L to R: Mike Seymour; Randy Cabral, 3rd; Winner Ben Seitz;
Joey Payne, 2nd; and Bobby Seymour

Mark Buonomo has moved into the No. 29 and comes to Saturday night's eighth-annual Boston Louie Memorial intent on adding to Seymour family's impressive Waterford Speedbowl resume. The gem of the Northeastern Midget Association, the event honors the memory of Louis Seymour, the patriarch of the Seymour clan.

"I've won five times there," says Bobby Seymour. "My brother (Mike) has one win and Bobby Santos III had three wins there in my car (including one earlier this season). Mark has won four times in his own car. So, I guess we know our way around the place."

Seymour and Buonomo agree that the Speedbowl is close to an ideal Midget facility. "It appears everybody is at their best there," says Buonomo. Laps in the low 13 seconds are commonplace. It's possible as many as a dozen drivers with at least one Speedbowl win could be in the field.

The SK-Modifieds (35-lap feature), Late Models (30), Sportsman (20) and Mini Stocks (20) are on the program as well. In addition to two qualifying heats, NEMA has a special match race.

Russ Stoehr won the first "Louie" in 1997 and there has yet to be a two-time winner driver-wise. Two owners, however, have done it. Gene Angelillo did it with Drew Fornoro in 1998 and last year with Joey Payne Jr. Santos won in a Seymour car in 2002 matching Bobby Seymour's 1999 effort.

Payne can become the first two-time winner and he can put Angelillo atop the owner stats. Buonomo aims to do the same for Seymour.

Randy Cabral joins Payne, Fornoro and Stoehr in hoping to become the first two-time winning driver. A year ago, Cabral appeared to have that honor only to see it evaporate in tech (too wide).

Ben Seitz, a winner earlier this year at the Speedbowl, takes a 37-point edge on Cabral into "The Louie" with defending champ Payne, a winner last weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, 93 back.

Among the other hopefuls are Eric Santos, now driving her own car, veterans Nokie Fornoro, Howie Bumpus and Ed Breault, youngster Tim Heath, Pete Pernesiglio and Tim Bertrand.

Marlborough, MA: For the second time this season, the Northeastern Midget Association will compete for an increased payday. This weekend the club heads to the Waterford Speedbowl in Waterford, CT for the running of the 8th Annual Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic. There is more than just the nearly $10,000 in purse and contingencies on the line, there is also the prestige of the event that makes a win a coveted prize for the drivers and teams.

The Boston Louie Seymour Memorial was started back in 1997 as a tribute to the man who helped shape Midget Racing in New England. "Boston" Louie Seymour, the patriarch of the Seymour Family of Marlborough, MA, made his name nationally in the open-wheel ranks with drivers like Kenny Schrader. His love for the sport, his knowledge of mechanics, and his genuine personality made him one of racings most endearing car owners. Although a national treasure, it is right here at home in New England where is influence is most keenly felt. Even today, the traditions that he helped to build run strongly through his entire family.

Due in large part to the racing community's support of the race that bears Boston's name, with contingencies and lap money, the Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic continues to be the most lucrative race for the Northeastern Midget Association. Mike Jarrett and Helping Hands of America have once again stepped up their involvement with NEMA by making a generous contribution to the purse for Saturday's race. Helping Hands of America is a private foundation located in Wrentham, MA that solicits tangible goods for donation with portions of all proceeds directly helping associated charities.

Past winners of the prestigious Seymour Memorial event include Russ Stoehr, Bobby Seymour, Bobby Santos III, Randy Cabral, Drew Fornoro, and Joey Payne. Cabral, Stoehr, and Payne are looking to become the first two-time winners of the Classic but they will have their work cut out for them as Ben Seitz, Mark Buonomo, Tim Heath, and a host of other talented NEMA drivers look to put their names in the record books.

As in years past, the Seymour #29 is one of the favorites to win on Saturday night. With a tradition learned from Boston Louie himself, owner Bobby Seymour has once again picked a talented young driver for the seat of his Midget. This weekend Mark Buonomo of Waltham, MA will be aboard the #29 with high hopes of winning his first Boston Louie and the third for the Seymour stables.

Nokie Fornoro of Stroudsburg, PA has made an explosive return to NEMA racing in the Don Barrio owned #2. With a win in his first race at Stafford Motor Speedway and most recently a 6th place finish at Beech Ridge, another Fornoro name could very well be added to the list of Classic winners. So too could a Santos. Erica Santos of Franklin, MA, sister of 2002 winner Bobby, will be in competition in her own car this weekend looking not only for a Classic victory but also to become the first female winner in NEMA's history.

The list of Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic hopefuls continues and the race is anyone's to win. Put the ultra-competitive NEMA roster on the Waterford Speedbowl, possibly the best Midget track in New England, and you have a recipe for a tremendous race and tons of racing excitement.

Companies like Campanale Fishing Vessels and Parker Sanitation of Wrentham, MA have joined the family of sponsors to present the 8th Annual Boston Louie Seymour Memorial Classic on Saturday night at the Waterford Speedbowl. Racing gets underway with qualifying for all divisions, including the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, at 5:00 PM. Features are expected to go green at approximately 7:00 PM. General admission prices are $14 for adults and youth (ages 6-14) tickets are available for only $5.00. Pit Passes with a NASCAR License are $23.00 and $31.00 without a NASCAR License.