by John Zimich, publicity director, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Jim Morrill, Jr., coming off a career year as a harness racing catch driver, is a realist when it comes to duplicating his 2009 racing season. He’s one of the top drivers who once again will be competing at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs when the 136-day meet opens Tuesday night, March 23.

Jim Morrill, Jr.

During the 2009 season, Morrill finished 10th in the driver standings in North America with $8,217,337 in earnings, while his 388 victories ranked him 21st. He was fifth in the battle for Harness Tracks of America’s Driver of the Year laurels behind Jody Jamieson, Dave Palone, Jason Bartlett and Tim Tetrick.

“I’m really looking forward to racing at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs,” said Morrill, a resident of Hamburg, N.Y. “I realize it’s going to be tough to duplicate last year’s season. But I’ll be ready to rock ’n roll.

“There are three ingredients needed when competing in the sport. One is to have the power, another is having some luck and the third would be to stay healthy. I had all three things happen in 2009.”

The 45-year-old Morrill won the Universal Driving Rating title at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs last year with a mark of .400. He compiled 217 wins, 145 seconds and 102 third-place finishes on just 828 drives. He was second to leading driver Joe Pavia, Jr., who had 251 victories with 1,402 starts.

Morrill produced those impressive numbers at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs despite not having raced the last 38 days of the season due to other stakes commitments and deciding to take some time off to be with his family. That’s a pattern he has been adhering to the past several years.

“I saw an opportunity last year to drive at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and made the best of it,” offered Morrill. “But because of scheduling this year I expect it to be much tougher since more top notch drivers will be competing here. If that happens, it will cut up the ‘pie.’

“Not in my wildest dreams did I ever envision a year like 2009,” he further stated. “But we certainly will give it our best shot.”