Seekonk Hosting NEMA’s “Louie”
Brockton, MA — A slim 22 points separate leader Randy Cabral and Russ Stoehr as the Northeastern Midget Association makes ready for the coveted Boston Louie Memorial Saturday night at Seekonk Speedway.
The battle includes car owners Tim Bertrand and the Dumo’s Desire team. Cabral and Stoehr are both “Louie” winners, Cabral looking to become the first to collect three triumphs.
Jeff Abold, slated to drive the Seymour #4, will be the “defending champ” in the 14th running of the 29-lap event. “The Louie,” which honors the memory of heralded owner Boston Louie Seymour, is NEMA’s most coveted trophy.
A large field is expected for the 29-lap NEMA Lites test as well.
Chris deRitis, off a first-ever NEMA win at Waterford two week back, set atop a battle for the third spot in the points battle. Only 62 points separate deRitis and fifth place Adam Cantor with Russ Stoehr in fourth.
Abold moves into the Seymour 4 that Lou Cicconi drove to a convincing win earlier this season at Seekonk. In Seymour equipment, the second generation has been first or second in four of the last seven NEMA visits to Seekonk.
The Seymour family has seven wins in the last 17 Seekonk races, winning twice with Mark Buonomo and Bobby Santos III in addition to Abold and Cicconi.
Jim Miller, William Wall and Erica Santos are other contenders.
Anthony Nocella carries the Seymour hopes in the Lites race. Other contenders include Cabral, Eddie LeClerc, Russ Wood Jr., James Santa Maria, Joey Chick, Paul Luggelle and Bethany Viets.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR
Event Schedule for the 2010 Boston Louie
9 AM – Pits Open
12 Noon – Sign In
1 PM – Rotating NEMA Midgets and Lites Practice
– NEMA Midgets: 2 Groups Nema Lites: 2 Groups
2 PM – NEMA Practice Ends
3 PM NEMA Drivers and Owners Meeting
4 PM Seekonk Practice Starts (rotation)
NEMA Midgets Final Practice – Time Trials by Group
NEMA Lites Final Practice – Time Trials by Group
– Note: 6 to 8 cars per group depending upon on car count
Format for the 2010 Boston Louie
3-4 Warm ups (2-3 warmups early in the day – time dependent)
Time trials will be taking place during the last warm up.
No more than 6 cars on the track at a time for time trials.
Time trial lineups will be based upon transponder times (the fastest time for each car) from the initial set of warmups. The fastest 6 cars will run together, the next six, and so on.
Time trial results will be based upon the fastest single lap for each car.
2 or 3 heats will be run (depending on car count) and the heat race invert will be determined after time trials. The typical invert over the last two years has been somewhere between 20 and the total number of cars present, – meaning that the 20th fastest car on a #20 invert would start on the pole in the first heat.
Either 4, 5 or 6 cars (dependent on 2 or 3 heats) will qualify out of each heat.
There will be a feature invert and it will be between 6 and 15. The feature invert is based upon TIME TRAIL TIMES.
If, for example, a #12 invert, the fastest out of the qualified cars would start 12th, the second fastest 11th, the third fastest 10th, and so on. The 13th – 15th fastest, although they may have qualified through their heat, would start 13th – 15th, heads up.
If, for example, a #15 invert, the fastest out of the qualified cars would start 15th, the second fastest 14th, the third fastest 13th, and so on.