by Thom Pye, for OHHA

Grove City, OH — The 168th Marion County Fair offers a fine two days of racing on its quality half-mile oval as the Ohio Fair Racing Conference (OFRC), along with Tom Crawford and his Speed Committee, presents its 2018 racing program.

With a solid 17-race card with 2- and 3-year-old trotters and pacers for Monday’s (July 2) 11 a.m. post time, the excitement and action of harness racing is echoing once again throughout the Fairgrounds.

Monday’s 11th race, the George “Tom” Criswell Free-For-All Pace, is offered in honor of the longtime Marion horseman and attracts a full field of eight Ohio-bred or owned older pacers.

Tuesday’s (July 3) card of 14 races begins at 11 a.m. as well and brings more OFRC 2 and 3-year-old trotters and pacers behind the gate. Also added is the “Big Jon” Townsend Free-For-All Trot in memory of the master horseman from Marion.

Perhaps we’ll see the track records set by T Red last year of 1:59.4 and trotter Margarita Man’s time of 2:01 eclipsed?

An added bit for your entertainment is the fan-involved Text Trivia as the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association’s Racing With The Stars will ask a trivia question several times during the day about the horses and people in the program and the first person to text the correct answer wins a prize package.

If you like harness horse and Ohio fun facts then stop by the Racing With The Stars tent and spin the wheel for questions, prizes, and laughs.

Also on each day enter your chance to be Racing With The Stars as folks in the grandstand will be called down and paired with a horse in the RWTS race. If your number gets to the winner’s circle then so do you and you’ll receive the photo and several nice prizes including the envy of your friends.

Good times, good people… it’s an Americana Extravaganza… the fun your family remembers.