Three Straight for Medeiros
Epping, NH – Carl Medeiros Jr. became the first Northeastern Midget Association Lites Division competitor to capture three straight wins Saturday night with a convincing 25-lap triumph at Star Speedway.
Medeiros (Medeiros 50), coming off two victories at Lee Speedway on July 13, passed Bethany Stoehr down the back stretch five laps in. It was a caution-free romp from there, Medeiros, who will turn 16 on July 24, finishing far ahead of what turned into a Bethany Stoehr (MCI/Stoehr 26b), Dylan Duhaime (Duhaime 57) battle for second.
Youth was served as the 14-year old Duhaime fell a half-car length short of taking second from 17-year old Stoehr at the checkered. They are, however, “old foes” in the go kart wars. “We pretty much know what each other is going to do,” said Medeiros after winning the second Lites point race of the season.
Randy Cabral was fourth in the family 35 while Danny Cugini (Cugini 51) held on for fifth.
“ I don’t know what we’re doing different,” continued Medeiros, who started 10th. The streak comes after a couple years of near misses for the team.
Stoehr grabbed the lead from Cugini on the first of two early restarts. A couple laps later yellow flew again and on the green she got the jump on Medeiros but the lead was brief. ‘I knew he was there and was going to go by,” said Stoehr who now has two runner-up finishes in the last three races.
She was not, however, aware of Duhaime’s late rally. Coming from seventh, Duhaime (who will not be 15 until next April) made up almost a half-lap deficit to catch Stoehr with two laps remaining. It was Duhaime’s third race.
Medeiros takes the streak to Waterford Saturday for the Shane Hammond Memorial.
RESULTS: 1. Carl Medeiros Jr., 2. Bethany Stoehr, 3.Dylan Duhaime, 4. Randy Cabral, 5. Danny Cugini, 6. Andy Barrows, 7. Jon McKennedy, 8. Paul Scally, 9. Brandon Martinez, 10. Kevin Park, 11. Frank Swan, 12. Alan Chambers. DNS – Avery Stoehr.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA Lites PR