This past weekend a contingent of Billings
amateur drivers made their annual trek to Prince Edward Island in
the Canadian Maritimes to compete at Charlottetown Driving
Park on Saturday, (Sept 7) and at Summerside Raceway on Sunday. Two
races were afforded the visitors at both venues.
At Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday (Sept. 7),
“Joltin’ Joe” Pennacchio and Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford emerged victorious
and the following day at Summerside Raceway, Kelly “Sky” Walker and
“Racin’ Jason” Sgrignouli finished in a dead heat for win in their
split while Sherwin ”Smiley” Edwards scored a victory in the other
Billings contest.
Pennacchio, fresh off a driving victory Friday at Monticello
Raceway on All Amateur Day, wasted little time sending his pacer,
Caughtfoolinaround , to the lead from the five hole and they had command
after a :29.1 first quarter.
Pennacchio kept the medal to the metal and in doing so
no one got close to his pacer. At the third stanza in 1:29.1 they still had two
lengths on the field and they cruised home an easy winner over Miramonttogo
and “Tiny Todd” Walsh in a 1:58.4 clocking. “Big Thane” Arsenault
was third best with PH Littlecam.
Sent off the favorite Caughtfoolinaround, owned by Maggie
McCarthy, paid $5.10 for win.
In the second event Steve Oldford’s Dreaming got caught on
the limb but it didn’t seem to matter, when Oldford pulled the pacer
three- deep on the final turn they finally cleared and drew off the a two
length triumph in 1:59.2.
Sherwin “Smiley” Edwards, cut the mile with Muzzy Mud Puddle
but had to settle for second when Oldford and his charge blew by them in
the lane. “Racin’ Jason” Sgrignuoli, who was parked with Fitelle, which gave
Oldford’s pacer cover while on the limb, tired and finished third.
Owned by Norman Meyers and Jason Dreaming paid $10.30
for win.
The next day at Summerside Raceway, the same eight drivers
competed but with different results.
The first split saw “Sky” Walker and Smart
Barney rally late to finish simultaneously with Carsimir Lucian with
Jason Sgrignuoli at the controls. The dead-heat victory marked the first
one this season in Billings competition. Third place went to Ultimate
Success driven by “Mighty Matt” Zuccarello.
After Steve Oldford led his peers to the top of the
lane with Woodmere Rose ,” Smiley” Edwards, whop had been biding his time, made
a move on the final turn and rallied OK Chivas to a length victory over
Oldford’s pacer. Third place went to Elm Grove Future with Joe Pennacchio
aboard.
In spite of driving pacers, which really doesn’t matter to
the Battlin’ Billings Boys, the PEI trip is always a big favorite with them.
“We love coming here not only because they to go
out of their way to make us comfortable but they treat us like
royalty,” said Steve Oldford. “When we’re here it seems like they
can’t do enough for us.”
