Bay State Stars Reen,
Cabral Seek Coffee Cup Trophy
NASCAR Modified star Glen Reen and
reigning NEMA Midget champion Randy Cabral are among the latest
entrants for the Providence, R.I. Indoor Auto Races, set for
March 10-11, 2012 at Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Reen, of Wilbraham, scored the biggest
win in his driving career in October, 2011 when he won the
NASCAR Whelen Modified Touring Series race at Connecticut’s
Thompson International Speedway’s season-ending World Series Of
Auto Racing.
Cabral, of Bridgewater, raced his way to
his third NEMA (Northeastern Midget Association) Midget driving
championship in 2011. It was the tenth consecutive year in which
Cabral has been in the top five in NEMA driver standings.
Reen and Cabral are among over forty
early entries set to compete for victory in the fourth running
of “The Coffee Cup.”
The weekend race meet includes two days
of qualifying races and feature events for the powerful TQ
(Three Quarter) Midgets and the bullet-like Champ Karts,
culminating on Saturday with the running of “The Coffee Cup
Classic”, a 40-lap TQ Midget feature, paying $2,000 to its
winner.
On Sunday, the feature for TQ Midgets is
a first time event, to be run over a 100 lap distance with a
planned mid-race break to allow teams to make adjustments and,
if possible, to re-enter the race
Ted Christopher, Plainville, Ct., is the
defending champion of “The Coffee Cup”, run last year as a
40-lap event. “TC” won the preliminary night TQ Midget feature
race at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall one week ago.
On Saturday, March 10, racing begins at
7:00 p.m., one hour after the arena gates swing open.
A “double heats” qualifying procedure
assures all competitors a fair opportunity to qualify for the
feature race.
On Sunday, March 11, racing begins at
2:00 p.m. preceded by “Fan Fest”, an interactive ‘meet & greet’
autograph signing session and photo opportunity for ticket
holders. Qualifying races precede the features this day as well.
In addition to Reen, Cabral and Christropher, the entry Erick
Rudolph, Ransomville, N.Y., has attracted attention.
Rudolph won last Saturday night’s
Gamblers Classic in Atlantic City, in a dominating drive.
Rudolph will be driving the same Mark Lafler-built, Timex
Morgan-owned TQ Midget in the Providence events.
Morgan, Rochester, N.Y., will be a
teammate of Rudolph as will past NEMA champion Joe Payne Jr.,
Fairlawn, N.J. A fourth car in this potent team has been entered
without a driver.
The North East Midget Association (NEMA),
a venerable and popular midget car racing in New England, has
pledged the support of many of its top drivers besides champion
Cabral.
The Champ Kart entry roster has been
spiced by the entry of the Panciocco brothers, Mike and Peter,
of Johnston, R.I and by a trio of Stoehrs - Avery of Lakeville,
Ma. and sisters Bethany and Kathryn.
The Pancioccos have raced at Seekonk
Speedway in its Seekonk Youth Racing Association (SYRA) classes
while the Stoehrs are daughters of NEMA brothers Russ and Greg
Stoehr.
Racers wishing to join in the TQ Midget
action at Dunkin Donuts Center may find entry and rule
information available at aarn.com.
Tickets for the Dunkin Donuts Center
Indoor Race are on sale at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center box office
and through Ticketmaster outlets online at
www.ticketmaster.com.
Source:
Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted: February 9, 2012
