Early NEMA Win Key In Cabral’s Objective
 
Randy Cabral is not given to exaggeration. The
Northeastern Midget Association hot shoe keeps a tight
reign on his expectations. 
 
“I want to win at least one race,” says Cabral who
will be in the Bertrand #47 for the third straight
year. “Ever since my second year in NEMA (2000) I’ve
won at least once. I’d like to keep that streak
going.”
 
NEMA starts its very ambitious 19-race agenda at
Thompson Speedway’s Icebreaker on April 5-6 and heads
to Waterford Speedbowl for the Budweiser Modified
Nationals April 12-13. NEMA will help Seekonk Speedway
open its season on May 4. 
 
Eleven of Cabral’s 12 wins have come at those three
tracks, four each at Thompson and Waterford. He won
the closers at the latter two last year, his effort in
the Speedbowl’s “Finale” near flawless. The team has
made few changes. “The car was so good we didn’t want
to touch it,” Cabral says. 
 
“Hopefully we can get the win in the first three races
and then go back to having fun like we did last year,”
continues Cabral who followed his father Glen into the
sport. He has, in fact, done that the past two years.
 
Cabral is part of a NEMA cast that includes Erica and
Bobby Santos III, veterans Joey Payne Jr. and Nokie
Fornoro, Adam Cantor and youngsters Jeremy Frankoski
and Chris Leonard.
 
His first win came in the 2000 Boston Louie at Seekonk
in family-owned equipment but it was the Thompson
Icebreaker victory in 2001 that ignites him still.
“I’ve been watching races there since 1988, watching
my dad,” he explains. “It’s a special place and I’ve
always wanted to race there so to actually win there
was unbelievable.”
 
Thompson, he insists, is “very intimidating” and
“demands respect.” He’s sure “people don’t realize
the speeds we go there. When things happen they happen
really big.”
 
While speeds have definitely increased it’s the
improved competition that makes NEMA “the premier
touring division in New England,” he says. “When I got
my first win people said there were maybe 10 cars that
could win a NEMA feature. Now there are 20-25 and
everybody is so hungry.”