A Chance to Help Nokie Fornoro
Hall of Famer Nokie Fornoro needs a new vehicle.
NEMA President Tim Bertrand set up a Go Fund Me for him. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-nokie-fornoro to donate.
His career started in TQ Midgets in 1974, where he was awarded the ATQMRA Rookie of the Year. He raced ARDC Midgets from 1976. Other accolades include 1979 URC (Sprint Cars) Most Improved Driver, 1985 Florida Winter Midget Series championship, an indoor title at Niagara Falls, and 2000 ISMA Supermodified Rookie of the Year.
He won 10 of 21 races in 1981, driving the legendary Scrivani’s #22 to his only NEMA title. 6 consecutive wins that season tied Joe Csiki’s record. He ranks fifth on the club’s win list. Ultimately, he won 10 Midget club championships, including 6 with ARDC. He also was the 1988 ATQMRA TQ Midget champion.
The Danbury, CT native won his final race, the 2009 World Series at Thompson driving the Jaret #4. 110 Midget wins spanned driving for Hall of Famer Mike Scrivani and a pair of Night before the 500 wins at IRP for Jim Reider.
Fornoro won at 57 tracks in Midgets, Mini Modifieds, TQ Midgets, Sprint Cars, and Supermodifieds.
He is a member of the NEAR Dick Gallagher Memorial Hall of Fame (2013), and the 2008 Johnny Thomson Memorial Award recipient. He was inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 2016.
He will join his father Nick and brother Drew as National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame inductees January 17, 2020, in Tulsa, OK. Nick won in Midgets and Sprint Cars before flagging for several series, including CART. Drew won 9 NEMA championships.
Videos from Fornoro’s career
1983 Interview
ATQMRA at Riverside Park, July 3, 1988
1983 World of Outlaw Midgets at Pontiac Silverdome
1989 Niagara Falls
1985 SMRC Midgets – Flemington – August 17, 1985
by: Nicholas Teto, YankeeRacer.com