The actual birthday of great civil rights leader Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. is January 15 although America will celebrate his
accomplishments on Monday, January 20 in order to have a three day weekend. And
even though Monticello Raceway recently added January 20 to its racing schedule
the track will still go with its tribute to the great civil rights leader
on Tuesday January 21 as had been previously advertised.
The 14th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pace
will feature the talents of drivers of African-American
heritage and will be
the first leg of the Mighty M’s Heritage Drivers Series-2014.
“We are proud to honor the memory and accomplishments of the
great Dr. Martin Luther King (Jr.),” said Eric Warner, the raceways director of
racing. “Again this year we seem to have plenty of interest and we expect
that our 14th edition (of this event) will be just as good, or even
better, than the ones we have previously presented.”
Slated as the 12th race on the 13th
race Tuesday card the event will feature four previous Dr. King Pace winners;
Dennis Watson; Cedric Washington, Bobby “Boonie” Williams, Jr., and Jim King
Solomon.
Watson, a two-time Dr. King Pace winner, is the defending
champion having won last year’s MLK Pace with Ally’s Delight in 2:04.2 on a
cold and windy afternoon. Watson, in from Freehold Raceway, also won the
Dr. King Pace in 2008 with BJ’s Jetstream in 2:00 which is still the fastest
winning time in the event thus far. On Tuesday, Watson will handle Lakers Vett
and start from post position three.
Mighty M regular Cedric Washington has been victorious in
the MLK Pace three times having won the event in 2001, 2003 and again in 2011.
This year he has drawn Four Star Tommy and they’ll leave from post position
six.
Another local driver, Bobby “Boonie” Williams, Jr. won this
event two years ago with Mt. Vernon Hanover in a 2:01.2 clocking. He has drawn
Scare Tactics N and they’ll start on the far outside from post eight.
And Jim King Solomon is making his first appearance since
winning the Dr. King Pace with Blackjack Magic in 2:00.4 during the 2008
campaign. Coming in from Freehold NJ- area Solomon will handle Shando
Hanover when they start from post position seven.
Rounding out the field of drivers are Paul Moore, Dennis
Washington, James O’Farrow and George Newell,
Jr.
First post on Tuesday will be at 12:25pm with the Dr. King
Pace going off at approximately 4:15pm
