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2011 NEMA NEWS |
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Walt
Renner
passed
away
November 16, 2011
Journalist - NEMA Supporter
Obituary Here |
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James B. Parsons
passed away
Monday, October 31, 2011
Longtime NEMA Fan
Obituary and Services Here |
Derek Pernisiglio
interviewing Daytona 500 Winner Trevor Bayne |
A
message to the NEMA’s new blood:
Know Your
Roots!
By Derek Pernesiglio |
NEMA sure has changed a lot
over the years. What some of you kids out there may not
know is that NEMA was originally started for the “little
guy.” The guy’s that couldn't afford the big Offy
engines or Kurtis-Kraft chassis of the day, but it was
more for guys that worked forty hours a week.
Their “shop” was (and in some cases still is) the garage
at home. Now I wasn’t around in those days but I do
remember NEMA in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s. If
there was anything I can tell the new faces of NEMA is
learn who these people and events are that made the
organization what it is today.
The older
gentlemen that just walked past you in the pits could
have been Carl Kibbe, who won four NEMA titles as an
owner, or maybe Joe Fiore who’s been such in intergral
part of the success of NEMA’s greatest team, Gene and
Marilyns #45. Sorry boys, but if you had to compete
aginst guys like Billy Mann, Joey Coy, Lee Smith, Mike
Favuli, Paul Stoehr, Russ Klar, Drew Fornoro, Butch
Walsh, Bobby White or Dave Humphrey....you had a long
night ahead of you. Not to mention your win percentage
wouldn’t be as high.
Ask some of the veteran
members of the club about the Stoehr brothers battling
for the win in the 93’ World Series where Greg Stoehr in
John Zahar’s little VW, pulled (in my opinion) one of
the ballsiest moves I’ve ever seen around Russ on the
outside to win the race on the final lap. To this day
NEMA historians call that one of the greatest NEMA races
of all time.
Ask about Drew Fornoro who lapped
the field in Gene's Rotary powered roadster in a
USAC/NEMA co-sanctioned event at Seekonk in 1987. Find
out why the badgers were outlawed, or why the MAZDA
Rotary was grandfathered into the rule book in the late
80’s.
It wasn’t just the drivers, it was the
owners too. However back in the day they were an
owner/mechanic/crew chief/money spender all in one. Jim
O’ Brien recently left us and few people know the power
and performance he got out of the Falcon engine. A
power-plant he built in his own garage. I can remember
many night’s watching Steve Eldridge leading the field
in Jimmy’s badger back in the 80’s.
Johnny Evans
won for Jim and NEMA’s “Iron Man”, Doug Cleveland who
has more main event starts than anyone brought the #16
to victory lane just North of the border in St. Pie
Canada in 1978. Is there anyone out there that remembers
Dan Blair and his home built V-4? A stock block Chevy
350 he cut in half to fit in a midget. I can remember
vividly at Beech Ridge one weekend where that car
sounded like a World Of Outlwas sprint car as it came
down front stretch with Rick Hart behind the wheel.
What about 1976 Championship car owner, Rollie
Lindblad and his beautiful works of art? A man that
trail-blazed the badger chassis design into midget
racing. After the Badgers were outlawed, he didn’t miss
a beat building upright chassis that carried Mike Favuli
to many NEMA wins, Drew Fornoro to five titles and Joey
Coy to three.
Of course I have to mention my old
man, “Mazda” Pete Pernesiglio who’s homemade
peripheral-porting for the Rotary inspired Mazda
Engineering to revamp their injection system. A design
that is still seen today in three and four rotor Mazda
engines in SCCA. The idea was simple: Epoxy off the
stock injection and bore giant holes in the rotor
housings to direct-feed the rotors with methanol. I
remember Dad using the same engine for ten years and
rebuilding it for $700 bucks every other season in the
garage at home. As Dad would say, “it’s a pure case of
economic’s” and in my personal opinon an economical
option for a NEMA Lite car today.....Just sayin’
The Marvin Rifchin Memorial is coming up. If you ever
wanted to learn about the man talk to Russ Stoehr. Russ
won many races and titles on Marvin’s M&H Tires. He made
tires for everyone in racing from “Big Daddy” Don
Garlits to the boys on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
and it’s NEMA that honors him with his own race.
