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20102009 July 15th on2009 to July 7th2008
2011 NEMA AWARDS BANQUET
 
Bertrand’s NEMA Success Based on Communication
NEMA PR STORY BY PETE ZANARDI - Brockton, MA - Communication and history, claims car owner Tim Bertrand, makes championships. Bertrand and driver Randy Cabral are the Northeastern Midget Association champions for the third time in the past four years.

With two this season, the combination has won 24 features since coming together in 2006. The Dumo’s Desire team, with drivers Joey Payne and Russ Stoehr, is next with 14.

“People think it is equipment,” says Bertrand, a former driver. “It isn’t.” It is, he insists “welding” the knowledge of setting up the car with Cabral’s wants as a driver. “We are always trying to make the car go faster,” says Bertrand. “We think about set up all the time. Not a week goes by that we don’t talk five times about the car.”

Pointing out the #47 is already apart, Bertrand adds it goes on in winter as well as summer. Boldly, Bertrand suggests the communication ranks with the best in NEMA’s long history.

“You know when I know I have a good idea?” he asks rhetorically. “I will go to Randy or to (Randy’s dad) Glen with an idea and they will say ‘you know, I was thinking the same thing.’” That, he says, goes on a lot at the track.

“We go into every race without expectations and with a sense of nervousness,” Bertrand continues. “I believe it’s true for all competitors regardless of the sport. Without that sense of nervousness, you don’t have your edge.”

The team’s at-track history of heroics is becoming legendary.

Bertrand swears he predicted it all the first time Cabral drove his car in a Thursday practice session at Waterford Speedbowl in 2005. Bertrand, who had stopped driving the year before, was having a tough season. Mark Buonomo and Ted Christopher had both crashed the car. It was after the Christopher crash that Cabral, who was driving for his father, approached Bertrand.

“I didn’t think he was serious at first,” Bertrand remembers. “Still, it kind of stuck in my mind and finally I called him.” They met and after laps in the 12.9 seconds range, Bertrand told Randy and his mother Marie “if we make this deal, we’re going to win a lot of races.”

Cabral actually crashed (after breaking a Heim joint) in his first ride for Cabral – the 2005 DAV. What impressed Bertrand, however, was seeing the whole Cabral family in tears. After consultation with his family, Bertrand decided to move forward.

“We found a 1999 Drinan chassis in a barn out in the Midwest and made a commitment,” Bertrand says. He recalls Glen Cabral actually being a little apprehensive about the Drinan. Arguably the first successive winged Drinan, it remains the top car in the Bertrand stable.

“The shocks came with the car in 2005,” Bertrand points out. “We just replaced the rear this year. And we haven’t crashed the car a lot.” Glen Cabral, one of NEMA’s dedicated low buckers for years, is a factor as well. “Glen,” Bertrand claims, “doesn’t like to spend a dime on anything.”

In terms of winning, 2011 was equal to 2006. Consistency wise – nine podiums, including six seconds, in 13 starts – it was sensational. Bertrand points to, in fact takes pride in, NEMA’s drive for equity. There were eight different winners – three first timers.

The decision to run the Esslinger “spec engine” was a factor as well. There’s less power, but you get 30 to 40 races out of engine and then it’s 30% less to refresh. “Considering those stats, I’ll take nine podiums happily,” says Bertrand.

Brother Todd was one of the first-timers, winning at Waterford in the family car with Cabral second. Bertrand’s only win came at the ‘Bowl as well.
Consistency Keys Cabral’s NEMA Crown 
NEMA PR STORY BY PETE ZANARDI - Randy Cabral, the Northeastern Midget Association driving champion for the third time in four years, vividly recalls a dinner conversation with his dad Glen. Like his dad, he wanted to drive Midgets and hoped to become “somebody’s that’s noticed.”

The weekend after clinching the title with a second at Thompson’s World Series, Cabral at Lee Speedway’s Octoberfest. “Everybody was talking about the NEMA champ being there,” Cabral says. “It was kind of nice.”

Cabral and car owner Tim Bertrand, together since 2006, will be the guests of honor at NEMA’s annual Awards Banquet Saturday, Nov. 19 at Whites of Westport in Westport, MA.

It is, Cabral continues, “a privilege to be the champion because so many drivers have fought so many times and missed out by just a little. To have one championship is amazing. Never did I consider three.”

Point chasing and defending championships are, however, not something Cabral or Bertrand enjoy. “Tim says ‘looking at points can lead to bad things,’” Cabral declares. “This season we didn’t pay attention to points, not even after we took the lead. This year was more about having fun.”

Nothing was more fun than the last race – he was second to Russ Stoehr in a classic performance for both. It pleased Cabral to no end. “I went to Thompson extremely excited,” he explains. “I wanted no one to fall out of the race. I wanted this to come down to a great race for the fans.”

He takes pride in how close he and Stoehr ran, both aware of what the slightest bump could do. “I did have the most to lose,” adds. Cabral and Bertrand wound up with a 25-point edge on Stoehr and Dumo’s Desire racing, the latter five time winners.

The sixth second of the campaign (he won twice), the World Series capped an amazing season that didn’t start that well. “We had small issues because of a new motor. We had some handling problems. As usual, Tim figured it out and we got going pretty good.”

Stoehr won the first three races – Waterford, Thunder Road and Stafford. Cabral, 11th at the latter when a sparkplug wire fell off, recalls thinking “Ok, we know who’s going to win the championship.” He and Bertrand agreed to “let’s just go racing.”

They were second to Jeff Abold at the Boston Louie, the turning point of the season. While Cabral had a “perfect car,” Stoehr had a horrible finish. Cabral and Bertrand took over the point leads.

Victory wise, it was the worst season since 2006 for Cabral/Bertrand. It terms of consistency, nine podiums in 13 starts, 2011 was astonishing. More often than not, his seconds were sensational, chasing Mike Horn home at Thompson and teammate Todd Bertrand at Waterford examples. More often than not, his seconds were sensational, chasing Mike Horn home at Thompson and teammate Todd Bertrand at Waterford examples.

Over the last eight races, he was on the podium seven times.

“We really had good set ups wherever we go and we made adjustments once we got there,” explains Cabral. He also believes “I drove better this year once the car got to handling. I was communicating better.”

He is noticed.
2011 NEMA OWNER & DRIVER CHAMPIONS


Randy Takes the Championship
Todd in 16th with a DNF - Ted Christopher 7th in the #75
NEMA PR STORY BY PETE ZANARDI - Thompson, CT – Russ Stoehr won the battle and Randy Cabral claimed the war in a classic Northeastern Midget Association race Sunday, oCTOBER 16 at Thompson Speedway’s World Series. Taking the lead on a lap-19 restart, Stoehr went on to capture the 25-lapper. A second was more than enough to give Cabral and car-owner Tim Bertrand their third Driver and Owner Championships in the last four years.

It was the fifth win of the season for Stoehr (Dumo’s Desire 45) who got exactly what he needed when the race was stopped for the second time. Lining up outside Cabral, the pace setter since lap two, Stoehr grabbed the lead heading into one. Over the next five laps, interrupted by a third caution, it was an epic tussle, Stoehr on the outside and Cabral down low.

Mike Horn (Horn 93X) watched it all from third spot while Ben Seitz (Cantor 7ny) held off Jeff Abold (Abold 29) for fourth. Jeff Horn (Horn A1), Ted Christopher (deRitis 75), B.J. MacDonald (MacDonald 49), Joey Payne (Breault 44) and Erica Santos (Santos 98s) completed the top 10.

Stoehr was second, several car lengths behind, when the second yellow showed. “Toward the middle of the race I thought I’d save the tires if something presented itself later,” said Stoehr. “[The restart] was the opportunity I was waiting for. I thought we’d be better at the end and we were.”

