Randy Cabral will be the driver to beat when the NEMA Midgets wrap up the 2014 season at Thompson Speedway. (Credit: NEMA Photo)

By Lou Modestino and Tim Bertrand

The Northeastern Midget Association has long considered Connecticut’s Thompson Speedway the ultimate “separate the men from the boys” facility. While any Thompson checkered is a treasure, the World Series is definitely the biggest plum. Four time champion and current point leader Randy Cabral of Kingston looms as the man to beat when NEMA makes its annual appearance at the Thompson World Series on Oct. 18-19. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday Oct. 18 with the 25-lap feature part of the busy Sunday, Oct. 19 agenda.

Ten victories, including five World Series triumphs, make Cabral the all-time Thompson maestro. Last year, Cabral charged to second place, then made a surprise pit stop for an adjustment before the halfway point, and then made a heroic run to the front again but fell short to John Zych and Bobby Santos of Franklin. Zych’s historic run capped a brilliant championship season for the JZ Motorsports team. This year, Cabral enters the World Series with a 101 point lead over the young Avery Stoehr of Lakeville. If Cabral is able to start both the heat and feature events, he will wrap up the 2014 Championship.

Thompson’s long Midget history, however, is filled with surprises. Considering the last few seasons have been one of the most competitive seasons in NEMA’s 60+year history. It is safe to consider the possibility of another surprise. Cabral’s teammate Todd Bertrand (Bertrand 39), Seth Carlson (Feigel 71), Paul Scally (Scally 30) of Raynham, Avery Stoehr (Stoehr 15B), Zych (Zych 9), Jim SantaMaria (SantaMaria 54) and last week’s Waterford Speedbowl winner Ryan Bigelow (SantaMaria 99) are all coming to Thompson with high hopes.

NEMA and Thompson have a relationship that goes back to 1960 when the legendary Dutch Schaefer was the winner. Since then, Thompson has helped write a ton of NEMA history and a credible part of that is World Series related.

Lakeville’s Greg Stoehr, driving for John Zahar, passed brother Russ of Bridgewater in the closing laps to win in 1994. In 2001, Joey Payne, who like Greg Stoehr started last, passed the same Russ Stoehr on the final lap en route to the checkered. The latter was Gene Angelillo’s 100th NEMA win. A Nokie Fornoro romp in 2010 proved to be the last Midget ride for one of the sport’s greatest competitors.