Northville, MI – Justin Irvine, 20, currently sits second in the driver standings at Northville Downs with 27 wins. One of those wins came Friday evening (June 3) aboard Shell Yeah (3, H Downbytheseaside – Swinging Cami – Cambest) who set a track record for trainer Brian Boring, owners Douglas Hartung and Douglas Hartung Jr., and breeder Amanda Stephens.

Shell Yeah stopped the timer in 1:55.2 to set a new Northville Downs track record for 3-year-old colt pacers. Renae Parsons Photo.

Shell Yeah got away seventh some six lengths in back of front-runner Willy’s Last Wish (David Lake). Irvine was patient in the drive, waiting for cover flow to develop. Finding himself third over down the backside and loaded with pace, Irvine flipped Shell Yeah four wide past three-quarters in 1:26.4 and quickly cleared before the paddock turn then opened up to win by 7-1/4 lengths, stopping the timer in 1:55.2, breaking the previous track record for 3-year-old colt pacers, previously set by Ramses Two (1:55.3) back on Dec. 13, 1997, three years before Irvine was born.

When asked what he thought about getting to drive a horse like Shell Yeah at such an early stage in his career, Irvine replied, “He’s a fast horse and good trainers make me look good. He’s a very nice young horse. He’s a beast. I enjoy driving him.”

Irvine is closing in on career win number 200 (197 currently) and he continues to follow in his father’s footsteps, Don Irvine, Jr, who has amassed 7,540 driving wins so far and is still going. It is safe to say Justin is well on his way to blazing his own path in harness racing.

Northville Downs has proved fast this meet. The track crew and track superintendent Tom Lenhard, Jr have done a phenomenal job with the surface and last night’s track record is the second one to fall this meet. On April 30, 2022, Princess Rockette and driver Kim Pluta lowered the mark for Aged Pacing Mares to 1:54h for trainer William D Johnson and owner/breeder George Hensley, Jr.