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Brockton, MA – There are plenty of extra
incentives when the Northeastern Midget Association returns to
Waterford Speedbowl Saturday for the third annual Shane Hammond
Memorial. Both NEMA and the NEMA Lites are on the busy agenda.
Defending champion Randy Cabral, NEMA’s all-time Speedbowl winner
with eight, hopes to duplicate last week’ s impressive triumph at
Star Speedway. Cabral has a couple of Speedbowl runner-up finishes
this year but it’s been 11 races since he’s conquered the third
mile. Cabral did win the first Hammond Lites race back in 2010.
Carl Medeiros Jr., now 16 years old, will be looking for a fourth
straight victory, extending a Lites division record set a week ago
at Star.
One of NEMA’s charter members, the Speedbowl is truly a “racy place”
as evidenced by Anthony Marvuglio’s 12.91 second lap earlier this
season. Many believe the Speedowl to be a near perfect midget
facility.
Cabral, with 32 career wins, is currently one race away from tying
Bill Eldridge for fifth place on NEMA’s all-time win list.
Russ Stoehr sits second on the Waterford win list with seven, five
of them coming over the last 11 races including the inaugural
Hammond Memorial in 2010. Over that span, Stoehr has been on the
podium nine times including a third in this year’s opener.
John Zych, Jr. and Greg Stoehr have collected Speedbowl wins this
season. They are part of large group who have “checkered” at
Waterford. The group includes, in addition to Cabral and the Stoehrs,
current competitors Todd Bertrand, Adam Cantor, Jeff Horn, Chris
Leonard, Jim Miller, Barry Kittredge and Joey Payne.
Looking to join that list will be Marvuglio, Anthony Nocella, Mike
Horn, Matt O’Brien, Paul Scally and rookies Jim SantaMaria and Seth
Carlson.
The Stoehr family will be well represented, Bethany, Kathryn (in the
Scrivani 21) and Avery all among the group looking to stop Medeiros.
Bethany Stoehr has been second in two of the last three races. Ryan
Duhaime, very impressive at Star, is another threat as are Ryan
Bigelow and Brandon Igo, both Waterford winners this year, and Ian
Cumens, twice a runner up at the Bowl. Cabral is a factor as well.
The Bigelow boys will be three strong as well, Paul and Scott
joining brother Ryan. Others looking to stop Medeiros will be 2010
Hammond winner Andy Barrows, Danny Cugini, Kevin Park, Alan
Chambers, Kevin Park and Brandon Martinez.
NEMA NUGGETS – Avery Stoehr will be in the car that won last
year’s Hammond Memorial with Keith Botelho aboard. The car was
converted into a Lite for Avery. The Gaerte motor that powered
Botelho now sits in the #77 that Bethany drives in NEMA
competition...It will be a busy span for NEMA which returns to
Seekonk Speedway on Wednesday Aug. 1 for the rescheduled Open Wheel
Wednesday. |
