Zych, J. Chambers Capture NEMA’s Hammond Memorial at Thompson; Cabral, Cugini 2018 Champions
The Northeastern Midget Association visited the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park this past Saturday, as 32 winged NEMA warriors filled the pits for the annual Shane Hammond Memorial. John Zych beat back 4-time NEMA Champion Ben Seitz on a restart with ten laps remaining to take down the NEMA feature, and Jim Chambers pulled off an epic last lap pass to take down the Lites feature. A second place finish was good enough for Randy Cabral to secure his seventh championship for Bertrand Motorsports, and Danny Cugini took down back to back championships in the Lites division.
NEMA celebrates the life of fellow competitor Hammond each year, who was tragically killed at Thompson in April of 2008.
“Shane’s fatal crash was a cold April day in 2008 at Thompson. There was chaos all around the crash site and complete silence in the stands. It did not look good yet we held onto hope as many prayed. He was just 27, wheeling the car of his dreams, the #4 Mike Jarret, Nokie Fornoro NEMA midget which he had shaken down on many occasions. He felt proud and privileged that day to be chosen to wheel this ferocious machine. He was living his dream especially with Nokie as his teammate, he loved that man and how he shared all his inside information about each track they ran together. Shane was respected and loved by the NEMA family and he shared all he had heart & soul with everyone in the club,” said Hammond’s mother, Deb Marvuglio.
In the NEMA feature, Hammond’s beautiful #37 machine, being driven by his younger brother, Anthony Marvuglio, paced the field in a breathtaking moment. When the NEMA field stormed down the front stretch to take the green, Mike Horn in the A1 blasted out into the lead. Quickly though, John Zych was on a mission taking over the top spot. Zych quickly began to blister off laps in the 17.6 range, the fastest of the weekend.
Todd Bertrand was slicing his way through the field, and moved into second from his eighth starting spot on lap four, before engine troubles would end his night in the Bertrand 47. Further back, 4 time Champion Ben Seitz, Randy Cabral, and Jim Chambers were fighting through the field.
A restart with ten to go, saw Zych choose the outside lane, and Seitz would inch ahead at the line, but Zych would regain the top spot entering turn one. Zuch would go on to dominate the remainder of the feature, as Cabral would pass both Chambers and Seitz to take second, with Chambers finishing third, Seitz fourth, Alby Ovitt fifth, Avery Stoehr sixth, Paul Scally seventh, Mike Horn, Bethany Stoehr, and Andrew Lunt.
In the Lites feature, a caution-plagued race highlighted by engine issues saw many cars in the infield when it was all said and done. At the drop of the green, Avery Stoehr jumped out into the lead. Stoehr would set the tempo, setting some of the fastest laps of the weekend in the 19.6 range, early in the event. Three cautions would fly for engine issues, and a badly oiled down race track would see 6-time champion Randy Cabral in the FMR Racing #76 into the wall hard. Cabral was shaken up but not seriously injured in the wreck.
On the restart, Stoehr would jump back out into the lead, but was hotly pursued by Jim Chambers, and Todd Bertrand. Chambers would pass Stoehr in the Scrivani 21 with four laps remaining, but Stoehr would fight back with a pass in turns one and two with three remaining. Chambers would then pass Stoehr again down the front stretch with two to go, and Bertrand would get under Stoehr on the last lap, to finish second. Chambers would go on to take down the win followed by Bertrand, Stoehr, Kyle Valeri, Danny Cugini, Matt Janisch, Jeffrey Battle, Chris Vose, Ryan Locke, and Seth Carlson.
NEMA concludes its race season this weekend at the Speedbowl, in Waterford, CT, as part of an action-packed line up of over 15 racing divisions.
Sources: Tim Bertrand/NEMA PR