NEMA Lites Kick Off Sixth Season at ‘Bowl
Brockton, MA – The Northeastern Midget Association’s Lites Division begins its sixth season at Waterford Speedbowl’s Blast Off Weekend April 6-7. The Lites, a blend of returnees and newcomers, are part of a busy two-day agenda that also includes the regular NEMA cars.
The Lites’ feature will run on Saturday night while the “full-midgets” feature is on Sunday. Both groups qualify on Saturday for their respective 25-lap features.
Andy Barrows, Ryan Bigelow, Randy Cabral, Brandon Igo, Keith Rocco and Avery Stoehr will all be looking to repeat previous Lites victories at Waterford.
Carl Medeiros Jr., Dylan Duhaime, Danny Cugini, Jake Smith, Logan Rayvals, Dana Shaw, David Moniz, R.J. Tufano, Christian Briggs, Kenny Johnson and Bigelow’s brothers Paul and Scott return to Lites action as well.
Medeiros (13.871) and Tufano (13.893) had the fastest Lites feature laps last summer at Waterford. Ryan Bigelow is the defending Blast Off champion. Modified star Rocco and Stoehr also turned in impressive winning rides a year ago.
Cabral, NEMA’s driving champion four of the last five years, expects to continue driving the family car in Lites action. Ian Cumens, the Hoosier Tires Lites Challenge champ a year ago, will also make some Lites starts around a full-time NEMA effort with the Seymour team.
Returning to Lites action are Jake Stergios, a big winner back in 2009-10, and Kelly Ferrell, a one-time Whip City standout. Heading up the “rookie” list is Richie Morrocco who’ll be in the car driven by Brandon Martinez a year ago.
Designed to provide an economical avenue into Midget racing, the Lites have grown impressively over the past six years. The 2013 roster is expected to reach the 30s.
Blast Off ignites an 18-race agenda at nine tracks that will include the half-mile Stafford and Airborne Speedways. The division performed impressively last year in their “big track” debut at Oswego.
Formed as a “feeder division” for the full midgets, it is perhaps more now but it is still serving its original purpose. Cumens and Bethany Stoehr join a number of Lites graduates who have moved up to the full midgets including Todd Bertrand, Anthony Marvuglio, Seth Carlson, Anthony Nocella and Jim Santa Maria.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA Lites PR