NEMA Prexy Scrivani Looks Back And Ahead
Mike Scrivani Jr. was only five but the memories are vivid. The Northeastern Midget Association president, the son of a New England legend, figures this is his 50th year of involvement with Midgets.
“I remember sleeping between the gear box and the tool box in the back of an Oldsmobile station wagon that we towed with,” Scrivani begins. “We never did get the smell of gear oil out of that car. It made my mother so mad.”
They traveled all over the east. “Before we used to get to Danbury, we’d stop at the Fornoro house for something to eat,” he continues. “That’s’ how long I’ve known Drew and Nokie Fornoro. They lived on a cul-de-sac and there were rigs all the way up the road.”
Back in 1981, Fornoro drove a Scrivani-owned car to the championship, posting 14 podium finishes in 20 starts. Mike Jr. presently works on Fornoro’s current ride, the Jarret #4.
About to begin his sixth year as president, Scrivani has missed very little of NEMA’s history. Still one of the most forward-looking Midget clubs in the country, NEMA kicks off the 2009 campaign at Monadnock Speedway on May 23. It is the first of 17 races and seven tracks.
Under Scrivani, NEMA has seen its popularity soar along with its speeds. He’s been a guiding force in bringing new faces into the club evidenced by the introduction of the NEMA Lites last year. “I think we are in great shape,” he says. “We’ll be at established tracks with established competitors.”
With the likes of defending champion Randy Cabral, both Stoehr brothers, Erica Santos, Adam Cantor, Doug Cleveland, Chris Leonard and Fornoro all dedicated to strong efforts, 2009 could be one of the best seasons yet.
Scrivani has seen a lot of them. By age 13, he was working in earnest on a car that over the years was driven by Billy Eldridge, Ray Burke, Hank Williams, Dave Humphrey, Billy Randall. He actually owned his first car – a Ford 60 – before he had a driver’s license. His father had sold his car to go Modified racing. “I found out about it from somebody else. I was so mad I didn’t talk to him for two or three days. Then he gave me some money and told me to go buy a car from Wally White.”
It didn’t last long. With Meatball Orlando driving, they won a heat at Star Speedway before scattering the engine. Mike Sr. then bought the old car back and for a while they campaigned both the midget and the modified.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR