by Shawn Wiles, for Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — For those who follow the leaders of the week chart, you may have noticed an unfamiliar name in the top five in Jim Devaux.

Devaux was tied last week with national dash winner Aaron Merriman for the most wins in the nation, as they were both tied with 17 wins, although Devaux did it with 39 less starts.

Geri Schwarz photo

Jim Devaux has been on an absolute tear at Monticello Raceway in the last six weeks.

Devaux has been on an absolute tear at Monticello Raceway in the last six weeks. He is putting open lengths between himself and the other drivers in the Monticello driver’s colony in the win department. Thus far in 2017 he has 92 wins, compared to the second place driver Bruce Aldrich Jr. with 61.

This time last year Aldrich was the leading dash winner and had 75 wins.

Devaux has won five races on a card five times and won four races on an afternoon twice already this year.

The soft spoken, affable DeVaux says, “I enjoy doing well at Monticello, this is my hometown track, I grew up in the backstretch, I have enjoyed racing here over the years, I’m not happy when I’m not racing here. I have been very fortunate to get the power to win, and all I need to do is put them in the right spot to win.”

Devaux sports a UDR of .460.

Besides driving for leading Monticello Raceway trainer Dolores Basilone, Devaux has done very well driving horses for other trainers as well.

Jim DeVaux and the other top drivers at Monticello, Bruce Aldrich Jr. and Jim Taggart Jr., are a tight knit bunch and it’s possible that any one of them can win three-four races a day.

“We all get along pretty good and things work out,” noted DeVaux.

Devaux currently is in fourth place in the leading dash winner’s category at Saratoga Raceway with nine wins.