by John Manzi, for the C.K.G. Billings Series

Monticello, NY — On Saturday (June 18) two divisions of the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Series went to post at Yonkers Raceway and when they were completed Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon and Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff each emerged victorious in their respective splits.

For Hechkoff it marked his second consecutive Billings triumph with Tremendous Hit after having won a Billings trot at Monticello Raceway one week prior.

At Yonkers on Saturday, Hechkoff was content to allow Dave “Yes It’s True” Offenberg and Double Strength to set the pace on the front end and when the field turned for home Hechkoff urged Tremendous Hit and they reeled-in Offenberg’s trotter to score a 2:01.1 triumph. Double Strength held on for second money and Cherry Tree Luke took home the show dough for driver “Schoolboy Joe” Bongiorno.

In the other division Hunsdon sent Rel Postage Due toward the front end but they didn’t take command until they passed the quarter in a swift :29.2. However, once on top Rel Postage Due trotted the last three stanzas in 1:30.3 and rambled home an easy three length winner in a 2:00 clocking over Make It Hot and driver Harvey “Doc” Stein who shadowed the leader throughout the entire mile. Third place went to Oliver Kiss who was driven by “Lightning Laura” MacNamara.

Hunsdon’s victory vaulted him to the top of the Eastern Region leaderboard while Hechkoff’s triumph earned him enough points to make the top ten.

On Monday night (June 20) there will be a Billings Trot at Hazel Park Raceway and on Thursday (June 23) the Billings traveling sideshow begins a three-day tour of racetracks in Canada. On Thursday, there will be Billings action at Rideau Carleton; on Friday, the battles will be at Grand River Raceway; and on Saturday the tour will end with a competition, or two, at Georgian Downs.