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Ryan Newman To Drive Midget At Lee USA
September 5, Lee, NH--- Ryan Newman, the 2008 Daytona 500
winner, has signed on to drive the Bertrand Motorsports #39 Drinan in
Northeastern Midget Association action at Lee USA Speedway, Friday night, Sept.
12.
The popular Newman adds luster to what will be the 900th feature in NEMA's
57-year history. He'll be part of a three-car Bertrand effort that also includes
current point leader Randy Cabral and 2007 rookie of the year Jeremy Frankoski.
Newman will join a stellar field looking to grab the milestone win. Cabral (5),
Greg Stoehr (2), Joey Payne and Jeff Abold all hope to win again. A number of
competitors including Frankoski, Mike Keeler and Erica Santos have been very
close. Bobby Santos III (3 wins) will not be at Lee, due to a previous
commitment to run at O'Reilly Raceway Park, however Lou Cicconi Jr. will pilot
the #98 Santos machine.
The No. 39 is of significance to the one-time USAC standout who is presently
driving the Sprint Cup Alltel Dodge for Penske Racing. It was the number on his
last Midget (also a Drinan) and will be the number of his 2009 Cup ride with
Stewart-Hass Racing.
A Purdue University grad, Newman is no stranger to open cockpit racing in
general and midgets in particular. Prior to moving to NASCAR, Newman had a
successful six-year run with USAC capped off by the Coors Light Silver Bullet
national championship in 1999.
USAC's 1995 Midget Rookie of the Year, he had 13 Midgets win before moving to
the stock cars in 2001. He was second in the 1999 Midget standings. The popular
Hoosier also has two Silver Crown and two USAC Sprint Car wins.
The Newman-Bertrand arrangement adds to NEMA's long history that began on
Memorial Day, 1953 at Seekonk Speedway.
The NEMA Lites will also be returning to Lee.
Since joining Penske, Newman has 13 Sprint Cup, seven Busch (now Nationwide) and
four ARCA wins.
NEMA’s Humphrey Earns Midget Hall of Fame Spot
Dave Humphrey with John McCarthy and Don Mandorosian
(NEMA Photo)
(Above photo is 'thumb-nailed'. Click image to enlarge)
September 3, Sun Prairie, WI--- Six time Northeastern Midget
Association champion Dave Humphrey has been elected to the National Midget Hall
of Fame. He will be inducted with Phil Walters (aka Ted Tappett), Jeff Gordon
and Kevin Doty.
The introduction will be Jan. 10 as part of the pre-race ceremonies at the Chili
Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, OK. The Midget Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park
Speedway in Sun Prairie, WI.
Humphrey, a member of the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, ranks second in
all-time NEMA victories with 72. Driving for, among others, Bob Pascale, Mike
Scrivani and John McCarthy, he was a NEMA standout for over two decades. Prior
to NEMA, he was successful in stock cars and sprint cars.
Fittingly, Humphrey’s first (July 5, 1965) and last (Oct. 12, 1986) NEMA wins
came at Seekonk Speedway.
Long Islander Walters took the name “Ted Tappett” when he began Midget racing
before World War II. After the war, he was an ARDC standout before spending a
brief but very successful time in stock cars. As Phil Walters, he moved up to
sports cars with Briggs Cunningham running all over the world.
Humphrey joins a group with impressive NEMA credentials including Ken Breen Sr.,
Johnny Coy and Dutch Schaefer. He and Tappett bolster the northeastern
representation that includes Johnny Thomson and Joe Sostillo. Both raced with
the Bay State Cub in the 40s and early 50s before going on to national fame.
Stoehr Edges Frankoski at Monadnock
August 31, Winchester, NH--- Starting third,
Greg Stoehr took the lead with one lap in the books and then held on to capture
the 25-lap Northeastern Midget Association feature Saturday night at Monadnock
Speedway. It was the second win of the year for Stoehr in the family 26b.
Stoehr, spending most of the late stages in traffic, had a two-car
length lead on Jeremy Frankoski (Bertrand 47b) at the checkered with Ryan Preece
(Santos 98s) a close third. Twenty-four laps of green-flag racing resulted in
battles, often three-wide, for position almost all the way back.
The only caution showed with one full lap complete when Stoehr and Nokie Fornoro
(Jarret 4) made contact in turns three and four. Fornoro and Lou Cicconi,
subbing for Joey Payne Jr. in the Angelillo #45, both spun and were sent to the
rear.
Stoehr lined up outside pole sitter William Wall on the restart. On the green
Stoehr, who had the fastest lap of the night in his qualifying heat (11.77
seconds), beat Wall into the corner and opened a sizable lead.
Meanwhile, Frankoski, who favored the outside, and Preece, using the inside,
began their moves from mid-pack. Frankoski claimed runner-up honors over the
determined Preece on the final lap.
William Wall and Adam Cantor completed the top five while Cicconi had an
impressive run coming from last to sixth.
Point leader Randy Cabral (Bertrand 47) fought a slow leak in the right rear
tire after hitting the wall early and finished eighth. With neither Payne nor
Santos racing, he gained further distance in the drivers point standings.
Preece's finish, however, did allow Bob Santos Jr. to gain slightly on Tim
Bertrand in the owners rankings.
NEMA's busy schedule continues with a Friday night Aug. 12 date at Lee USA
Speedway. The NEMA Lites will be at Lee as well.
NOTES: Stoehr was the third winner at Monadnock this year. Payne and Santos won
previously...NEMA has now run 12 features with six more left ... It was the
second time this year Cabral had a two-race win streak stopped at Monandock ...
Payne and Santos III were both at the Oswego Classic.
RESULTS: 1. Greg Stoehr, 2. Jeremy Frankoski, 3. Ryan Preece, 4. William Wall,
5. Adam Cantor, 6. Lou Cicconi, 7. Jeff Horn, 8. Randy Cabral 9. Erica Santos,
10. Mike Keeler, 11. Aaron Wall, 12. Nokie Fornoro, 13. Barry Kittredge, 14.
Doug Cleveland, 15. John Zych Jr., 16. Brian Cleveland, 17. Andy Shlatz, 18. Lee
Bundy, 19. Paul Luggelle, 20. Abby Martino, 21. Matt O'Brien
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