by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Amateur Drivers Association
Monticello, NY — Who says harness driving is for the young? Certainly not “Tar Heel Tom” Williams and Peter “The Past President” Gerry nor “Chicago George” Bonomo and Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon. The four Medicare enrollees, whose combined ages are north of 264 years, finished one-two each of the two Billings Trots over the swift oval at Delaware on Sunday (September 18).
Williams, a Real Estate Company owner and a former National Amateur Driver of the Year, moved DW’s Perky Joe from third up the backside and trotted to the front and coasted home an easy four length winner in a 1:58.3 clocking. Gerry, a venture capitalist and long time President of the Billings Series, followed Williams’ lead with Drill Sergeant Sam and finished second, though he was dead-heated in the final strides by Rush N Supreme, driven by Kelly “Sky” Walker.
Williams won his accolade during the 2008 season and his victory on Sunday was his first in just four seasonal Billings starts.
Bonomo, a company executive from the Chicago suburbs, also notched his first Billings triumph of the year when he guided Spit Happens to a one length triumph over Domi Racer and Hunsdon in a time of 2:01.2. Third place went to Dein “the Jupiter Gem” Spriggs with Limissindependent.
After the two Billings trots were official and the drivers were conversing among themselves, Gerry quipped, “Maybe we should have a race for all Medicare enrollees and call it the Swan Song Competition. I’ll bet we can get two divisions.”
In other amateur action that afternoon, Dein Spriggs, from the Florida Amateur club, won the Tim Fouts Memorial with a pacer named Stubby’s Leisureguy in a swift 1:57.4 over Mark Jones and Fox Valley Quantum. Mike Cayoutte finished third with Rabbitman.
Spriggs is also a former National Amateur Driver of the Year, having won that accolade two times, first in 2004 and then again in 2005.
Next Billings action is slated for September 29 over the famed oval at Lexington, Kentucky’s Red Mile.