“On Friday we had two races at Yonkers and two races
each at both Raceway Park and Buffalo Raceway,” noted Tony “the
Capo”Verruso, the president of the Billings Series.“All the races went off
without a hitch and a good time was had by all who attended even with the muddy
track at Buffalo Raceway on Sunday.”
The long weekend began on Friday night (June 15) in at
Yonkers Raceway where Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford and “Bullet Bob”
Davis prevailed in their respective Eastern Region divisions.
Oldford scored a romping 11-length triumph in 1:58.3
with Magglio over Sir Kensington and Harvey “Doc” Stein. Third place went to
Rodeo Red and “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo.
The other split saw series newcomer “Bullet Bob’ Davis
use the front end route with Dancin Thea to eke-out a neck victory over
Nowerland Nathan and Dave “Steady As“ Yarock in a time of 2:00.3 .Alan “the
Intimidator” Schwartz was third best with Get Chipped.
On Saturday in Midwest Region action, the Billings contests
were at Raceway Park where Joseph “JJ” Miller scored an easy two length
victory with 11-1 shot Keep Your Shirt On in a time of 2:00.4 in
the first of the two Billings splits there. Beauty Chip, who
was handled by another series newcomer, Richard “the Wolverine”
Roach, was second best while “Tiny Tim” Miller took home the show dough
with Celebrity Ferrari.
In the other split, Kelly “Sky” Walker the 2011 National
Amateur Driver of the Year, scored an easy four length victory with
Sand Montana in a 1:59 clocking when they zipped by the pace-setter
Harper Marie and driver Tim Miller as the approached the finish line.
Second place in that contest saw the Steve Oldford-driven
Outer Drive Girl also pass Harper Marie in the deep stretch
to finish second. Harper Marie did hang on for third money for “Tiny Tim”
On Sunday the battling Billings boys, again in Eastern
Region action, ventured to Buffalo Raceway and in the pouring rain Bobby “Rapid
Rail” Krivelin and “Dynamite Dave” Drew prevailed in their respective
divisions.
Krivelin, last season’s National Amateur Driver of the
Year, scored behind D J Supreme despite being parked to half. Krivelin’s
pacer held off a fast closing Cinderella Story and
driver Howie “the Horse” Gelfand to win by 1-1/2 lengths in a 2:03
clocking. “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo took home the show dough with Bobsuiak.
In the second split “Dynamite Dave” sat a
perfect two hole journey behind “Bullet Bob” Davis and Armbro
Chaperon and then whisked by them in the lane to score in a 2:05.2
clocking. In the deep stretch, “Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo hustled
Clearly Possessed up for second money as Armbro Chaperon faded and
finished third.
“ A nice thing about the Billings this past weekend
was that most of the horses that competed in all six races were not
driven by their owners,” Verruso added. “I think that made for better
competitions.”
