After their driving victories in the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series Regional Finals on November 10th both “Trader Bud” Hatfield and Bob “the Headhunter” Heckoff not only vaulted into second place on their respective regional leaderboards but as owners of their charges each took home the lion’s share of the hefty purses offered.
“Trader Bud” easily copped the $6,000 Midwest
Regional Final at Northfield Park with his Wolf’s Jann in 2:00 and Heckoff took
home half of the $10,000 purse in the Eastern Regional Final at Yonkers Raceway
when he guided his Tremendous Hit to a 2:08 triumph in that 1-1/16th
mile contest.
At Northfield Park last Saturday, Hatfield sent Wof’s
Jann to the lead from the two hole and the farther they went the
more daylight they opened between themselves and their competition. At the wire
Wolf’s Jann was a 5-length winner over 17-1 longshot, Merlincrest, driven by
Mike “the Doo-Wop Doc” Caston. Third place went to Oliver Kiss with the
Midwest Region Points Champion, Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford in the
pilot’s seat.
Earlier that evening, hundreds of miles away at Yonkers
Raceway, Bob Hechkoff and Tremendous Hit also used the front-end
route to victory in Eastern Regional finale to turn back Sam’s S Honeybee,
driven by the Billings Series president, Tony “the Capo” Verruso. Third place
went to New Zion in rein to the Eastern Region Points Champ, Bob “the
Rapid Rail” Krivelin
The 31st season of the CKG Billings Harness
Driving Series began on April 28 at Pompano Park and on Sunday afternoon,
November 18th the amateur driving series will culminate
at Harrah’s Philadelphia with the Delvin Miller Memorial $25,000 Gold
Cup; the $15,000 Silver Cup and the $7500 Bronze Cup Championships. 
