Cicconi Rules NEMA Seekonk Feature
Seekonk, MA — Lou Cicconi Jr. “knew right from the start” he had the winning car. “You want to pass when it’s the least punishing to the race car,” he explained.
Starting seventh, “Liquid Lou” drove the Seymour #4 under Randy Cabral (Bertrand #47) in traffic on lap 11 and won the Northeastern Midget Association’s 25-lap feature at Seekonk Speedway’s Open Wheel Wednesday.
Running consistent 11.3s, Cicconi dominated the final laps, finishing a quarter lap ahead of point leader Cabral. Early leader Mike Horn (Horn #93x) was third with Adam Cantor (Cantor #7ny) and Russ Stoehr (Dumo’s Desire #45) following.”
[Photo Gallery] by Adam Fohlin
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
Cicconi took second from Horn in the backstretch on lap six. He quickly closed on Cabral who had taken the lead from Horn with four gone.
“I didn’t pass Randy right away,” said Cicconi who was “waiting for the traffic.”
“I wanted to go inside the lapped car,” said Cabral, “put it down low. I went outside but the car came up and trapped me. Lou slipped under me.” Pointing out “my car got better at the end but I let him get too far out in front,” Cabral was not totally unhappy with the second spot.
Horn, who settled into a steady run in third place, continues to “pay my dues.” He enjoyed a battle with Chris deRitis, the latter dropping out with mechanical woes. “I guess it’s one spot at a time,” said the second generation racer.
NEMA Nuggets:
- Despite a brief yellow on lap 13, Cicconi needed only 7 minutes and 36 seconds to cover the 25 laps. His best lap was a 11.303.
- Cicconi had an “awesome” car on a track “I really love.”
- It was Cicconi’s fourth Seekonk win and his seventh overall NEMA triumph.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR
RESULTS: 1. Lou Cicconi Jr, 2. Randy Cabral, 3. Mike Horn, 4. Adam Cantor, 5. Russ Stoehr, 6. Greg Stoehr, 7. Jeff Abold, 8. Jeff Horn, 9. Jim Millere, 10. Anthony Marvuglio, 11. Erica Santos, 12, Russ Wood Jr., 13. Joey Payne Jr., 14. Lee Bundy, 15. Paul Scally, 16. Chris Perley, 17. Matt O’Brien, 18. Brian Cleveland, 19. Chris deRitis, 20. Andy Nocella, 21. Todd Bertrand.
- Palmer & Thomas win second consecutive events; Martin, Yagmin and Ceravolo others in Victory Lane
- Joey Payne Jr. Wins NEMA’s Showdown of Champions