(Press Release from Northeastern Midget Association)
Second place finisher Paul Scally (left), winner John Zych (center) and third place Alby Ovitt (right) following Saturday’s NEMA Midget season finale at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl (Photo: NEMA/John DaDalt)
John Zych drove from the tenth starting position using the outside lane to take down his second win in a row, as the three time champion bested a strong field this past Saturday at the Speedbowl in Waterford, CT.
In the Lites race, 2018 champion Danny Cugini utilized a late race restart to take down the win in the Lites portion of the race. Very strong car counts, with thirty four midgets capped a successful 2018 season for the Northeastern Midget Association.
In the NEMA feature, Mike Horn jumped out into the lead from his front row starting position. Horn looked very strong in the early stages of the race, as behind him newcomer Alby Ovitt in the Stoehr 15a and Paul Scally in the 30 were hounding him. Ovitt would look to the outside of Horn on lap twelve, and Scally would peek under Ovitt on lap thirteen. Behind them, John Zych had battled his way up to the fourth position, advancing past Todd Bertrand on lap fourteen – and Zych then set his sights on the leaders. Ovitt would move past Horn for hte lead on lap fourteen, and would lead until lap seventeen when Zych moved past Scally for third on lap fifteen, and by Ovitt for the lead on lap eighteen.
Zych would really pour it on in the final seven laps, dropping his lap times from 13.7 to 13.1, the fastest laps of the feature, to take down his second win in a row for the JZ Racing team, with his Dad, John. Scally would finish the season strong with a runner up finish, followed by Ovitt, Todd Bertrand, Avery Stoehr, Randy Cabral, Jim Chambers, Mike Horn, Chris Deritis and Keith Rocco.
In the Lites feature, youngster Jake Trainor jumped out into the lead. Behind him, Jim Cataldo was having a great run, staying within striking distance. The Trainor/Cataldo duo were chased by Avery Stoehr in the Scrivani 21 for a good portion of the first half of the event. Trainor running a higher line, kept his composure, and looked like the car to beat. Behind this trio, Danny Cugini and Kevin Iannarelli were slicing their way through the field.
A caution on lap seventeen would change the game for Trainor. When the green flag dropped, Cugini would bolt from his fourth spot around the outside of Stoehr, and Cataldo, and a lap later would blast around the outside of Trainor. Cugini would go on to dominate the remainder of the feature event to cap off a 2018 championship season for his team. Stoehr would finish second followed by Trainor, Iannarelli, Cataldo, Richie Coy, Kyle Valeri, Ryan Locke, Ben Mikitarian, and Randy Cabral.
NEMA’s season concludes with its annual awards banquet at Whites of Westport on November 10th.
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