“Without the caution, it was [Randy’s] race,” added Stoehr, a winner at Thompson for the first time since 2002.

Trouble “taking off,” was definitely a Cabral problem. “On one restart I tried to jump and he actually out-jumped me,” Cabral said.

Still, on either side of a single file restart on lap 20, it was classic stuff. Cabral’s consistency made inside challenges heading into one and three. “I had him once or twice but when I got by him I couldn’t make it stick,” offered Cabral, second for the sixth time this season. “Every time I caught him [Russ] was pinching me just enough. He knew exactly what to do.”

The car spent in “putting on a show,” Cabral said he was “thinking about the big picture” over the final two laps.


DAV FALL CLASSIC
Sunday, October 9th
2nd for Randy, 14th for Todd
9th for Lou Cicconi Jr. in the #75

Saturday, September 24th
2nd for Chris,
7th for Todd &
8th
for Randy
 
Photos by
John Dadalt


The 15th Annual
BOSTON LOUIE MEMORIAL CLASSIC
Saturday, September 10th
2nd for Randy and the Points Lead
9th for Chris and 13th for Todd with a flat
In the time trials (laps timed during the final practice) Randy ran 3rd with an 11.383 to Chris's 11.498 in 6th and Todd's 11.546 in 9th. After the heats and the Louie's special "Hoosier Draw" for positions, Randy started 10th, Chris
12th and Todd 14th.

At the green, all the Bertrand cars began to move up. Todd was up to 9th when a punctured right rear made the car a
handfull and cost a bunch of spots. Chris had a steady run to 9th.

Randy was cutting through the field but facing tough competition from hard running cars. Just in the final laps did he get the #47 into second but Abold was flying away for the win.

Previous points leader Russ Stoehr's #45 broke a Pandard rod clevis on lap 14 and was the first car out of the race in 17th place.  Randy moves into the top points spot for the first time in 2011.
Heats > 
Feature > 


THE ANGELILLO MEMORIAL
at Wings and Wheels
Saturday, August 13th
 
The First NEMA Feature Win for Todd
and a 2nd for Randy
 
 


Saturday, August 6th
The Win for Randy & 3rd for Todd
NEMA RACE REPORT  Claremont, NH – Randy Cabral’s domination of Twin State Speedway continued Saturday night with a fourth-straight 25-lap Northeastern Midget Association victory on the tricky third mile. Cabral (Bertrand #47) took the lead on a lap 10 restart from teammate Todd Bertrand (Bertrand #39) and went on to his second victory of the year.

“I just like it here,” understated Cabral who had a quarter-lap edge on Greg Stoehr (Stoehr #26b) at the checkered. Bertrand filled out the podium with Anthony Nocella (Santa Maria #99) and Jeremy Frankoski (Cantor #7ny) following.

Starting second, Bertrand grabbed the lead immediately. He was still in command when Jeremy Frankoski, running second, spun in turn four bringing out the only yellow. Cabral was now outside him.

“I asked myself what do I do now?” said Cabral. “Todd is like my little brother.” They battled side-by-side through one and two and down the back before Cabral moved ahead. “The car was really good on the outside,” continued Cabral. “It got better as the race went on. I was able to drive it nice and free.”

Bertrand, who grabbed his first podium, “enjoyed” the brief battle with Cabral – “we actually touched wheels” – and acknowledged “he just out-drove me through three and four.” Chasing Cabral “actually proved “beneficial” added Bertrand.

Greg Stoehr snuck under Bertrand in one on the final lap to claim second. Both Cabral and Greg Stoehr gained on point leader Russ Stoehr (Dumo’s Desire 45), the latter never really finding the setup and finishing seventh.

