only driver with top-fives in all three events.
Cabral, the all-time NEMA winner at Thompson with seven, Cantor, a winner last week at Lee USA Speedway, and the crafty Stoehr are all very much in the championship picture. All agree, a Thompson win can do wonders when it comes to confidence.
“Everybody wants a Thompson victory,” says NEMA president Mike Scrivani Jr. “It is very fast, very demanding and coming prepared is a must.”
Stoehr would like nothing better than putting the late Gene Angelillo’s Dumo’s Desire #45 in victory lane. Stoehr’s third and last Thompson win came in an Angelillo car back in 2002.
Usually the fastest stop on the NEMA schedule, Cabral’s Bertrand Motorsports hopes to put Honda power in victory lane there. They are determined to put a poor finish at Lee behind them.
The Bertrand stables, which also includes contender Chris DeRitis (nothing below sixth this year) will be joined by Cole Carter, the USAC stalwart slated to drive the Bertrand 39.
Absolutely “hooked up” at Lee, Cabral aims to carry the momentum over to Thompson.
Other contenders heading into Thompson include Greg Stoehr, a Thompson winner back in 1993, Jeff Horn, second at last year’s World Series, Barry Kittredge, coming off a very impressive second-place run at Lee, Jim Miller and Erica Santos.
NEMA NUGGETS : Back in 1974, Dave Humphrey toured the the five/eights Thompson in a record 21.428 seconds. Nokie Fornoro’s 18.198 was the fastest feature lap in 2010…Cabral set the “unofficial” Thompson standard (17.630) two years ago… There have been different motors in Victory Lane – Chris Leonard’s Autocraft at Waterford, Cabral’s Honda at Twin State and Cantor’s Mopar at Lee…
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR