Bertrand’s NEMA Success Based on Communication
Brockton, MA — Communication and history, claims car owner Tim Bertrand, makes championships. Bertrand and driver Randy Cabral are the Northeastern Midget Association champions for the third time in the past four years.
With two this season, the combination has won 24 features since coming together in 2006. The Dumo’s Desire team, with drivers Joey Payne and Russ Stoehr, is next with 14.
“People think it is equipment,” says Bertrand, a former driver. “It isn’t.” It is, he insists “welding” the knowledge of setting up the car with Cabral’s wants as a driver. “We are always trying to make the car go faster,” says Bertrand. “We think about set up all the time. Not a week goes by that we don’t talk five times about the car.”
Pointing out the #47 is already apart, Bertrand adds it goes on in winter as well as summer. Boldly, Bertrand suggests the communication ranks with the best in NEMA’s long history.
“You know when I know I have a good idea?” he asks rhetorically. “I will go to Randy or to (Randy’s dad) Glen with an idea and they will say ‘you know, I was thinking the same thing.’” That, he says, goes on a lot at the track.
“We go into every race without expectations and with a sense of nervousness,” Bertrand continues. “I believe it’s true for all competitors regardless of the sport. Without that sense of nervousness, you don’t have your edge.”
The team’s at-track history of heroics is becoming legendary.
Bertrand swears he predicted it all the first time Cabral drove his car in a Thursday practice session at Waterford Speedbowl in 2005. Bertrand, who had stopped driving the year before, was having a tough season. Mark Buonomo and Ted Christopher had both crashed the car. It was after the Christopher crash that Cabral, who was driving for his father, approached Bertrand.
“I didn’t think he was serious at first,” Bertrand remembers. “Still, it kind of stuck in my mind and finally I called him.” They met and after laps in the 12.9 seconds range, Bertrand told Randy and his mother Marie “if we make this deal, we’re going to win a lot of races.”
Cabral actually crashed (after breaking a Heim joint) in his first ride for Cabral – the 2005 DAV. What impressed Bertrand, however, was seeing the whole Cabral family in tears. After consultation with his family, Bertrand decided to move forward.
“We found a 1999 Drinan chassis in a barn out in the Midwest and made a commitment,” Bertrand says. He recalls Glen Cabral actually being a little apprehensive about the Drinan. Arguably the first successive winged Drinan, it remains the top car in the Bertrand stable.
“The shocks came with the car in 2005,” Bertrand points out. “We just replaced the rear this year. And we haven’t crashed the car a lot.” Glen Cabral, one of NEMA’s dedicated low buckers for years, is a factor as well. “Glen,” Bertrand claims, “doesn’t like to spend a dime on anything.”
In terms of winning, 2011 was equal to 2006. Consistency wise – nine podiums, including six seconds, in 13 starts – it was sensational. Bertrand points to, in fact takes pride in, NEMA’s drive for equity. There were eight different winners – three first timers.
The decision to run the Esslinger “spec engine” was a factor as well. There’s less power, but you get 30 to 40 races out of engine and then it’s 30% less to refresh. “Considering those stats, I’ll take nine podiums happily,” says Bertrand.
Brother Todd was one of the first-timers, winning at Waterford in the family car with Cabral second. Bertrand’s only win came at the ‘Bowl as well.
Sources : Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR