Last December Monticello Raceway’s leading driver, Bruce
Aldrich, Jr. locked horns with Northfield Park’s top gun, Ronnie Wrenn, in a
‘drive-off’ here where both men drove in every trace on the card and at days
end Aldrich, the home-towner, reined six winners while Wrenn, the visitor, had
four.
And when the curtain came down on the 2013 national racing
season both gentlemen finished one-two in driving victories in North America,
Wrenn with 714 and Aldrich with 645.
Yesterday at Monticello Raceway Aldrich, who tops the
standings here, reined three winners on the eight-race card. The previous day,
Sunday (March 23) Aldrich had a five bagger at Saratoga. Since Friday (March
20) he has reined 12 winners.
Wrenn, too, is driving daily, at Northfield Park, Buffalo
Raceway and The Meadows, and has had 15 wins since last Friday.
And with opportunities to drive every day of the week wins
will add up.
Since both drivers have been heating-up, each has been
moving up on the North American leaderboard in wins again this year. Wrenn’s
128 winners ranks him fourth while Aldrich’s 102 ties him for
seventh, both chasing leader, Corey Callahan’s 147.
Since neither trains stable of horses and concentrate mainly
on driving, they are more free to travel to various race tracks to ply their
trade.
“I’m constantly on the go and I cover plenty of miles in my
car,” Aldrich admits. “Let me tell you that constantly going up and down the
highways takes its toll, especially when Monticello and Saratoga are 140 miles
apart.
“Oh, I’m not complaining because I’m lucky enough to get
live drives at both tracks.”
The same could be said by Wrenn who covers plenty of ground
on the highways, too. And that he’s currently fourth in wins on the continent
speaks volumes for his talents, especially since he had an operation on his
wrist early this season and didn’t get started driving in earnest until
February.
And with their modus opporendi (MO), and barring any
unforeseen problems, both figure to garner plenty of winners again this
year.
