by John Manzi, for the Delvin Miller Amateur Drivers Association
Monticello, NY — In what turned out to be a resounding victory, Dave Yarock not only scored a five length, 1:58.4 triumph with Rompaway Alvin in the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series at Plainridge Racecourse on Monday afternoon (September 5), but with his triumph he vaulted into a tie atop the Eastern Region leaderboard with Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon, both with 83 points.
Yarock, who will receive the Monticello-Goshen Chapter USHWA’s Amateur Driver of the Year Award at the scribes upcoming awards banquet in late October, won the trotting event over Bob “the Headhunter” Hechkoff who was up behind Tremendous Hit. Peter “The Past President” Gerry rambled home in third place with Drill Sergeant Sam. Hunsdon finished fourth with REL Postage Due.
“It was a good race and though we were parked most of the mile we did have cover behind Phil Antonacci’s trotter,” Yarock related. “I followed Phil until the three-quarters where I pulled and my horse went to the front and we were an easy winner. I just purchased Rompaway Alvin from Peter Kleinhans and I like him a lot. I bought him because I wanted a trotter that could compete with the upper level of the Billings.”
The 2011 Eastern Region leaderboard is beginning to look a lot like last year’s which was so close it went right to the wire before a champion was crowned. Now with Yarock and Hunsdon deadlocked on the lead and Tony “the Capo” Verruso just three points behind (with 80) it appears it will be another barn-burner before a winner is decided again this season.
In other Billings action at Scioto Downs on Friday (September 2), Michelle “the Belle” Ruvola guided Ilooklikerudy to a come-from-behind, 1:59 victory over Eye On The Prize who was driven by Bob “the Lumberman” Troyer. “Trader Bud” Hatfield finished third in that contest with Done Dreamen.
The victory for Ilookilikerudy was the trotter’s second consecutive in Billings competition after having won the event at the Painesville Fair on August 20 with Bob Troyer at the controls.