EPPING, N.H. — Ben Seitz became the first North East Midget Association three-peat winner for the 2007 season with a victory in Saturday night’s All Star Classic at All Star Speedway.
Pete Pernesiglio grabbed the lead at the start, but was soon feeling the pressure as Seitz roared up from deep in the pack to challenge for the lead, making the move to the top on lap 11.
Joey Payne, who moved up to take the second position, began looking diligently for a way around Seitz.
A final restart with three to go gave Payne one last shot at the leader, but Seitz used a defensive line to hold him off and claim the victory. Payne was second, followed by Bobby Santos III, Greg Stoehr and Ryan Preece.
The race officially ended on the white flag lap, and the checkered flag was handed to Joey Payne for a ceremonial checkered-flag lap in honor of Marilyn Angelillo, former NEMA secretary and wife of Payne’s team owner Gene Angelillo, who died Sept. 4 after a long battle with cancer.
The finish:
Ben Seitz, Joey Payne, Bobby Santos III, Greg Stoehr, Ryan Preece, Peter Pernesiglio, Jeff Abold, Jeremy Frankoski, Erica Santos, B.J. MacDonald, Adam Cantor, Randy Cabral, John Zych, Jr., Cory Cleary, Mike Lugelle, Shawn Torrey, Paul Scally, Nokie Fornoro, Jeff Horn, Mike Horn, Mike Keeler, Steve Powers, Paul Luggelle, Barry Kittredge, Shane Hammond, Lou Cionni, Jr., Chris Leonard.