by Ayers Ratliff, for Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and Brian Loney were repeat winners in 2015 with Northfield Park dash titles.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. again topped the Northfield driving ranks in 2015, winning 653 races over the Flying Turns. His nearest competitor, Aaron Merriman, drove 579 winners. Jason Merriman (338), Ryan Stahl (210) and Kurt Sugg (199) completed the top five reinsmen.

Wrenn, 29, resides in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and now has four driving titles under his belt. He won the dash titles at Northfield Park in 2013 and 2014 and Northville Downs in 2013.

Ronnie’s 2015 total victory tally was 796, which ranked him third among all drivers in North America. Only Aaron Merriman (873) and George Napolitano Jr. (832) had more wins in 2015 than Wrenn.

Wrenn began driving in 2008 and has since won 2,968 races and purses of $13,731,914. Wrenn’s fasted and richest win ever came in last year’s $225,000 Jim Ewart Memorial at Scioto Downs with Doo Wop Hanover in 1:49.2.

Northfield Park’s 2015 leading trainer Brian Loney won 54 more races than any other local conditioner. He garnered 153 victories throughout last year. Sam Schillaci finished second with 99 wins. Michael Dowdall (86), Jessica Millner (70) and Andy Rickert (67) rounded out the top five Northfield Park trainers for 2015.

Brian, originally from Hager Hill, Ky., has relocated to Northfield, Ohio. He and wife Harla Renae have three children: 15-year-old son Gannun, 11-year-old son Payton and 6-year-old daughter Polly.

Loney, 37, has 1,330 career victories and purse earnings of $3,241,750. The 2015 Northfield title is the fourth local dash victory for Brian. He has also won titles at Bluegrass Downs, Fairmount Park, The Red Mile and Thunder Ridge. Brian recalled that his first training win was with the gelding pacer Stealth Fighter at Fairmount Park in 1996.

Wrenn and Loney will each be presented with a plaque and dining gift certificate to the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park in a winner’s circle ceremony later in January.