This Day in NEMA History...
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May 29th
1987...Jeff Horn, a steady competitor in supermodifieds, and car owner Bay Hayes celebrated their first NEMA victory at Lee Speedway. Mike (Seymour #29), and Bobby Seymour (Seymour #4) were second and third followed by Russ Stoehr (Beane #26) and Drew Fornoro (Angelillo #45). Hayes, who had 16 wins (all with Horn), is the third of four owners to win with the number #47, following George Tilton and John McCarthy and preceding Tim Bertrand. |
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Left: A victorious Jeff Horn stands with car owner, Bay Hayes, and his son Mike Horn in 1987. This was the first of 20 NEMA wins for Jeff, the latest one being at Lee in 2009 (at 64 years young!).
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May 30th
1953...Starting 17th, Fred Meeker (Kernan #17) won NEMA’s inaugural feature, a 20 lapper at Seekonk. In a car wrenched by Ken Hickey, Meeker beat Al Pillion (Kelley #33) with Cliff Riggott (Refsnider #46), Bert Brooks (Smith #99) and Sid Cook (Worthy #9) following. King Carpenter (Hennessey #2) won the first 10-lap heat followed by Bill Eldridge, Chelmsford, MA (Parmenter #55) and Bob Hart (Hart #5). Meeker won the second qualifier with Brooks second and Pillion third. The third heat went to Cliff Riggott ahead of Cook and Fred Orlando. Oscar Saunders (Saunders #81) won the consi with Paul Venth (Venth #2) second and Tom Gifford (Gifford #15) third. Setting in motion a long and lasting relationship, Jerry Russo drove a Scrivani car in the first NEMA race. Following the NEMA win, Meeker, started on the pole and won the accompanying ARDC feature. |
Fred Meeker, NEMA's first winner, stands along side car owner Kernan following NEMA's very first feature at Seekonk.
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May 31st
1953...NEMA’s first visit to New London-Waterford Speedbowl came in 1953, Bill Eldridge and owner Gibby Parmenter each getting their first win 24 hours after the club’s first race at Seekonk. Sid Cook (Worthy #9) was second Elmer Gunnerson third. Waterford and Seekonk are the only “charter tracks” remaining. NEMA’s 1953 visit to Stafford was on the fifth mile pavement that existed inside the half-mile dirt oval. It is long gone. 1969...Len Thrall, in Don Slaney’s Falcon-powered #6, won NEMA’s final visit to Norwood Arena, one of NEMA’s charter member tracks that now live in blessed memory. Dave Humphrey (Pascale 1), Ronnie Evans (Paul Young #7-11) and Walt Gale (Smokey Secondo #32) filled out the top four in the club’s 29th visit to the quarter mile. Burt Brooks (Smith #99) was the first winner at Norwood (July 3, 1953) and Bill Eldridge was the all-time winner with four. |
The smooth driving Bill Eldridge in victory lane with car owner, Gibby Parmenter, and crew. Bill and Gibby would go on to be NEMA's first champions.
Len Thrall in the Don Slaney Falcon-powered Roadster.
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June 1st
1973...Taking over on the last lap when Billy Hughes lost a fuel pump, George Monsen (Miller #3) picked the checkered at Waterford. Hughes (Fahey #18) held on for second with Len Thrall (Secondo #31) third. |
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June 2nd
2013 – The first NEMA win for modified ace Doug Coby came in Tim Bertrand’s #74 at Seekonk. Coby, who started sixth, passed Bertrand teammate Randy Cabral with four laps remaining. John Zych (Zych 9) was third. With five wins and counting, Coby is clearly the most successful “stock car driver” in NEMA history. |
Doug Colby in Victory lane at Seekonk Speedway.
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June 4th
1988 – Bobby Seymour grabbed the checkered in front of brother Mike in a 25-lapper at Waterford. The feature, which ran caution free until the final lap, was the first time the brothers finished one-two. In total, they did it nine times. |
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Left: Reigning 1987 Champion, Bobby Seymour (#1) battles on the outside of Howard Bumpus (#66) in front of Frank Yantorno (#5) and Jeff Horn (#47) at Star in 1988.
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