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| Busy Season Ahead For NEMA Lites
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(Brockton, MA)
Following a successful 2009 campaign, the Northeastern Midget
Association’s Lites series is poised for a busy season.
The Lites will be part of the Waterford Speedbowl’s opening
event on the weekend of March 27-28. It’s the earliest season
debut in NEMA history.
“We’re very-excited about our 2010 schedule,” states Lites Race
Director Steve Grant. “It gives our drivers an opportunity to
visit many different tracks including some of the best
open-wheel venues in the Northeast.”
Ten events are scheduled with a possibility of additional shows
to be added in the future.
Started in 2008, the division’s car-counts have increased
steadily, and the prevalent feeling is that the trend will
continue.
“We stared with only a handful of cars in 2008 with those
numbers growing steadily as interest in the series increased,”
says Grant. “It’s an attractive division for competitors looking
to get-into our brand of racing, and also for those looking for
an alternative to the cost of running a “full” Midget. It’s also
a great way to get your feet-wet in open-wheel racing before
progressing-up the ranks, which we expect will be the case with
a lot of teams.”
The Lites series cars rely on a different powerplant as compared
to their “Full Midget” counterparts. According to NEMA’s Bobby
Seymour, under normal-circumstances, the engines can last up-to
40 races without a major rebuild. Other than a few other minor
differences, the Lites cars very-comparable to “Full-Midgets.”
Like Grant, Seymour is pleased, but not-surprised with the
interest in the series.
“It’s a win-win situation for the novice competitor that’s
looking to enter our segment of the sport, and it’s a bit-easier
on the purse-strings,” he says. “It’s also a way to gain
experience in Midget racing, which is a unique form of racing
in-itself. With the schedule that the club has assembled, we’re
looking-forward to a great season and increased car-counts.”
In addition to drivers new to the Lites, fans can look-forward
to many returning favorites. On the “official-side” of things,
Steve Grant will serve as Race Director, while it’ll be Shawn
Torrey filling the role of Technical Inspector. Others include
Bob Blanchette (Pit Steward), and Deb Marvuglio (Scorer). |
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“Lites” Division
Big Part
Of NEMA’s ’08 Success |
Springfield, MA -
Throughout the summer, interest in the Northeastern Midget
Association’s “Lite” division picked up. It was the first season
for the developmental division but definitely not the last
according to club President Mike Scrivani Jr.
Featuring much less expensive machinery, the Lites (powered by
Focus or Quad 4 engines) ran in conjunction with the “full”
midgets on eight occasions. They definitely contributed to
NEMA’s strong year.
The Lites season will be celebrated along with the ’08 NEMA
campaign t the club’s annual banquet Saturday night, Nov. 22 at
White of Westport in Westport, MA.
“We gained a little each time they ran,” said Scrivani. “We
ended the season at Twin State and there were a lot of people
from other divisions talking to me about the cars. I think it
was a real good start. There were a lot of promising things.”
The Lites ran at Waterford, Seekonk, Lee and Beech Ridge in
addition to Twin State. They are all “traditionally sized”
Midget tracks.
The division was designed to capture young racers before they
“go romping off” in some fendered division. Jesse State, Shaun
Torrey, Shaun Gosselin, Matt Bettencourt, Jake Stergios and Todd
Bertrand were winners. Anthony Marvuglio, Russ Wood Jr.,
Stephanie Doty and J.C. Stergios were also impressive.
“I think we have also saw the development of some outstanding
mechanics,” said Scrivani, NEMA president since 2003.
One or two of them could move up to the full midgets next year.
Equally important, Scrivani believes the division will grow by
six-to-eight cars next year. “Promoters just love that,” he
says. “There’s the prospect of 35-to-40 Midgets coming to a
track.”
While 2008 was “just about seat time,” Scrivani plans on
providing “some more incentives” for next year starting with a
sponsor-driven point fund. He also said the club will do a lot
more in “teaching the kids the right way to do things” next
season. |
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NEMA
Establishes New “Lite” Series |
Coming off a sensational 2007 season, the Northeastern Midget
Association has decided to “invest in the future” with the “NEMA Lite
Series.” The series, approved by the NEMA Contest Board, is gaining
momentum.
Called a “feeder class” by NEMA Vice President Tim Bertrand, the series
is designed to introduce new competitors to winged midgets “in very low
cost, less powerful cars.” Competitors can use any chassis that
currently meets NEMA specifications but engines will be limited to Ford
Focus and Oldsmobile Quad4. All the cars will have starters.
Plans are for the “Lites” to run in conjunction with regular short track
NEMA events. Bertrand said, “NEMA is putting in place incentives for
tracks to run the Lite Series cars. We are aware of the time factors and
economics involved. We have to make it attractive for them. We believe
we have done that.”
Bertrand says as many 20 teams have expressed intentions to compete.
“Most are Focus and Quad4 owners who can’t afford Esslinger and Gaerte
motors and are looking for a way to go,” he says. “We are talking about
$8-to $10,000 cars in this series. The equipment is definitely available
out there.”
The plan allows for competitors, when they are ready, to “move up” to
the fulltime NEMA status with more powerful (and more expensive) motors.
Bertrand admits “a lot of sportsman type divisions are popping up all
over the country” claiming potential NEMA competitors. “Other divisions
were the only thing they could afford,” he says. “This is an effective
plan to keep them in winged Midgets.”
A number of “established” Midget regulars including Steve Grant and
former champions Bobby Seymour and Butch Walsh will be consultants for
the new series. |
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