“Boston” Louie Seymour won the 1976 USAC Silver Crown
Championship with Billy Casella at the wheel but you
wont find USAC running a “Boston” Louie Seymour Memorial
race. How about Johnny Thompson, he cut his teeth in
NEMA and went on to sit on the pole for the Indianapolis
500. Now I know Johnny Thompson was way before my time,
but I took the time and asked about NEMA’s roots.
Did you know there were many occasions in the 80’s
where NEMA, USAC and ARDC all ran co-sanctioned shows
together and the NEMA boys spanked them. We’re talking
guys like Rich Vogler, Mel Kenyon, Bob Cicconi and Terry
Wente to name a few....and we did it topless, no wings,
their rules and the NEMA drivers still prevailed.
Understand that this series is ONLY five years
younger than NASCAR itself! When a driver wins a NEMA
Midget race. It carries as much prestige as winning a
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour or K&N Pro Series race. So
the next time one of you 25 and under crowd wins a main
event, enjoy the moment, they don’t happen often and I
think a lot of time’s we take that for granted.
In closing I’d like to thank Chris Romano for help and
inspiration for writing this story. Chris was the
“voice” of NEMA for many years and before him it was
Dick Monahan. He’s a NMPA award wining writer and still
to this day a great mentor to me. In the last ten years
we’ve lost such people in NEMA like Shane Hammond, Jim
Cleveland, Gene and Marilyn, Marvin Rifchin and most
recently Jim O’Brien to name a few. I really feel the
new guys should ask about the clubs roots and realize
you race in an organization that has stood the test of
time.
Remember, you guys all stand on the
shoulders of the drivers, crewmen and owners that came
before you. Show some respect because when you do
prevail there's a greater sense of pride. Please guys,
take some time and learn about the club. The old guard
of NEMA still attend races to this very day because they
love the organization and they love helping out. Don’t
be afraid to ask another set of eyes to look at your car
if you have an issue, they’d be glad to talk to you. You
might be surprised what you learn too. |
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Jeremy Frankoski
Readies
Night Before The 500 |
HUNTERSVILLE, North
Carolina (May 25, 2011) - - Jeremy Frankoski may not be
participating in this year’s Indianapolis 500, but the
avid IZOD IndyCar Series fan will partake in the
historic Night Before the 500, a USAC Mopar Midget race
at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis this Saturday
night.
Recently, the NorthEastern Midget
Association (NEMA) competitor tested at the legendary
short track with Santos Motorsports to prepare him for
what is considered one of American’s most traditional
Motorsports events. Teaming up with Adam Cantor Racing
(ACR) in his No. 7NY IGA / Lucas Oil Mopar, the duo is
hopeful for a big payout not to mention a huge night of
celebration in what would be the team’s biggest career
win.
“I’m definitely looking forward to Saturday
night,” said Frankoski, a former USAC Ford Focus
Carolina champion. “I cannot thank Santos Motorsports
and Bobby Santos III enough for allowing me to come up
with them to Lucas Oil Raceway a couple weeks ago and
test with them. Hopefully, the extra seat time will give
us the preparation needed going into the weekend.”
Having the opportunity to compete in such a
prestigious race means a lot to Frankoski, a resident of
Huntersville, North Carolina but the stock-car bound
driver made it abundantly clear that he would not be
where he is today without the help and support of many.
“I’m fortunate,” Frankoski mentioned. “Adam Cantor
Racing, IGA, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters and all of our other
marketing partners continue to have faith in my driving
ability and they’re giving me an opportunity that I need
to try and make the best of. I can’t predict what’s
going to happen on Saturday night, but all I need to do
is go out there and give it my all and hope we’ll be the
ones celebrating in victory lane.”
To get to
victory lane though, Frankoski will have to race his way
into the feature which is expected to be tough but he
says he will be mentally and physically prepared for one
of his biggest challenges of the 2011 racing season.
“It’s a big race, so there’s going to be a ton of
cars there,” he added. “I have a good team with great
equipment. We just have to get our car handling right
and then have it go our way in the heat.”
As far
Sunday’s 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500,
Frankoski plans to be glued to “The Greatest Spectacle
in Racing” and cheer on his two favorite IICS drivers
John Andretti and Dario Franchitti.
“John
(Andretti) has helped guide me with some areas of my
career, so I’m pulling for him. He is a great guy and I
continue to be thankful and appreciative for the impact
he has in my racing career. Dario’s just a driver that
you cannot help but like. He always has a great attitude
and is a great role model for all drivers.”
In
addition to IGA, Lucas Oil and K&N Filters, Frankoski
will receive additional support this weekend from MCT,
Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Calico Coatings,
Drive-In Web Design, Simpson Racing and Racing 2 Cure.
USAC Racing will stream the Night Before the 500
which includes practice, qualifying, heat races and the
main event. To view the contest, please click to
usacracing.com/usac_live
In two consecutive
years with NEMA, Frankoski has tallied 27 starts, one
win, nine top-fives and 18 top-10 finishes.
For
more information on Jeremy please visit
JeremyFrankoski.com
RACE
RESULTS FROM USACRACING.COM:
Qualified:
21st Heat 1 Finish: 6th
Semi Finish: 8th
Feature Finish: 21st |
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Baby
Norah Marilyn Bertrand
was delivered on Sunday evening (Mother's Day)
at 10:52 PM
- weighing in at 6 lbs 9 oz and 20.5"
long.
Mom and Baby are doing well - Baby will need to
spend a few days in the NICU due to an infection that
she contracted during delivery, but they anticipate that
all should be home by this weekend.
We look forward to seeing you all soon!
Best regards,
Tim & Cara Bertrand
More Exciting News!
Cara Bertrand, Tim's wife, has just found out that
her first novel,
Lost in
Thought, has made it from 5,000 entries to
the final 3 in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel
Competition!
Cara and Tim will be unable to make
it to the next race at Twin State, as Amazon.com is
flying their family to Seattle for the Awards ceremony.
The winner gets a publishing contract with Penguin
Books!
You can help by voting for her book at:
www.amazon.com/abna |
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Jim O'Brien
passed away on April 4th
from complications of an aortic aneurysm repair
at
New York Presbyterian Medical Center.
He was 69
years old. He was a dedicated NEMA
car owner for
over 40 consecutive years.
Funeral services will
be on Saturday (April 9, 2011) at
9 AM from Funk
Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, to St. Gregory
Church, 235 Maltby St., Bristol,
for a Mass of
Christian Burial at 10 AM.
Burial will follow in St.
Joseph Cemetery, Bristol, CT.
The wake for
relatives and friends will be at the
funeral home on Friday
between 5 and 8 PM.
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NEMA Stalwart Jimmy O’Brien Passes |
The Northeastern Midget Association lost
one of its most dedicated competitors
and contributors Monday with the passing
of Jimmy O’Brien. As a car owner and
officer, O’Brien helped to write over
four decades of NEMA history.
O’Brien, a NEMA member since 1970, said
his greatest moment came in 1990 when
son Matt jumped into his #16. That
relationship carried into this season.
Introduced to the Midgets by his
father, O’Brien got involved back in the
early 1950s. After two years working
with others in NEMA, he joined the owner
ranks with the Ray Kelly #33. He always
referred to Kelly, a NEMA legend, “as my
mentor.” Chuck Daniel and Len Thrall
also played key roles in O’Brien’s early
career.
A member of the NEMA Hall
of Fame, he built his own cars and
motors for almost his entire involvement
with the club.
His drivers
included Johnny Evans, Hank Stevens,
Doug Cleveland, Steve Eldridge, Paul
Stoehr and Roy Daniel. Cleveland and
Evans won in O’Brien equipment; Stevens
won the 1975 dirt track title.
He
was a walking NEMA encyclopedia, always
willing to share a wealth of club
history. He was part of several “eras.”
Always a defender of the low-buck
competitor, O’Brien, elected to the
Contest Board in 1973, was a guiding
force for many years. A one-time vice
president, he stepped down in 2003 after
13 years as the club treasurer.
“Jimmy’s dedication to NEMA was
incredible, an inspiration really,” says
club president Mike Scrivani Jr. “He
loved the Midgets and NEMA in
particular. He was an officer under
several presidents.
In all the years
I knew Jim, seldom did he raise his
voice. And
over the past 10 years
watching Jimmy and Matt was just a
great thing.” |
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Anthony Marvuglio aboard the #35 in the 2010 Boston
Louie Memorial |
Two-Car
NEMA Effort
For Bertrand in 2011 |
Brockton, MA – Two-time
Northeastern Midget Association car owner champion Tim
Bertrand has “taken himself out” of the race for 2011
honors. He has, however, made a deeper investment in the
“let’s have some fun” fraternity.
Bertrand’s
driver Randy Cabral will, however, be in the
championship picture. The 2008-09 king will be making
the bid in two different but familiar race cars. Cabral
will drive the #47 Drinan/Esslinger 75 percent of the
time including the club’s season opener, Waterford
Speedowl’s Budweiser Blast off April 2-3.
The
remainder of the races, notably the smaller tracks,
Cabral will be in the completely refurbished, 32-year
old #35 Edmonds chassis which will be Autocraft powered.
Cabral’s first ever NEMA win, the 2000 Boston Louie,
came in the car as did his first Speedbowl checkered.
“It’s like going home for Randy,” said Bertrand.
Defending champions Russ Stoehr and the #45 Dumo’s
Desire Beast/Esslinger, lead the return to the Speedbowl
for the club’s 59th season opener. The team won twice at
Waterford last season. The NEMA Lites will also be part
of Blast Off.
Bertrand says the #35’s performance
with Anthony Marvuglio aboard in last year’s Louie –
leading the first 13 laps – was the impetus. “Obviously,
Randy’s dad Glenn has a great love for the car but they
have never had the opportunity to run it at its full
potential. We decided to help toward that end and we’d
also like to prove we can win with a 30-year old racer.”
“Already feeling different,” Bertrand, about to
become a father (wife Cara is due in May) and with
increased business responsibilities, welcomes the “lack
of pressure” his decision involving the championship
brings. Bertrand Motorsports, however, appears no less
busy.
Younger brother Todd, a winner in the NEMA
Lites, starts his tenure in the family #39, powered by
Honda, at the opener. The team has also had a hand in
the Drinan/Esslinger (“a replica of the #47) that
Bertrand believes makes John Zych Jr. “a definite
contender.”
Blast Off will also mark the debut of
Jeremy Frankowski in the Cantor #7ny. He replaces Adam
Cantor, now the crew chief. Others expected at Waterford
are Chris Leonard and Chris deRitis, both winners there
last season. deRitis will be in the Cicconi #75. Among
the other contenders are veterans Greg Stoehr, Keith
Botelho, Jim Miller, Lee Bundy, Paul Scally and Mike
Horn. |
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Frankoski Tapped for
2011
NEMA Midget Series |
Huntersville, NC (March 1,
2011) – Jeremy Frankoski and Adam Cantor Racing announce
they will join forces to compete in the 2011 NEMA midget
series. Frankoski will take the wheel of the IGA
Reichert Group midget while Adam Cantor, former driver
and long time NEMA stand out, will step into his new
role as crew chief.
“We are very excited to have
a driver of Jeremy’s caliber behind the wheel for us,”
said team owner Allan Cantor. “He has shown that he is
more than capable of getting the job done, and that is
what we are looking forward to in 2011; getting the job
done!”
Frankoski has plenty of experience in open
wheel venues with both NEMA and USAC. In 2009, he won
the USAC Ford Focus Carolina Championship with 5 wins,
10 top five finishes and 6 pole qualifications. He was
subsequently honored by USAC with a Rookie of the Year
title.
In NEMA, where Frankoski began racing
midgets in 2007, he was also honored as the Rookie of
the Year when he placed 6th in points and scored his
first win at Beech Ridge. In two consecutive years with
NEMA, Frankoski totaled 1 win, 8 top five and 17 top ten
finishes. He also captured 5 heat wins.
During
those two years in NEMA, Jeremy Frankoski and Adam
Cantor raced against each other; now they will work
together. “I am very happy with the opportunity to
pursue a new role with the team as crew chief,”
explained Adam Cantor. “I believe that with my
experience as a driver and Jeremy’s ability to wheel a
race car, we will be a formidable combination.”
Frankoski responded, “It’s an honor to be asked to drive
for such a high quality team with a solid, long time
sponsor like IGA Reichert Group.” IGA (Independent
Grocers Alliance) and The Reichert Group have been on
board with Adam Cantor Racing since 2002. “It’s great to
be associated with a sponsor who is such an incredible
supporter and fan of racing. Based on my past
relationship with the Cantors, I feel we will mesh
quickly and be very competitive all season!”
The
trio will head to NEMA’s season opening race weekend at
the Speedbowl in Waterford, CT on April 2nd & 3rd.
For more information, please visit
www.JeremyFrankoski.com |
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Jeremy Frankoski Named as
a Racing 2 Cure Ambassador
NASCAR and
Midget Driver Excited about Purpose Driven Season |
Mooresville, NC -- Monday,
March 21, 2011
Racing 2 Cure (R2C) a 501c3 non-profit
announced today that it has named NASCAR and Midget
up-and-coming race car driver, Jeremy Frankoski to its
elite Ambassador program. Racing 2 Cure’s founders
reached out to Frankoski after meeting him at a recent
event and being impressed with his determination and
overall good character. As an Ambassador, Frankoski will
help promote and carry the mission of R2C throughout his
racing season in the north east. In addition, he’ll
provide feedback and support to R2C’s unique new social
network style fund-raising website, which is being
launched later this year. Frankoski was recently called
on by Adam Cantor Racing in the NEMA Midget Series to
pilot the IGA Reichert Group midget car that will also
carry the Racing 2 Cure logo.
“We are very
pleased to have Jeremy [Frankoski] come aboard Racing 2
Cure as an Ambassador,” said Todd Stewart, Co-Founder
and President of the non-profit organization, which
supports families in need while undergoing the hardships
of Cancer treatments. “When we developed this program we
set a criteria that Ambassadors would need to have
traits of determination, positive attitudes,
professionalism and passion. As we started talking to
Jeremy he had all those characteristics and more. He
really is an outstanding young man, determined and
talented. We couldn’t be more pleased to have him
supporting Racing 2 Cure.”
In addition to a
winning attitude, Frankoski has also shown he can win on
the race track. In 2009, he won the USAC Ford Focus
Carolina Championship with 5 wins, 10 top five finishes
and 6 pole qualifications. He was subsequently honored
by USAC with a Rookie of the Year title. In NEMA, where
Frankoski began racing midgets in 2007, he was also
honored as the Rookie of the Year when he placed 6th in
points and scored his first win at Beech Ridge. In two
consecutive years with NEMA, Frankoski totaled 1 win, 8
top five and 17 top ten finishes.
“I know how
hard it can be to have a parent going through cancer as
I’ve been there with my own family,” said Frankoski. “I
was 11-years old (1998) when my mom was diagnosed with
breast cancer. She battled it for two years. Despite all
the sickness and hardship she was always at my sporting
events, racing, hockey, baseball and also at her three
other kids events. She would still take us to school and
pick us up everyday even though she wasn't feeling well.
She almost always packed a cooler of food and drinks to
the races and prepared meals for the family. She kept
things as normal as possible even though she was
literally battling for her life.”
“Racing 2 Cure
is really doing some great things for people going
through Cancer to ease some of the everyday life
stresses,” said Frankoski. “When I heard their story and
how Hunter started this whole thing at just 7-years-old,
I could relate to his situation and I wanted to help. I
was surprised and honored when I was asked to be part of
their Ambassador program. It’s going to give me a little
extra motivation to get into the winners circle this
year.”
Racing 2 Cure is currently in the final
stages of launching their new website
www.Racing2Cure.org
which will be the home of "Race-A- Thon". This online
fund raising program will provide racers from all forms
of motorsports at any age with a fully automated,
turn-key, cause-marketing campaign. The funds raised
will help parents undergoing treatment with everyday
life needs and provide children undergoing treatment
special activities. In the social network style website
racers will have the opportunity to promote themselves
and their sponsors while conducting their fund raising
program. |
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February 25th &
26th, 2011
Royal Plaza Hotel - Route 20 - Marlboro, MA
www.TheRacersExpo.com
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-and-Carl-Kibbe-in-1976.jpg)
Young Joey Coy
flanked by Don (top) and Carl Kibbe in 1976. |
Kibbe Back in Swing
With #25 NEMA Car |
Brockton, MA – Opening days
are special for Carl Kibbe. The greatest day in his
racing career, in fact, remains the 1985 Northeastern
Midget Association opener at Star Speedway. It was the
first win for the four-time NEMA owner champion. “I’ll
never, never forget it,” says Kibbe who returned to NEMA
last season as the trackside crew chief of the Keith
Botelho-driven No. 25.
Waterford Speedbowl’s
April 1-2 will mark the beginning of NEMA’s 59th season.
Kibbe, part of the NEMA scene since the mid 1970s, would
like to get another lasting memory. The Russ
Stoehr-owned, Gaerte-powered No. 25, a winner last fall
at Seekonk, will be ready to go reports Kibbe. It is the
first of 14 scheduled NEMA races with more expected.
“It took nine years before that first win,” recalls
Kibbe who, along with brother Don, decided “to go Midget
racing” right in the middle of building a Modified in
1976. “We had actually won a championship (1980) before
we got that first win.” It almost didn’t happen.
Dave Humphrey was the driver. “On the green he went
right to the back,” Kibbe begins. “After three laps
there’s a yellow and it just saved us from going a lap
down. I’m yelling for Dave to come in but he didn’t.
They started again and again he goes right to the back
before a spin out and this time he comes in. I had
forgot to take the covers off the injectors. He gets
back out and, boom, boom, boom, he starts picking them
off. He got outside Drew Fornoro who was leading in
Angelillo’s car and they banged wheels. Humphrey went to
the outside of the track in all the dirt but got back in
shape, caught Drew again and passed him. I’ll never
forget it.”
It was the first of 18 wins – seven
with Humphrey in 1985 and ’86 and 11 between 1989 and
1996 with Joey Coy.
Last year’s DAV with Botelho
provided happy vibes as well. Stoehr, chasing down the
title in the Dumo’s Desire car, had asked Kibbe and son
Curt about taking the job a few weeks before. It was the
third race.
Carl and Don actually followed their
dad into the sport and raced stocks for several seasons
before they decided to take a different route. “I always
liked Sprints and Midgets,” he explains. “It was too far
to go to race Sprints, so it was Midgets.” They
purchased the old Leader Card Kurtis from the Campanale
family, installed a Chevy II and went racing with a
young Joey Coy.
He recalls “a ton of second and
thirds” with Johnny Evans driving earning the first
championship. The rest came in 1989, ’91 and ’93 with
Coy. Before the DAV, his last visit to Victory Lane as
an owner and or crew chief was Aug. 10, 1996 at
Riverside Park Speedway. He won the previous race at
Riverside Groveton as well. Still, he was tired and
faced new job demands. He decided to quit. The last
couple seasons he has worked with the Angelillo crew.
He jumped at Stoehr’s invitation. Much of the
preparation is done in the Stoehr garage, Botelho
lending a hand as well. ”Of course you want to be as
close as possible with things out of the garage,” Kibbe
says. “Usually having to do a lot of adjustments at the
track is not good because getting too far behind can be
an insurmountable thing.” Experience is a major
advantage and Kibbe brings that. |
Ricky Hart in the
Kibbe #13 battling Lee Smith in the early 1980's. |
L to R: Russ Steohr,
Keith Bothelho, Curt Kibbe, and Carl Kibbe
at their
2010 Seekonk DAV Memorial win with the #25. |
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KerriAnne Luggelle
passed away
Saturday evening, February 26th
Visiting hours Thursday and Friday from 4 - 8 PM at
the
Hurley Funeral Home, 127 So. Franklin St. (Rte. 37),
Holbrook, MA.
Funeral from the Hurley Funeral Home on
Saturday at 9:15 AM followed by a funeral Mass in St. Josephs
Church at 10 AM.
Relatives and friends are respectfully
invited to attend.
Interment Hull Cemetery.
In lieu
of flowers, donations in KerriAnne's memory may be made the
KerriAnne Luggelle Fund c/o Randolph Savings Bank
50 So.
Franklin St., Holbrook, MA 02343.
Obituary in the Patriot Ledger
Here
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Bobby
Santos Finishes 17th for
Jimmy Means Racing at Daytona |
“JR Motorsports Helps 2010 Whelen
Modified Tour Champ Earn Best
Nationwide
Finish”
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Tommy Baldwin Racing /
Heinke-Baldwin Racing Press Release on Catchfence |
DAYTONA
BEACH, FLA. (February 20, 2011) –
A scary incident at the start of
the weekend at Daytona International Speedway led to a
dream weekend for Heinke-Baldwin Racing (HBR)
development driver Bobby Santos. The 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified
Tour (NWMT) Champion raced a JR Motorsports back-up car
in the DRIVE4COPD 300 for Jimmy Means Racing (JMR).
Santos qualified the No. 52
TaxSlayer.com
/ My Three Sons Vending Chevrolet in the 23rd-spot and
finished the 300-mile event 17th, his career-best NASCAR
Nationwide Series (NNS) finish in five starts.
FULL STORY HERE |
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and MOTORSPORTS EXPO
January 28-30 - at the
Connecticut Expo
Center,
Hartford, CT |
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The #1 NEMA LITE with
driver Bethany Viets will be on display in the SPEEDWAY
ILLUSTRATED magazine booth in the Motorsports Expo
portion of the Frank Maratta Show of Dreams.
Bethany will be participating in the Autograph Session
on Saturday at from 6 to 7 PM and in an all female pit
crew in the
Town Fair Tire Pit Stop Challenge with
starts at 7 PM.
Also look for the Ray Miller
owned Quad 4 Dirt Midget driven by Bethany's dad, Scott
Viets, which will be in the NUTMEG KARTING booth. |
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GUY JARRET
Crewman on the #4
Passed Away on January 9th
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| Cost Concerns Key in
NEMA’s Future |
By Pete Zanardi - 1/1/11 -
Brockton, MA – The Northeastern Midget Association,
making ready for its 59th season, is looking ahead. “The
concern among Midget groups is global,” says 2008 and
2009 championship car owner Tim Bertrand. “Everybody is
worried about costs.”
Other than safety (NEMA
has updated rules mandating a detailed safety
inspection), economics was of major concern at NEMA’s
annual meeting in early December. Maintaining car counts
and moving teams up from the very successful NEMA Lites
program, about to start its fourth campaign, are key
priorities.
President Mike Scrivani Jr. reports
the 2011 NEMA schedule is taking shape and will be
announced soon.
NEMA, Bertrand continues “is
headed in the right direction” with a rule that reduces
RPM limits for all engines by three percent under
manufacture recommendations. Proposed by Bertrand and
Mike Scrivani, the ruling met approval by both the NEMA
contest board and at the general meeting. USAC and the
Badger Racing Series have similar rules for 2011.
“The less parts go up and down the longer they’re
going to last,” says Bertrand in classic understated
testimony to the economics involved. The benefits in
terms of equity are equally obvious, Bertrand pointing
out at least “a couple” teams have expressed interest in
returning with older and less expensive engines that
figure to be more competitive now.
“Last season
was the best in a while in terms of engine parity,”
Bertrand says, pointing out in addition to Esslinger,
Honda, M0PAR and Autocraft, a 20-year old Guerte visited
victory lane. After a plan at the end of the season that
recorded “where teams were turning their engines,” a
three percent reduction “across the board” was agreed
on. “We had to make sure we put in place a rule that
will not hurt or favor one engine,” Bertrand added.
The general membership also approved the sealed
Esslinger “spec motor.” Bertrand’s second car with Cole
Carter aboard finished second at the season-ending World
Series using an Esslinger spec motor that is now in
Kevin Swindell’s car at the Chili Bowl. “We wanted to
show what it was capable of ,” Bertrand says of the
motor that produces about 30 horse power less but costs
half as much as the standard power plants and,
reportedly, last three times as long. There have been
several inquiries from NEMA involving the spec motor and
at least two acquisitions so far.
Looking down
the road, NEMA decided to rid itself of titanium
connecting rods by 2013. “In two years they’ll need to
be replaced anyway,” explains Bertrand who points out
the difference in titanium and steel is “staggering.”
The price of one titanium connecting rod is $1,000. A
set of steel rods is $1,000. |
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