Bobbleheads to
celebrate 7th Annual Drivers’ Championship at Vernon Downs on Aug.
25 & Tioga Downs on Sept. 2
NICHOLS, NY – He may be in the midst of a career
season with nearly $5 million in purse earnings already, but Corey Callahan
jokes that “you know you’ve finally made it when you get a bobblehead.”
Callahan, who recently was given the nickname “Captain” in a
promotion at The Meadowlands Racetrack, will be honored with his very own
bobblehead doll at Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs.
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| The Corey Callahan Bobblehead and the Captain himself. |
The bobblehead giveaway coincides with the tracks’ 7th
Annual Drivers’ Championship, billed this year as harness racing’s version of
the All-Star Game (see attached promotional poster). Callahan will compete
against the premier drivers in the sport for more than $40,000 in prize money,
including a $25,000 first place prize, the equivalent of a driver’s share of
winning a $1 million race.
“I’m really looking forward to participating in the Drivers’
Championship for the first time,” said Callahan. “It’s the best of the best
competing so to be included in that group is quite an honor.”
For the first time, the event will be contested at both
racetracks. The opening leg will take place at Vernon Downs on Sunday, August
25 and share the card with the $700,000 Zweig Memorial Trot. The final round
will then go to Tioga Downs on Labor Day Monday, September 2 and share the
spotlight with the $400,000 Cane Pace, opening leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown.
This year, the Drivers’ Championship will pit North
America’s top six money-winning drivers against the leading driver (by wins) at
Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs plus a sponsor’s exemption. The qualifying cut off
date is August 19.
As for that bobblehead, Callahan said the plastic version of
him looks just as good as the human version.
“I was very surprised at how much the bobblehead actually
looks like me. The people who made it are very talented.”
