“Charter Members” Key in NEMA’s ’08 Agenda
Seekonk Speedway and Waterford Speedbowl, each set for four races in 2008, hosted the first two events in NEMA history in 1953. Stafford, which welcomes NEMA back for its open cockpit show in July, was also on the ’53 schedule.
Thompson Speedway and Monadnock each have three dates. Both have long NEMA history as well.
There are tentative dates at Lee USA Speedway (June 2 and Sept. 13) and Beech Ridge Motor Speedway (Sept. 20-21).
“NEMA has always celebrated its history so we are very excited about the schedule,” says President Mike Scrivani Jr. “The club had an incredible 2007 as far as winners (eight) and car counts were concerned. The ’07 season wasn’t even over yet and tracks were calling us for dates.”
NEMA’s headline event, the “Boston Louie” is Aug. 9 at Seekonk .The traditional season ending “triple crown” is also intact-the Speedbowl’s Finale Oct. 4-5, Seekonk’s DAV on Oct. 11-12 and Thompson’s World Series on Oct. 18-19.
The Modified Nationals April 12-13 will be the first of NEMA’s Speedbowl visits. Including last year’s Finale, won by Randy Cabral, there have been 75 NEMA races at the Speedbowl. Starting with Fred Meeker’s win in NEMA’s first-ever race on May 30, 1953 through Joey Payne’s triumph in the ’07 DAV, Seekonk has hosted 70 races. There have been 31 NEMA shows at Stafford.
The Thompson NEMA win list starts with the immortal Dutch Schaefer in 1960 and runs through Cabral at last year’s World Series-67 races in all. Monadnock’s NEMA legacy started in 1972. Greg Stoehrs won at Monadnock last summer.
Ben Seitz was Lee’s last NEMA winner in 2004, that association going back to 1966 and including 24 races. Joey Payne Jr. won NEMA’s last race at Beech Ridge in 2004.
Inclement weather resulted in the postponement of NEMA’s annual meeting Sunday. It has been rescheduled for Sunday, Dec. 16 at the Thompson Clubhouse.
2008 NEMA SCHEDULE
April 5-6 Thompson (Icebreaker)
April 12-13 Waterford (Modified Nationals)
May 3 Seekonk (Practice)
May 4 Seekonk
May 10 Waterford
May 24 Monadnock
June 2 Lee (Tentative)
July 3 Thompson
July 8 Stafford
July 9 (rain date)
July 16 Seekonk
July 23 (rain date)
July 26 Monadnock
August 2 Waterford
August 9 Seekonk (Boston Louie)
August 30 Monadnock
September 13 Lee (Tentative)
September 20-21 Beech Ridge (Tentative)
October 4-5 Waterford (Finale)
October 11-12 Seekonk (DAV Memorial)
October 18-19 Thompson (World Series)
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR