from the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association

Croswell, MI — The Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association, together with host track Hazel Park Harness Raceway, concluded a very successful 17 race amateur driving series this past Monday night.

Over 20 drivers competed during Hazel Park’s 2010 racing season. The drivers’ proceeds were used to sponsor ‘kids day at the track’ which brings underprivileged kids to Hazel Park Raceway. The event featured a talking horse, t-shirts, coloring books, refreshments and a magician. Over 300 shirts were passed out with many kids participating in a ‘kids walk’ which was done in cooperation with Hazel Park’s ‘Back to the Track’ day.

Gene Oldford photo

Mark ‘Mad Dog’ Jones (left) and Joe ‘The Butcher’ Cirasuola (right) pose with their awards.

Joe ‘The Butcher’ Cirasuola took top honors with 93 points while scoring five wins. Second was Mike ‘The Mortgage Man’ Mitchell with 87 points and three wins, while Steve ‘You’re Never Too’ Oldford finished third with 86 points and one win.

In the ‘under 10 race’ category, Mark ‘Mad Dog’ Jones finished first with 35 points and two wins. Mike ‘Doo Wop Doc’ finsihed second with 23 points and Gerald ‘The Demolition Man’ Malady was third with 18 points and a win in Monday night’s final event.

Other awards passed out at Monday night’s festive banquet includes ‘Most starts without a win’ to Jim ‘Green Acres’ Ingersoll and ‘Called most by judges’ to Kelly ‘Sky’ Walker. The Champion Awards went to Dennis Walton and Tammy Johnson who worked tirelessly to round up horses and fill races. GLADA gives special thanks to them. The top door prize was a Protecto Harness donated by Protecto Horse Equipment Company of Clawson, Michigan. The harness was won by driver Mike ‘Goldfinger’ Golden.

“It was a great season,” stated club President Steve Oldford. “Hazel Park Raceway was wonderful. We created a win-win situation with them letting us race every week and the kids getting a once in a lifetime experience coming to see the horses. We also sponsored two interns who started from scratch with one now working in a Michigan based stable. The handle for our Great Lakes race averaged above the regular races on the card each Monday so the track was happy.”

GLADA wants to send out sincere thanks to Hazel Park Harness Raceway and all the owners and trainers that put their horses in each week. GLADA hopes to continue its success at upcoming meets at the other Michigan tracks.