NEMA Battle Moves Back to Speedbowl
Brockton, MA – Only 32 points separate leader Randy Cabral and contender Russ Stoehr as the Northeastern Midget Association head to Waterford Speedbowl’s Wings and Wheels Saturday night.
NEMA shares the program with the ISMA supers, The Modified Racing Series and the Speedbowl’s SKs on a program that has quickly become a New England favorite.
Stoehr comes to Waterford with victories in two of the last three events in the Dumo’s Desire 45. That includes a win in the Hammond Memorial at the Bowl less than a month ago. Two-time defending champion Cabral, NEMA’s all-time Speedbowl winner with eight, has three wins this season in the Bertrand 47. He is working on a streak of five straight podiums.
The battle for third is no less torrid between Greg Stoehr (Stoehr 26b), Chris deRitis (Cicconi/deRitis 75) and Adam Cantor (Cantor 7ny). All three are capable of strong runs, Cantor a winner at Monadnock.
The three-eighths Speedbowl is a charter member of NEMA. It is generally accepted as the premier Midget track in New England. Greg Stoehr’s 13.032 seconds lap at the Hammond Memorial converts to just over 103 mph.
Other contenders include second generation drivers Jeff Abold in the family car and Mike Horn, the latter impressive most recently at Seekonk’s Open Wheel Wednesday. “We believe we’re closing in on that first victory,” insists Horn.
No facility, incidentally, has hosted more NEMA first-time wins over the past decade that Waterford. Season-opener winner Chris Leonard was the most recent addition to the list.
The list also includes Barry Kittredge and Jim Miller, the latter coming to Waterford off two strong finishes this season including a fifth the last time out at Monadnock.
Aaron Wall and John Zych Jr are worthy of watching as is 17-year old Anthony Nocella who’s slated to drive the Seymour car that won at Seekonk. Todd Bertrand, a Lites standout, will be making his NEMA debut in the family #39.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR