It’s true
that Billy Parker, Jr. has been around for decades. And it’s true he has won an
inordinate amount of driving titles. It’s also correct that he won two more
races at Monticello Raceway on September 10 and now has driven 11,037 winners
in his illustrious career.
With those
victories Parker is now poised to take over sixth position all-time in races
won and needs just one victory to tie Walter Case, Jr.’s total of 11038. And
with one more triumph Parker will become the sixth winningest driver in
the history of the North American sport.
Not getting
the live catch-drives that he has warranted in the past, still the bearded
wonder has reined 159 winners this year and is currently third on the local
leaderboard. But in the past his name was atop the leaderboard 18 times
over the years.
On Tuesday,
September 10, Zeke won a pair of races. He scored a stunning
come-from-behind 1:58 victory with Robert Dinerman’s, Topgun
Raider ($14.00) in race five and then won race seven behind Karma Racing’s
,Olive Loaf ($4.70), in 1:57.1.
Asked how he
feels chasing the leaders in the win department this year Parker just shrugged
his shoulders and said philosophically, “ I’ve had a great career and with all
the curves that life has thrown at me, not being the (driving) leader is not
all that important at this stage of my life.”
It’s no
secret that Parker has endured many tragedies in his lifetime not the least
being the loss of his beloved wife ,TJ, a few years ago and beating
prostate cancer early last season.
Also on
Tuesday Bruce Aldrich, Jr. again won five races on the card four for
trainer Bob Lounsbury. He now leads runner-up Jimmy Marohn, Jr. by 55
wins, 280-225.
When
his 133 winners at Saratoga Raceway are added to his seasonal totals
Aldrich now has 413 seasonal victories which ranks him fifth best in
North America.
“I always
had a big public stable but I gave it up this year and just concentrated on
driving,” Aldrich explained. “I’m driving at both Monticello and Saratoga, many
times at both tracks on the same day, and I have to admit it’s exhausting,
especially since the (the tracks)are 165 miles apart.”
Still
Aldrich is having the best season of his career and is just 38 wins
from equaling his best output of 451 which he recorded in 2010.
