Coby Among NEMA Threats at ‘Bowl
Brockton, MA – Pointing out “It is good to challenge myself with something different,” National NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby will get back in a Midget at this weekend’s Blast Off at Waterford Speedbowl.
The Northeastern Midget Association and the NEMA Lites are both part of busy two-day agenda. The 25-lap Lites feature is scheduled for Saturday night while the full midgets are on the Sunday agenda. Both will qualify on Saturday.
Coby will be in a “custom” chassis designed by Danny Drinan and Tim Bertrand. “The car has been re-done from head to foot, a very nice piece,” reports Bertrand.
The car did experience motor problem in last Saturday’s practice and will have a new Autocraft engine this weekend.
A Modified Tour winner last year at Waterford, it will be the second Midget ride for Coby, who also has four Waterford SK triumphs. Driving for Bertrand, he was second in his heat in the 2012 finale at Lee before falling victim to a crash in the feature.
Prior to Lee, Coby tested at the Speedbowl. “We were pretty quick,” Coby says. “Tim was very happy and we talked about getting together for the 2013 opener right then.” A Midget, he says “is the type of car you can really get after with the throttle. Midgets are a lot more precise in terms of where you can put the car.”
Modified fans will have a horse in the Lites race as well. Multi-time Waterford champ Keith Rocco will be driving the Frank Manafort-owned car that he was very impressive in at the Speedbowl last summer.
Saturday practice did produce optimistic results for Coby’s teammates defending champion Randy Cabral and Todd Bertrand.
Cabral and veteran Russ Stoehr, each with eight career Waterford victories, lead NEMA back to the ‘Bowl. John Zych Jr. will be looking for a second straight Blast Off win. Veterans Jim Miller, Joey Payne and Greg Stoehr have all have won at Waterford. Based on a run last season, Bethany Stoehr is another prime candidate. Other contenders are Seth Carlson, James Santa Maria, Anthony Marvuglio, Paul Scally and rookie of the year candidate Ian Cumens.
Avery Stoehr and Brandon Igo, both Waterford winners in ’12, top the Lites entries. The Bigelow Brothers (Ryan, Paul and Scott), Kelly Farrell, Carl Medeiros Jr., Dan Cugini, Logan Rayvals and “double duty” Randy Cabral are also contenders.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR