This Day in NEMA History...
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May 1st
2004...Ben Seitz (Valeri #17) scored his first NEMA victory of the season and started a four-year championship run at the Waterford Nationals. After two late restart challenges, Tim Heath (Heath 81) settled for second with Ed Breault (Breault #44), Randy Cabral (Cabral #36) and Pete Pernesiglio (Pernesiglio #50) following. |
Tim Heath #81 battles Ben Seitz #17 for the lead behind Shane Hammond #37 this day in 2004.
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May 2nd
1987...Nokie Fornoro gave the Seymour family a victory in the season opener at Star. Jeff Horn (Hayes #47). Drew Fornoro (Angelillo #45), Lee Smith (Boisssoneau #72), Dave Humphrey (Kibbe #14) completed the top five. The Seymours are one of a dozen different owners Nokie won with in NEMA, adding to his incredible midget racing resume that includes 110 feature victories across the country. |
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Left: Midget great, Nick Fornoro, Jr poses with his 1981 Championship car owner, Mike Scrivani, at the New England Antique Racers Hall of Fame ceremonies this past fall. (NEAR1.org photo)
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May 3rd
1980...Butch Walsh in the pinto-powered Bien #35 Badger, won the 25-lapper at Waterford. Johnny Evans (Kibbe 14), Billy Mann (Rogers #61), Paul Stoehr (Lane #4) and Johnny Mann (Czyzewski #2) completed the top five. |
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Left: NEMA Champion, Hall of Famer, and president, Butch Walsh, poses with the Dick Bien badger in victory lane.
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May 4th
1985...With Dave Humphrey driving, owner Carl Kibbe grabbed his first-ever NEMA feature in the season opener at Star. At the start, the car went right to the rear before a quick yellow. When yellow showed again, Humphrey decided to pit and Kibbe discovered he had forgotten to take the covers off the injectors. Eventual champion Drew Fornoro (Angelillo #45) was second followed by Mike Seymour (Seymour #7), Mike Favulli (Favulli #80) and Brian F.S. Wickens (Percival #29). |
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Left: Dave Humphrey #14 about to take the lead from Drew Fornoro #45 this historic night at Star in 1985...these two champs account for a combined total of 158 feature wins!
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May 5th
1991...Russ Stoehr (Beane #26) was the winner at Lee. Mike Seymour beat brother Bobby for the runner-up spot while Joey Payne (Miller #3) and Drew Fornoro (Angelillo #45) followed. Everybody in the top five had been and would be a NEMA champion and to date the quintet totals 196 feature wins. |
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Left: Russ Stoehr with his crew, including Marvin Rifchin, Dick Naphen, Ray Kelley, owner Bruce Beane, and the rest, stand in victory lane in 1992 at Oxford Plains Speedway.
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May 6th
2001...Paul Lawless (Lawless #6) in his own VW-powered Hawk, took the lead six laps in and needed only six minutes and 26 seconds to capture the 25-lap Budweiser Nationals at Waterford. After a couple near misses, it was the first NEMA win for the former sports car racer and it came with some drama. The motor quit after Lawless crossed the finish line ahead of Russ Stoehr (Angelillo #45), Bobby Seymour (Seymour #9), Jeff Horn (Horn #A1) and Randy Cabral (Cabral #35). |
A dedicated owner/driver since 1988, Paul Lawless, captured his first win in dramatic fashion and capped it off with an emotional victory lane celebration.
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May 7th
2000...The 25-lapper at Seekonk was the 31st win for Russ Stoehr but his first in an Angelillo entry. Stoehr, who replaced Drew Fornoro in the famed 45 went on to win the first of three straight championship for himself and Angelillo. Mike Seymour (Seymour 7) was second and Keith Botelho (Campanale 54) third. |
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Left: Russ Stoehr poses next to the famous Dumos Desire #45 at Waterford Speedbowl. Out of the 8 seasons he wheeled this car, he won the championship 4 times, and never finished out of the top 5 in points.
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