by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Goshen, NY — The track will be packed with talent when the $10,000 Mr. and Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Trot for Hall of Fame drivers takes place at Goshen Historic Track on Sunday (July 7).

The annual event will feature drivers who have collectively won $1,002,632,141, as of June 20.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

The Hall of Fame drivers will meet fans and sign photos after the race.

Post time for the races at Historic Track (www.goshenhistorictrack.com), located at 44 Park Place in Goshen, is 1 p.m. After the race, drivers will meet fans and sign photos at the south end of the grandstand.

The newcomer to this year’s race is trainer/driver Dick Stillings, who will be inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame on the evening of July 7 at the Harness Racing Museum in Goshen. Stillings is best known for his success in training and driving horses from the Roy Davis stable, with the “Spur” surname. He sent out back-to-back Little Brown Jug winners, Barberry Spur in 1986 and Jaguar Spur in 1987.

The drivers collectively have 79,302 wins. John Campbell is the top contributor to the field’s billion dollar total, with $281 million in purse earnings, and Ron Pierce is next, with $195 million.

Mike Lachance, with 10,328 wins and $187 million, will also compete, along with Dave Palone, who is the leading race winning driver in North America with 15,818 victories. Herve Filion, whose race-winning record was broken by Palone last summer, will line up to the gate with his 15,183 wins.

Jim Doherty, driver and trainer of $3 million winner Fool’s Goal, will compete, along with Wally Hennessey, best known for steering two time (1998 and 1999) Horse of the Year Moni Maker.

The lineup of drivers, in alphabetical order, are: 1. John Campbell, 2. Jim Doherty, 3. Herve Filion, 4. Wally Hennessey, 5. Mike Lachance, 6. Dave Palone, 7. Ron Pierce, and 8. Dick Stillings.