Race Fans, Mark you bucket list calender to include the NEMA Migets

Posted by Wayne G. Barber  Photos from Wayne G. Barber Collection

NEMA President Stoehr      Looking Forward to 2016

Second term NEMA President Russ Stoehr is looking forward to 2016, and for good reason. NEMA came off a very strong finish to the season, with exceptional car counts at the New-London Waterford Speedbowl and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. One of New England's mainstay touring series, the Northeastern Midget Association boasts of a fifteen race docket for 2016. "We've got 52 cars registered between the Lites and NEMA, more than we have had in many years," said President, Stoehr. "I am super excited to have been able to forge 4 strong relationships with tracks that clearly are on the upswing - Thompson will host the midgets at all 4 tour events this year, Waterford will have midget races on 5 dates and we will be back at Star 3 times. Wiscassett also will host the midgets twice the fans there are among the most receptive we have had the pleasure of racing before all season. All the facilities have different challenges for drivers and crews," he went on to say. NEMA started the year with its Lites competitors showcasing their hard work over the winter at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park's ICEBREAKER. Danny Cugini took down an impressive victory over PJ Stergios and last year's champion Anthony Payne. The club will host its annual Test & Tune and Rookie Orientation at the New-London Waterford Speedbowl on Sunday, May 1, and then open its NEMA competition schedule at Bob & Bobby Webber's Star Speedway on May 21st followed by the inaugural Allan Cantor Memorial the following weekend at Riverhead Raceway. It will be NEMA's first race at Riverhead in many years. The schedule then moves on to the New-London Waterford Speedbowl, followed by Wiscasset Speedway and Monadnock Speedway on June 4, June 11, and June 18 - for the Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial. The club then returns to action June 24th at Claremont Speedway, followed by the prestigious Boston Louie Memorial presented by MAV TV on June 29th. July 9th, Star Speedway will play host to the annual Marvin Rifchin Memorial trophy race, and July concludes with NEMA's return to the revised Speedway 51 in Groveton, NH on July 30. August is packed with action, with a return to the New-London Waterford Speedbowl for Wings & Wheels on August 6th, followed by Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on August 10th. NEMA will remember charter family Gene & Marilyn Angelillo on August 20th at Star Speedway for the Angelillo Memorial, and concludes with races at Wiscasset, The Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park World Series of Racing and the New-London Waterford Speedbowl's Shane Hammond Memorial. NEMA has also been busy in the off season with planning, ensuring they will put on the best possible show for promoters. "We are once again putting strong emphasis on speeding up the show. The push offs for NEMA have been greatly improved as well as the 4 abreast to '2 and go' is a big hit with fans and promoters. Also, the prerace meet and greets as well as fan of the week will be back. I feel fortunate to have a great race day staff great people with a strong love for midget racing," he said. As far as his own racing goes, it is unlikely to see the elder Stoehr on the track this season. "As far as my own driving goes with the passing of Carl Kibbe, my intentions are to work with Avery. I've been on the fence for a bit and now the time is right to step away from driving. I've been fortunate to have a bunch of wins, championships and most importantly memories," he concluded. There is no doubt that NEMA is on the upswing, and President Stoehr has a lot to look forward to.