Cabral dominates NEMA opener, Locke takes the checkered in the NEMA Lites.

Waterford, CT (June 10, 2023)

     For racers, numbers are just as significant as words, for many, lives are built around these numbers, for the memories, stories, laughs, cries, and encouragement.

For Deb Marvuglio, Shane Hammond’s mother, the number 37 commemorates just this, “To me, it’s not just a Midget that was transformed over the years from black and white to yellow and blue. The 37 was a dream that became a reality for my son, Shane. A young man who had an infectious smile and bright blue eyes. Shane learned about risk and reward and much more by 15. An amazing karter whether it was dirt or asphalt, he had a handle on it.”

To this, there is no better place to celebrate Shane’s Memorial Race than where it all first began. Their NEMA journey started at Waterford where Glen and Randy Cabral gave Shane his first ride in a midget. Deb commented, “I remember it like it was yesterday. He crawled out of that car BEAMING!!”

     This past Saturday, both the NEMA Midgets and Lites celebrated the 15th Annual Shane Hammond Memorial Race at the New London Waterford Speedbowl.

     NEMA Announcer Pete Falconi announced the stars and cars of the NEMA Lite division, as the drivers lined up and saluted their fans for the famous four-wide parade lap.

     The drivers realigned to their starting positions as Tiana Kibbe in the Kibbe Racing #94 led the field to green flag racing for 25 fast laps. Kibbe would lead the first two laps as Mike Pernesiglio in the Ventotto Properties #28, Chase Locke in the Matt Seymour Racing #1, Alby Ovitt in the Parker Brother’s Racing #20 were all in a tight pack for positions two through four. Then on lap three going into turn one, Pernesiglio chose the low line to take the lead.

     On lap 5, Locke would take the lead over Pernesiglio going into turn three. Over the stretch of the next four laps, Locke began to stretch his lead to half a straight away and on lap 9, Ovitt took over the second position followed by Pernesiglio, Randy Cabral in the #47, and Dylan Coutu in the Redline Motorsports #53.

Going into turn one on lap 10, Coutu took the low line to take the 4th position over Cabral and then began to close the gap between him and Pernesiglio.

On lap 13, Coutu and Pernesiglio began to race side by side one another for third until Coutu pulled away on lap 15.

As the front of the field began to spread out, Todd Bertrand in the Todd Bertrand Racing #48, who started in the 11th place starting position, began to close the gap between him and 5th place Cabral. On lap 16, Bertrand took over the 5th position and was on the move to track down the 4th position of Pernesiglio. A few laps later, Bertrand closed the gap and was on the back bumper of Pernesiglio. On lap 21, Bertrand took over the 4th position going into turn one.

     Coming to the final continuous green flag laps, all cars and drivers that took the green flag went on to finish the race, Locke had just over a one second lead over Ovitt in second followed by Coutu in third.

     Locke commented on his first NEMA Lite win of the 2023 season, “I got loose and almost spun out early on in the race and then once I got in the lead, I just kept running the top hard and just ran it as best I could from there.”

     Matt Seymour, car owner of the #1, commented on Locke’s win, “He has been working hard in the garage all week and this is just the beginning of him winning some races.”

     To round out the top 10 in the NEMA Lites were strong finishes by Locke #1, Ovitt #20, Coutu #53, Bertrand #48, Pernesiglio #28, Ben Mikitarian #9, Kyle Valeri #17, Jake Trainor #29, Dan Cuigini #16, Randy Cabral #47.

     In the NEMA Midget feature, we saw two MRS Modified drivers; Dylan Rock in the #49, NEMA’s 2022 Rookie of the Year, Derek Robbie in the #A1 and ATQMRA driver, Ryan Tidman in the #83 take the green flag. Rock led the field of drivers to the green flag where Paul Scally in the #30 would take the lead going into turn one. While on lap 2, Randy Cabral in the Bertrand Motorsports #74, starting from his 6th place starting position, took the lead and began to pull away from Scally and Rock.

     As the field began to spread out, on lap 4, John Zych Jr. in the #9 would settle into the 4th place position over Matt O’Brien in Jim O’Brien & Son’s Engineering #16. While on lap 6, Avery Stoehr in the Bertrand Motorsports #39 would take the 5th place position over O’Brien.

     Once Cabral took the lead on lap 2, he set a blistering pace and did not look back. Over the remainder of the 23 green to checkered laps, Cabral went on to win with a 6 second lead over Scally followed by Rock.

     Cabral reminisced with a few memories on his first NEMA win of the 2023 season, “I came across a photo of me sleeping in my old 35 car before going out in the feature that my crew chief at the time, Jeremy Decourcy took and of course I fell asleep again tonight before the feature. Tonight they waved his flags as I crossed the finish line. Also, I was leaving my driveway today and I saw a cardinal fly across my driveway, which I never see, and immediately thought this must be Shane.”

     To round out the top 10 in the NEMA were strong finishes by Cabral #74, Scally #30, Rock #49, Zych Jr. #9, Stoehr #39, O’Brien #16, Doug Cleveland #87, Robbie #A1, Mike Pernesiglio #50, Tidman #83.

     The NEMA Lites are back in action this coming Saturday and Sunday, at Star Speedway on June 17th and Hudson Speedway on June 18th for the 9th Annual Jim O’Brien Memorial.