Medeiros Back on Top in NEMA Lites
Lee, NH — Checking out after a lengthy clean up delay, Carl Medeiros Jr. won the Northeastern Midget Association’s 20-lap Lites feature Friday night at Lee USA Speedway. The victory, the second of the season, put Medeiros back in the point lead.
Medeiros needed only two turns to take the lead from Kevin Hutchens on a mid-race restart. Lou Cicconi, in the Seymour 9, also got by Hutchens on the restart. Medeiros, who waited for a Cicconi challenge that never came, finished two and half seconds ahead. Rookie Hutchens was third followed by Kenny Johnson and Richie Morocco, still another rookie.
A winner at Lee in the past, Medeiros started seventh and by lap five was on Hutchens’ bumper. He was still there when a multi-car crash that featured some airborne gyrations by Andy Barrows and eliminated a number of cars brought out the only yellow.
In addition to Barrows, the point leader going in, Jake Stergios, Avery Stoehr, Steve Powers and Logan Rayvals went off on the hook. It took 45minutes to clean up the oil which caused the crash.
[Photo Gallery] by Crystal Snape
Medeiros who was playing a “waiting game” before the yellow, “had no doubt I’d get him on the restart.” He moved in front down the back and had a clear advantage heading into three.
“I was concerned with who was in the No. 9,” he added. “I knew what he was going to do. I grew up idolizing the guy. He was going to just drive it in on the outside and drive underneath me.” Cicconi never got close enough to do that.
Medeiros leaves no doubt about his desire to win the Lites championship.
NEMA LITES – LEE – 7/12/13
Pos. # Driver Hometown Owner
1 50 Carl Medeiros Jr. Westport, MA Carl Medeiros Sr.
2 9 Lou Cicconi Aston, PA Bobby Seymour
3 27 Kevin Hutchens * E. Waterboro, ME Dan Hutchens
4 46 Kenney Johnson Bethany, CT Jeff Johnson
5 25 Richie Morocco * Plainville, MA Richard Morocco
6 33 Scott Bigelow E. Hampton, CT Randy Bigelow
7 41 Megan Cugini * Marshfield, MA D. Cugini
8 DNF 51 Danny Cugini Marshfield, MA D. Cugini
9 DNF 94 Logan Rayvals Brockville, ONT Craig Rayvals
10 DNF 15a Avery Stoehr Lakeville, MA MCI Racing/Russ Stoehr
11 DNF 81 Andy Barrows New Ipswitch, NH Dustin Anderson
12 DNF 11 Jake Stergios Candia, NH Bill Stergios
13 DNF 22l Steve Powers – Mike Luggelle
14 DNF 18 DJ Moniz Fairhaven, MA David Moniz
15 DNS 31 Paul Bigelow Kensington, CT Randy Bigelow
* Rookie
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA Lites PR