by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — The Mayflower Mile, the race for drivers of British heritage at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday, June 23, was touted as a very competitive event and when it was completed that’s just what it was.

Geri Schwarz photo

Windy City Buddy cruised by Missy’s QT and Blackeyedchristian to score a 1:59.4 victory.

With many of the raceway’s leading drivers participating the outcome wasn’t sure until the final strides when Billy “Zeke” Parker, Jr. urged Windy City Buddy to victory in a 1:59.4 clocking.

The Mayflower Mile was the sixth leg of Monticello’s Heritage Drivers Series and featured drivers who can trace their heritage — either on their mom’s or dad’s side — back to jolly old England.

Bruce Aldrich, Jr. — his mother was British — drove Missy’s QT, whom the betting crowd loved at odds of 2-5, and though Bruce drove her like she was the best Parker and Windy City Buddy came calling in the lane.

Ask Nicely and driver Greg Merton got the first call at both the quarter pole and again at the half but after that they were history. Aldrich moved Missy’s QT, who was third along the pylons, out to challenge as the field neared the halfway point and they were followed by Zeke Parker and Windy City Buddy. Once Missy’s QT cleared Windy City Buddy remained on the limb and the two pacers raced side by side past the three-quarters and around the final turn at which point Blackeyedchristian and driver Gary Messenger joined the fray.

Missy’s QT still had the lead as they headed for home but under Parker’s strong urging Windy City Buddy rallied in the deep stretch to score a one length triumph over Missy’s QT while Blackeyedchristian, who was coming like gangbusters around the final turn, flattened out in the stretch and finished third.

Sent off as the second choice in the betting, Windy City Buddy, trained by Bob Lounsbury for Margaret Olmstead, paid $7.40 to win.

Parker has now earned a berth in the Heritage Series Final which will be dubbed the All-America Cup and presented in early October. He will be joined by the winners of each of the previous Heritage Drivers Series legs. They include Jim King Solomon (Dr. Martin Luther King Pace); Doreen Dailey (Lady Godiva Pace); Jimmy Marohn, Jr. (St. Paddy Pace); Peter Lutman III — his mom was Jewish — (Passover Pace); and Stephane Bouchard (Maple Leaf Pace).

Two more Heritage Series legs must be contested before the All-America Cup is presented. The Munich Mile, for drivers of German descent, is slated for July 30 and on August 26, the Godfather Pace will feature drivers of Italian extraction.