by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — High School student Joe Bongiorno is working on his “Masters Degree.” Not one from any university but one that will further his career. Since he was old enough to know what he wanted to do in life, the 18-year-old senior at Colts Neck (NJ) High School has been working toward that goal, which is to be a professional harness driver. And by all accounts he’s doing very well.

Geri Schwarz photo

Joe Bongiorno hustles Guest Host to victory at Monticello.

On the Monticello Raceway card of Wednesday (Nov. 16), Bongiorno reined another winner when he guided Mike Carubba’s Guest Host to a 2:01.3 victory and immediately afterwards he and his parents traveled to Saratoga Raceway where young Joey drove a winner and had a second place finish in two starts there.

For Bongiorno, his Mighty M victory on Wednesday with Guest Host followed a triumph he had with Taylorlane Diva two days prior. Now from a limited amount of drives the teenager has seven wins at Monticello Raceway and 20 overall thus far this season.

Bongiorno reached a personal milestone when he drove two winners on the Mighty M card of Oct. 4.

“That was my first pari-mutuel driving double,” Bongiorno said proudly after the victories. “I hope to have many more in the future.”

At their annual Awards Banquet in late October the members of the Monticello-Goshen Chapter USHWA presented the teenager with their “Rising Star Award” and Bongiorno is sure making them look good with their choice.

Bongiorno, the grandson of Harold “Sonny” Dancer, has more than held his own in the sulky ever since he jumped up on one during the 2010 season. Last year at 17 years of age, he competed in qualifying, matinee and amateur races and he joined the C.K.G. Billings Series where he went on to register six wins, two seconds and three thirds in 14 starts against drivers two and three times his age.

Bongiorno’s talent was so remarkable that he was named “National Amateur Driver of the Year” by the United States Harness Writers Association.

The pride and joy of his parents, Bob and Barbara (Sonny’s daughter), young Bongiorno is a wonderful, clean-cut young man with manners and a talent for driving. And being a member of the very accomplished Dancer family — the late Stanley is his great uncle — he’s got ability bred into him.

It may seen coincidental that Bongiorno is vaulting into renown at Monticello Raceway but his granddad “Sonny” Dancer used the Mighty M as a stepping stone when he won the driving title here in 1961.