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.
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.
-
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.
-
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.
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