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Lites Return to
Seekonk for Opener
Sign in at 5:30 PM - Practice at 6:00 PM |
Brockton, MA – It’s the
same time, the same place but two weeks later. Rained out June
5th, the Northeastern Midget Association “Lites” division will
now kick off the 2009 campaign Friday night
June 19th at Seekonk Speedway.
Starting its second season, the “Lites” will be part of
Seekonk’s “Fast Friday" cast.
“There has been considerable interest in the Lites over the
winter and we expect a pretty good car count,” says NEMA
President Mike Scrivani Jr. “We got a number of competitors
returning and we’ve got some new teams joining. It’s a good
combination.“
The “Lites” are designed to provide a more economical entry into
NEMA. Ford Focus, Quad 4 or Honda motors power the cars.
Jake and P.J. Stergios, Kevin Park, Todd Bertrand, Anthony
Marvuglio, Stephanie Doty and Russ Wood Jr. are among the
returnees. Eddie LeClaire, a Whip City product, is part of the
newcomer class.
Seekonk is the first race on a schedule that has already grown
with the addition of Monadnock on Aug. 1.
Scrivani points to several factors responsible for the success
of the division not the least of which is the participation of
experienced hands including the Bertrand, Cabral and Seymour
families. Shawn Torrey is another who has added his expertise to
the division.
The Lites made three stops at Seekonk last season, Jesse State
(2), and Shawn Gosselin getting away with victories. |
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June 5th - Seekonk Speedway
NEMA LITES
CANCELED DUE TO RAIN |
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NEMA "Lites" Set
For Second Season |
Brockton, MA - The second
season for the Northeastern Midget
Association's "Lites" division will begin Friday night, June 5.
The
Lites will be on the agenda of Seekonk's first "Fast Friday"
race.
"A great place to open," says NEMA President Mike Scrivani Jr.
who
continues Lites' praises. "Seekonk is one of the top Midget
tracks in
the country and people go there with a lot of set-up knowledge."
The
division, continues Scrivani, "was designed to provide a
less-expensive
way for competitors to stay or get into open cockpit racing," he
says.
"It has been very successful to date."
The Lites are less powerful and "a little heavier" than the full
blown
NEMA midgets. The Honda joins the Ford Focus and Oldsmobile Quad
4 on the allowed engine list.
Seekonk is the first of 15 dates on the schedule that, according
to
Scrivani, is likely to grow.
Jake Stergios, a winner in last year's finale at Twin State,
will be
looking to start the way he finished. Others expected to return
are
brother P.J. Stergios, Stephanie Doty, Russ Wood Jr, Kevin Park,
Shawn
Torrey, Anthony Marvuglio, Todd Bertrand in a Bertrand
Motorsports car,
and Paul Luggelle. Eddie LeClaire leads the rookie class.
Doty, a one-time Whip City Speedway competitor, is a classic "Lites"
competitor. After a season of "getting used to the asphalt,"
she's
"excited" about returning in the Camosse Masonry Supply #09 car.
"Last
year was such a big change," says Doty, who began in Go Karts at
age 7.
Still, she learned to "be comfortable" at the speedy Seekonk. It
is, she
insists, "a fun track."
Her best finish was a second at Waterford Speedbowl's Finale, a
race
won by Todd Bertrand, youngest brother of 2008 NEMA championship
car
owner, Tim Bertrand.
"The goal is for some of the teams and drivers to become full
time NEMA
drivers," continues Scrivani. "That's going to happen down the
road.
Right now, in these difficult economic times, we are very
pleased with
what's happening." |
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Hard Charger
Awards Posted |
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June 5th -
First Turn Midget Driving Experience |
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June 19th
- Coach and Carriage Autobody |
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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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