NEMA Heads to Oktoberfest; Points Battles in Spotlight
Brockton, MA — The Northeastern Midget Association’s Lites Division will crown a champion this weekend at Lee USA Speedway’s Oktoberfest. Leader Carl Medeiros Jr. will carry a 22-point lead on Danny Cugini into Sunday’s 25-lap feature. It is the final race of the season for the Lites.
Points grab the spotlight for the full Midgets as well, John Zych Jr. a scant 25 up on four-time and defending champion Randy Cabral heading into that feature which is also on Sunday. It is the next-to-the last event for the full midgets.
Although hardly an unknown quality, Lee remains a test for the Midgets. Bobby Santos III’s 13.018 lap (103.703 mph) en route to victory earlier this year is evidence it is a “take no prisoners” type of place. Cabral and Russ Stoehr have won twice at Lee while Joey Payne and Greg Stoehr have one win apiece.
Bethany Stoehr will be looking for a second straight win, collecting the hardware at Waterford’s Finale last weekend but only after a race-long tussle with her uncle Russ, the latter seeking his first win of the year. It could be another Stoehr vs. Stoehr event, Bethany’s dad Greg in the mix as well.
With 00 winners, it has been a very competitive year. In addition to Zych and Bethany Stoehr, Cabral, Todd Bertrand, Payne, Anthony Marvuglio and Seth Carlson will be seeking another trip to victory lane. Looking to join the win list are top rookie Ian Cumens, Greg Stoehr and Paul Scally.
A repeat performance will be Medeiros’ goal, the 17-year old winning the Lites’ last visit to Lee back in July. He had two wins there in 2012, doing it on the same night. He hopes to become the first “count-all-the-races” Lites champion.
Cugini, who has nine straight top-10 finishes including a fourth and eighth at Lee, aims to stop him.
Kenny Johnson, who became the ninth Lites winner this year at Waterford, is another contender, along with Avery Stoehr, Andy Barrows, Ricie Morocco, Cumens, Cabral and Jack Stergois, all 2013 Lites winners as well. Also hoping to cash in at the division’s finale are Ryan Bigelow, Christian Briggs, Brandon Igo, Logan Rayvals and DJ Moniz.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR