by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — It has been over a week now since the four-member team of Northfield Park defeated their foursome counterparts from Cal-Expo in the Pro-Am Challenge, but that hasn’t stopped the Midwesterners from speaking well of their trip out west.

“We had a really great time, I must say,” said J.D. Wengerd, one of the pros for Team Northfield. “While I love racing back home, I could really get used to the sun and the fun they have out here.”

“Both of our plants race year round and things can certainly get a little stale,” said Northfield’s racing secretary and amateur competitor Gregg Keidel. “The pro-am event threw a new wrinkle into the product mix and based on the handles, I think the fans endorsed the concept.

“Certainly for those of us involved, it was a lot of fun and was great to be both guest and host on both ends of the competition,” concluded Keidel, who put together the concept of the Pro-Am Challenge.

In the challenge, after the first four races had been conducted at Northfield Park, the Ohioans had jumped out to a commanding 101-67 lead in the competition. The easterners, however, had given the left coasters much time to recover, as the eastern contingent didn’t head west for the second half of the home and home series until a week ago, some three weeks later.

Three races thus were conducted at Cal-Expo on Thursday, July 12, in which Rocky Stidham would lead the California crew back into contention by winning the first two races. And even though Northfield’s Bob Troyer won the third leg of the night, Northfield’s lead was now only at seven.

Rounding out the Northfield team, in addition to Gregg Keidel and J.D. Wengerd, was the talented professional, Aaron Merriman.

The series concluded on Friday, July 13, which ended up proving unlucky for the Sacramento team made up of pros Rick Kuebler and Rocky Stidham and amateurs Dave Siegel and Alan Kirschenbaum. A small three-point differential was all that separated the two squads going into the last race, effectively meaning that whatever team member finished first would win it for his group.

After the favorite broke for the Ohioans, it looked like Team California would take it. However, Aaron Merriman had different plans and gunned his charge United We Stand to the front in true half-mile fashion and never looked back, assuring final victory for the eastern invaders. The victory for Merriman and Team Northfield gave them a series ending 187-176 winning margin. In the overall individual standings, Cal-Expo’s Rocky Stidham led all drivers with 66 points.

In his winner’s circle presentation, Sacramento Harness Association General Manager Dick Feinberg commented, “We are happy to be a part of such a unique experience and hope to play host to the second annual Cal-Expo–Northfield Challenge next year!”