Mike Horn Ends NEMA Victory Drought
Thompson, CT — Mike Horn’s victory drought is over. “It’s like a dream,” he said after winning the Northeastern Midget Association Marvin Rifchin Trophy Race Thursday night at Thompson Speedway. It was his first-ever NEMA checkered.
After an aborted initial start, the race went green for all 25 laps. Horn (Horn 93X), a NEMA competitor since 1993, led all of them. He was challenged throughout by Randy Cabral (Bertrand 47), the latter coming from sixth to second by lap three. “I kept waiting for Randy to come by,” said Horn. “I waited right to the checker.”
Cabral’s two best challenges came in between one and two and in three on lap eight. “He showed me the nose and I realized I had to step it up,” added Horn. He had, after all, “spent a long time thinking about it [the first win].”
B.J. MacDonald (MacDonald 49), in his first NEMA start of the season, came from seventh to third with point leader Russ Stoehr (Dumo’s Desire 45) fourth and Greg Stoehr (Stoehr 26b) fifth. Russ Stoehr’s win streak ended at three. The top three cars all had similar Bertrand set ups.
[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
The Horn-Cabral battle raged far in front of the field. “He was way better than me on the outside,” said Cabral, NEMA’s all-time winner at Thompson “I was loose on the bottom. I made him work for it though. He earned that one.”
It was a popular win for the second generation driver who has led several times over the past couple seasons including early this season at Thunder Road. He took special delight in winning the event that memorializes Rifchin, one of NEMA’s greatest benefactors over the years. Looking for the “skip in the motor” that has plagued him all season, he admitted to “being so tired I felt like giving up a couple times.” He said he found extra motivation “thinking about Marvin.”
“It doesn’t get any better than to have my son win one of the best races there is to win,” said Horn’s dad Jeff, a 20-time NEMA winner himself. “Mike and Marvin were really good friends.”
Greg Stoehr and John Zych Jr. were the heat winners.
NEMA returns to action Friday night, July 15th at Lee USA Speedway.
RESULTS: 1. Mike Horn, 2. Randy Cabral, 3. B.J. MacDonald, 4. Russ Stoehr, 5. Greg Stoehr, 6. Keith Botelho, 7. Lee Bundy, 8. Paul Luggelle, 9. John Zych, 10. Chris Leonard, 11. Jeremy Frankoski, 12. Paul Scally, 13. Anthony Marvugilo.
Thompson, CT — Mike Horn’s victory drought is over. “It’s like a dream,” he said after winning the Northeastern Midget Association Marvin Rifchin Trophy Race Thursday night at Thompson Speedway. It was his first-ever NEMA checkered.
After an aborted initial start, the race went green for all 25 laps. Horn (Horn 93X), a NEMA competitor since 1993, led all of them. He was challenged throughout by Randy Cabral (Bertrand 47), the latter coming from sixth to second by lap three. “I kept waiting for Randy to come by,” said Horn. “I waited right to the checker.”
Cabral’s two best challenges came in between one and two and in three on lap eight. “He showed me the nose and I realized I had to step it up,” added Horn. He had, after all, “spent a long time thinking about it [the first win].”
B.J. MacDonald (MacDonald 49), in his first NEMA start of the season, came from seventh to third with point leader Russ Stoehr (Dumo’s Desire 45) fourth and Greg Stoehr (Stoehr 26b) fifth. Russ Stoehr’s win streak ended at three. The top three cars all had similar Bertrand set ups.
The Horn-Cabral battle raged far in front of the field. “He was way better than me on the outside,” said Cabral, NEMA’s all-time winner at Thompson “I was loose on the bottom. I made him work for it though. He earned that one.”
It was a popular win for the second generation driver who has led several times over the past couple seasons including early this season at Thunder Road. He took special delight in winning the event that memorializes Rifchin, one of NEMA’s greatest benefactors over the years. Looking for the “skip in the motor” that has plagued him all season, he admitted to “being so tired I felt like giving up a couple times.” He said he found extra motivation “thinking about Marvin.”
“It doesn’t get any better than to have my son win one of the best races there is to win,” said Horn’s dad Jeff, a 20-time NEMA winner himself. “Mike and Marvin were really good friends.”
Greg Stoehr and John Zych Jr. were the heat winners.
NEMA returns to action Friday night, July 15th at Lee USA Speedway.
RESULTS: 1. Mike Horn, 2. Randy Cabral, 3. B.J. MacDonald, 4. Russ Stoehr, 5. Greg Stoehr, 6. Keith Botelho, 7. Lee Bundy, 8. Paul Luggelle, 9. John Zych, 10. Chris Leonard, 11. Jeremy Frankoski, 12. Paul Scally, 13. Anthony Marvugilo.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR