by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — The 2010 season at Monticello Raceway ended on December 31 with Bruce Aldrich, Jr.’s 449 winners tops among drivers last year.

Aldrich, who enjoyed the best season of his career, finished with 123 more wins than runner-up Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr.’s total of 326. His wife, April, won the most races as a trainer (186) and she also copped the training percentage title with a .465 universal average. But more importantly for April Aldrich, her .443 overall Universal Trainer Rating was the best in North America last season for trainers with 500 or more starts.

On the driving percentage leaderboard Jordan Stratton’s .385 UDR was tops, 20 points higher than runner-up Greg Merton’s .365. Bruce Aldrich, Jr. finished third with a .362 average followed by Brad Kramer’s .329 and Jimmy Marohn, Jr.’s .315.

But the season really belonged to Bruce Aldrich, Jr. Having driven the most winners here during the first decade of the 21st century, Aldrich averaged over two wins per race card last year and several times won five or more races on a program. His total of 449 winners is second all-time at the Mighty M behind Parker’s track record of 526 wins during 1995.

Trailing Aldrich and Parker in driving victories last season was Mike Forte with 186 winners. He was followed by Greg Merton’s 170 and Kyle DiBenedetto’s 149.

April Aldrich’s 186 is also a new track record for wins by a trainer. And it was her fourth training title since 2004. Quietly Gary Messenger finished in second place, harnessing 104 winners, followed by Brian Horlacher’s, 97, Art Green’s 81 and Jennifer Lappe’s 67.

Lappe’s training average of .462 was just three percentage points behind April Aldrich’s .465. However, she sent out 206 starters as compared to Aldrich’s 604. Kevin Johnson’s .388 training percentage was third best followed by Brian Horlacher’s .3584 and Lisa Krom’s .3582.

Bruce Aldrich’s purse earnings of $1,358,138 was tops while Zeke Parker’s $1,112,629 was second best. They were the only two drivers to reach the $1 million plateau.

Among the trainers April Aldrich’s $549,900 in purse earnings out-distanced runner-up Gary Messenger’s $357,843.