by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — The field for Monticello Raceway’s Godfather Pace is beginning to take shape — especially with the recent additions of Joe Faraldo, Tony Verruso and George Casale — all members of the CKG Billings Harness Driving Championship Series.

The Godfather Pace is the eighth and final preliminary leg of the track’s Heritage Drivers Series and the winner of this contest will join the winners of the other seven ethnic events in what is being billed as the All America Cup.

Joe Faraldo

Faraldo, a lawyer by trade, has recently returned from Taranto, Italy where he competed in an international amateur driving competition and for years he has driven in competitions throughout Europe. A charter member of the Billings Series, Faraldo thus far has driven 132 winners.

Verruso, who’s in the embroidery business, is the current President of the Billings Series and he has reined 30 winners in his amateur career.

Casale, also a lawyer by trade, has from a limited amount of starts reined 31 winners. Casale got involved in amateur racing after participating in a Monticello Raceway promotion known as the Battle of the Bosses back in the 1990s, which were races for owners who were not trainers.

They will join the likes of Jimmy Marohn, Mike Forte, Johnny Desimone and Todd Marciano in the Godfather Pace which is the heritage event for drivers of Italian extraction.

Asked if the amateurs might be intimidated by competing against professionals Faraldo quickly quipped, perhaps with tongue in cheek, “It doesn’t make any difference to us but I’d like to know what family they (the professional drivers) are from in Italy. I’ll tell you our families are among the strongest and when we beat them I hope they won’t be too embarrassed to come back and compete against us again next year.

“You know for years we have been proposing a Pro-Am Driving Contest but the professionals never had the courage to race against us. This race may be the prelude to an amateur versus professional driving competition.”

Though Director of Racing Eric Warner moves ever closer to securing enough drivers for the Godfather Pace he still will need eight drivers for a full field. Anyone of Italian extraction who would like to compete in the Godfather Pace is urged to call Warner in the race office at 845.794.4100, ext: 557. Or they can call the track’s publicity office at ext: 455.