Trainor, Zych, Scally Capture NEMA Wins at Lee, Waterford & Monadnock
The Northeastern Midget Association had a busy stretch over the past eight days – as the club ran three events at three different racetracks – LEE USA Speedway, the New-London Waterford Speedbowl, and Monadnock.
The Lites started the stretch when they visited the LEE USA Speedway. In the 50 lap special event, it appeared that Paul Scally was going to top the field, but he lost the lead in the late stages of the event to Jake Trainor driving the Seymour 29. Trainor came from deep in the field, and passed Scally to take down his fourth victory of the year. Scally was second followed by Joe Bailey in the Scrivani 21, Richie Coy, Kyle Valeri, Avery Stoehr, Jim SantaMaria, Randy Cabral, Chris Vose and Dylan Cotu.
On Wednesday evening, the NEMA group visited the New-London Waterford Speedbowl for the first time this season. After a long rain delay, when the green flag dropped, Doug Cleveland and Jake Trainor brought the field to the green flag. Trainor quickly got out into the lead, and Todd Bertrand in the Bertrand 47 overtook Cleveland on the outside to settle into second. Further back, Randy Cabral was dicing his way through the pack in the Bertrand 74. As the laps wound down, Bertrand could not muster up a charge on Trainor, as the 16-year-old went on to win the event and become one of the youngest ever NEMA feature winners in the full NEMA division, dating back to Bobby Santos’ first win at 16 years old in 2002. Bertrand was second followed by Randy Cabral, Avery Stoehr, Paul Scally, John Zych, Nathan Byrd, Doug Cleveland, Jeff Champagne, and Matt O’Brien.
On Saturday evening, both NEMA and the NEMA Lites visited the Monadnock Speedway for the Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial. One of the biggest purses of the year was raised to celebrate the long-time car owner, Mike Scrivani Sr. of the famed “Mike’s Truckstop.” Scrivani was a multi-time champion across NEMA, ARDC, even competing and winning many USAC main events.
In the Lites division, Paul Scally jumped out into the lead from his outside pole starting position. Quickly, Scally went to work, turning quick times, running in the 12.5/12.6 range. Behind Scally, Randy Cabral in his own #26 Hawk chassis was trying to chase down Scally, but could not make gains. Further back, Jake Trainor in the Seymour 29 was slicing his way through the pack, and moved into third on lap seventeen.
By lap twenty-one, Trainor had moved into second, and Scally, fighting brake issues, had started to slow down. Trainor began picking up the pace and would pull to within two carlengths of Scally with two laps to go, and was on his bumper at the white flag. Trainor would pull even with Scally’s nameplate off of turn four, but lose by a half carlength. Scally would go on to win, with Trainor second, Randy Cabral, Joe Bailey, Richie Coy, Kyle Valeri, Mike Pernesiglio, Anthony Payne, Dylan Cotu, and Jordan Eldridge.
In the NEMA group, when the green flag flew, Doug Cleveland jumped out into the lead from the pole. Cleveland, in one of his best outings of the last decade, looked incredibly strong, running laps down in the low 12-second bracket.
Cleveland would lead the first 18 laps of the feature, in his own chassis, with John Zych stalking him lap after lap. Zych would make a bid for the lead on lap 19, and Cleveland’s hopes for a win would subside. Once in command, Zych would put on a blistering pace enroute to the Iron Mike Scrivani victory. Avery Stoehr finished second, followed by Alan Chambers, who also had an epic battle with Cleveland, to complete the podium. Todd Bertrand, Jake Trainor, Cleveland, Matt O’Brien, Matt Merry, Mike Horn, and Kenney Johnson rounded out the top 10.
Sources: Timothy Bertrand/NEMA PR
NEMA MIDGETS AND NEMA LITES AT LEE USA ON 7/16, NEW LONDON WATERFORD ON 7/21, AND MONADNOCK ON 7/24.
PHOTOS BY NORM MARX (NLM) AND ONE BY JOHN DADALT (JD) (WATERFORD)
Sent in by Norm Marx – 978-328-8894
NEMA-LEE-NLM-2507: NEMA LITES AT LEE USA ON 7/16 – Jake Trainor #29 scores his third win of the season and extends his huge championship points lead.
NEMA-MNN-NLM-2605: NEMA LITES AT MONADNOCK ON 7/24 – In the “iron Mike Memorial” the LITES Top Three are L to R: Jake Trainor #29, 2nd; Winner Paul Scally #30; and Randy Cabral #26, 3rd, posing with Mike Scrivani (son of Iron Mike)
NEMA-MNN-NLM-2636: NEMA MIDGETS AT MONADNOCK ON 7/24 – In the “iron Mike Memorial” the MIDGETS Winner is John Zych Jr. #9 (left) with his father and car owner John Zych Sr. (right), posing with Mike Scrivani (son of Iron Mike).
NEMA-MNN-NLM-9480: NEMA LITES AT MONADNOCK ON 7/24 – Charging from deep in the pack, Jake Trainor #29 is just 5/8 of a car length back of Paul Scally #30 at the checkers.
NEMA-MNN-NLM-9542: NEMA MIDGETS AT MONADNOCK ON 7/24 – John Zych Jr. #9 surges past the #7 of Alan Chambers on the way to the win.
NEMA-MNN-NLM-9269: NEMA MIDGETS AT MONADNOCK ON 7/24 – John Zych Jr #9 takes the lead from the #87 of Doug Cleveland who was having one of his best outings of the last decade, looked incredibly strong.
NEMA-NLWS-JD-212: NEMA MIDGETS AT NEW LONDON-WATERFORD SPEEDBOWL ON WEDS. 7/21 –
Jake Trainor in the family #8 top class Midgets takes the win and becomes at 16 one of the youngest winners ever in the top NEMA division.