It was the 32nd career win for Cabral who is now one away from tying Bill Eldridge on the all-time NEMA win list.
Photos by John Dadalt

Saturday, July 30th
3rd for Randy & 4th for Todd
 

Open Wheel Wednesday
Wednesday, July 20th

The Win for Randy
9th for Todd & 17th for Chris
NEMA RACE REPORT Seekonk, MA – Surviving three restart challenges, Randy Cabral (Bertand #47) won the Northeastern Midget Association’s 25-lap feature at Seekonk Speedway’s Open Wheel Wednesday. It was the first win of the season for Cabral, the fourth winner in the last four NEMA races.

“The way it started, I didn’t think it would go this way,” said Cabral, adding “we chased the car all day. It wasn’t really good until the heat.” He called a ride in the Pro-4 “a calming influence.” Cabral’s 11.256 in his heat was the fastest competitive lap of the night. He also had the fastest feature lap (11.327).

Todd ran to a 9th place finish as work continues to develop the #39's handling.

Chris deRitis in the #75 entered the mid-week show as a change of pace from his ISMA ride, the #66. It was a short race for Chris after contact with the #26b bent the front axle and made the #75 the first retirement of the race.
 
ACTION VIDEO of the THE SEEKONK OWW FEATURE on YOUTUBE
Heats > 
Feature > 
THANKS FROM A FAN
Please thank Randy Cabral and Bertrand Motor Sports for letting a young boy (pictured with flag) at the Open Wheel Wednesday Midget Show at Seekonk July 20th. Jim Jr. took his Son Adam up to winners circle and was standing there when he was invited to be part of a photo and was handed the checkered flag.

I have been following NEMA since I was 13 years old and Jim Jr who turned 41 on July 20th has been following NEMA from his very early childhood days. I worked for Ev Rogers (61 Badger driven by Billy Mann) and followed the 94 Racing Team with Joey Coy for a good number of years. I remember the Oswego trips with 94 racing team.

My grandson will never forget the night he went to Seekonk on Open Wheel Wednesday and was given the opportunity to be in photo of the winning midget driver. Adam will be another midget fan generation like his grandfather and father. There is no auto racing show like a midget show. For many years we followed NEMA through out the New England States and the many trips to Star Speedway,Hudson Speedway and all the other tracks NEMA raced on.

If you could get this thank you to Randy Cabral and his team would be greatly appreciated. It will be a night at the midget races my grandson wont ever forget. NEMA put on a great show for the racing fans on Open Wheel Wednesday.

Many Thanks - Jim Marsh Sr - West Warwick, RI

Friday, July 15th

6th for Randy, 14th for Todd
 
The two division stop for NEMA at Lee USA Speedway saw the debut of the new #39. Beautifully detailed, the car was a standout. The Honda motor ran well in all the sessions, but the chassis would not hook up with the track. The team will be working on some changes to the setup for Open Wheel Wednesday at Seekonk.

Randy in the #47 won the first heat and was charging to the front from a 5th place starting spot in the 25 lap feature.
But the motor suddently lost power on the back stretch and came to a halt. The #47 is running the one of the new electronically injected Esslingers, and the motor lost either fuel or spark momentarily and quit. Restarted by a push truck, Randy fell to the back of the field and worked his way up to 6th at the checkers.
         
      Heats >    
    Feature >       
   

Thursday, July 7th

2nd for Randy, 13th for Todd
The NEMA Midgets made a Thursday stop at Thompson for the Marvin Rifchin Memorial Race. Todd ran Glen Cabral's #35 to log some seat time but pulled off early in the feature for a 13th. The #39's Honda motor is back from its overhaul and should be all set for Lee on 7/15.

In the first heat, Randy battled Greg Stoehr in the #26b that saw Greg sliding through turn four but holding onto the lead. Starting 6th in the feature, Randy was up to 2nd by lap three, challenging a strong running Mike Horn in the #93x. Randy came close to a pass on a couple of occasions, but Horn held on for a very popular first-time win.

 “He was way better than me on the outside,” said Cabral, NEMA’s all-time winner at Thompson “I was loose on the bottom. I made him work for it though. He earned that one.”
Feature >

Tuesday, June 28th

11th and a DNF for Randy
After newly discovered suspension changes, the team was confident that the #47 was going to be fast at Xtreme Tuesday at Stafford. However as the pack (including a group of 11 NEMA Lites at the back) began for form, Randy was on pit lane with repairs being attempted for a spar plug that had just broken. Joining in 24th and about a 1/4 lap down, the # sliced through the field and was soon behind the Stoehr #47 and the Frankoski #7ny. But the repairs did not hold and the #47 turned back into pit lane on lap 8 for a DNF and an 11th place score.

Sunday, June 19th

6th for Randy in the #47

11th for Todd in the #35
NEMA’s Sunday return to the famed Thunder Road quarter mile was the first visit for the club since 1991. Battling electrical problems which forced a pit stop during the red flag period for Paul Scally's dramatic multi-flip, Randy
returned to the track to record a sixth place finish.  With the Honda motor for the #39 still at the shop in Indianapolis,
Todd hopped in Glen Cabral's #35 to get some seat time. Todd DNF'd with an 11 place finish.
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11th for Todd in the NEMA LITES
With the new #39 Midget still waiting for some parts, the Cabral #36 NEMA LITE was pressed into service for Todd to
get some laps at the season opener. A poor finish in Heat 2 translated into a front row start for the feature.
At the green, Todd fell back to fifth and then quickly recovered with an outside run in the first turns to take second.
Todd battled with the #28 until lap six when they tangled on the back straight and Todd wound up sideways and being pushed down to turn four. A few more laps and Todd pulled into the infield for an eleventh place finish.
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2nd for Randy in the NEMA Midgets
Starting from 10th for the 25 lap feature, Randy ran most of the race battling Greg Stoehr in the #26 and Jeff Abold in the #29 at the middle of the field. Randy had made it to fourth when the second place car spun in turn four and set up a Green-White-Checker finish. With a car that would go away after three laps, the two lap blast was just right for the #47 "and it was time for the driver to do his thing,” said Cabral. Passing Abold on the first lap and then Jeremy
Frankosky in the Cantor #7ny heading into turn 2 on the last lap, Randy "put on a dazzling display" to grab 2nd.
Photos by
Norm Marx

Randy Cabral will drive the #35 on smaller tracks.

Todd Bertrand will run the #39 with the Honda motor.
Two-Car NEMA Effort For Bertrand in 2011
Brockton, MA – Two-time Northeastern Midget Association car owner champion Tim Bertrand has “taken himself out” of the race for 2011 honors. He has, however, made a deeper investment in the “let’s have some fun” fraternity.

Bertrand’s driver Randy Cabral will, however, be in the championship picture. The 2008-09 king will be making the bid in two different but familiar race cars. Cabral will drive the #47 Drinan/Esslinger 75 percent of the time including the club’s season opener, Waterford Speedowl’s Budweiser Blast off April 2-3.

The remainder of the races, notably the smaller tracks, Cabral will be in the completely refurbished, 32-year old #35 Edmonds chassis which will be Autocraft powered. Cabral’s first ever NEMA win, the 2000 Boston Louie, came in the car as did his first Speedbowl checkered. “It’s like going home for Randy,” said Bertrand.

Defending champions Russ Stoehr and the #45 Dumo’s Desire Beast/Esslinger, lead the return to the Speedbowl for the club’s 59th season opener. The team won twice at Waterford last season. The NEMA Lites will also be part of Blast Off.

Bertrand says the #35’s performance with Anthony Marvuglio aboard in last year’s Louie – leading the first 13 laps – was the impetus. “Obviously, Randy’s dad Glenn has a great love for the car but they have never had the opportunity to run it at its full potential. We decided to help toward that end and we’d also like to prove we can win with a 30-year old racer.”

“Already feeling different,” Bertrand, about to become a father (wife Cara is due in May) and with increased business responsibilities, welcomes the “lack of pressure” his decision involving the championship brings. Bertrand Motorsports, however, appears no less busy.

Younger brother Todd, a winner in the NEMA Lites, starts his tenure in the family #39, powered by Honda, at the opener. The team has also had a hand in the Drinan/Esslinger (“a replica of the #47) that Bertrand believes makes John Zych Jr. “a definite contender.”

Blast Off will also mark the debut of Jeremy Frankowski in the Cantor #7ny. He replaces Adam Cantor, now the crew chief. Others expected at Waterford are Chris Leonard and Chris deRitis, both winners there last season. deRitis will be in the Cicconi #75. Among the other contenders are veterans Greg Stoehr, Keith Botelho, Jim Miller, Lee Bundy, Paul Scally and Mike Horn.
The Coffee Cup Indoor TQ on 2/5
Providence, RI – Todd raced the #69 at the indoor TQ Midget race
held in the Dunkin' Donuts Center right in downtown Providence.

With the event lap timer running inconsistently, the format was changed to twin heats instead of a time trials and a single heat.

In his heat, Todd took off from the pole into the lead. But at about the half way point of the 10 lapper, a front suspension bolt snapped out of the upright and the #69 took a spin down the back stretch.

 The damage was too great to continue and that was the night.
Photos by
Norm Marx
Whites of Westport, MA
November 20th, 2010
Bertrand Motorsports received a variety of awards at the 2010 NEMA Banquet.

2nd in NEMA Midgets Owners and Drivers Points went to Tim and Randy.

A Pat Thibodeau Youth and Determination Award plus
recognition as one of the top NEMA LITES went to Todd.

The Joe Csiki Most Improved Driver Award plus
4th NEMA Driver/Owner awards went to Chris.


2nd NEMA Owner/Driver
Tim Bertrand & Randy Cabal


Pat Thibodeau Youth and Determination Awards
Scott Law & Todd Bertrand

Joe Csiki Most Improved Driver
& 4th NEMA Driver/Owner
Chris deRitis
(accepted by Todd)


1st to 8th LITES
Owners & Drivers


Wild Child Design
Top Guns Crews of the Month


2nd NEMA Driver
Randy Cabal
  Bertrand Motorsports Announces
K&N Engineering, Inc.
as Corporate Sponsor for '09-'11 Seasons
Team owner Tim Bertrand announced a relationship with K&N Engineering for the 2009 season, as the team’s Corporate Sponsor. The team’s three NEMA midgets, along with the team’s NEMA Lite Ford Focus powered midget, and two Micro-Sprint cars will all carry the K&N Logo in 2009 and 2010.

“We’re extremely excited to be welcomed as a part of the K&N racing family,” said Tim Bertrand. “To associate ourselves with a brand leader such as K&N, and be able to take advantage of the latest technology advancements in this field is very exciting to us.”

K&N Engineering, of Riverside, California, is the inventor and leading innovator of reusable cotton gauze filter technology for automotive applications. From humble beginnings as a family run business over 40 years ago, K&N Engineering, now a truly global company with offices in the U.K. and the Netherlands, continues to exist as a family owned business with an enthusiast mindset and a direct connection with motor sports that carries over throughout all levels of management and manufacturing.

Today, K&N exists as both the sales and brand leader for performance filters, and maintains a stocking catalogue of over 3,500 part numbers, including an extensive line of both factory replacement drop-in filters, FIPK (Fuel Injection Performance Kit) applications, and its line of innovative Performance Gold oil filters.   www.knfilters.com

“We’re looking forward to working with Tim and the Bertrand team. The many avenues of exposure that this relationship gives us – asphalt, dirt, NEMA and NEMA Lites, as well as the opportunity to be associated with the team’s drivers such as Ryan Newman and Randy Cabral is a great opportunity for K&N,” said K&N’s Corporate Race Accounts Manager, Bob Harris.
2009 July 15th on2009 to July 7th2008