It isn’t often that Monticello Raceway gets a chance to have
the leading driver in North America compete here. However, that will
change on Wednesday, November 20th when the Northfield
Park sensation Ronnie Wrenn Jr. takes a trip to the Mighty M to compete in the
track’s final leg of it Heritage Drivers Series, the Maple Leaf
Mile, for drivers of Canadian heritage.
At last count Wrenn has driven 597 winners and has 416
seconds and 360 thirds in 2665 starts with a UDR of .363. Wrenn’s win
total is some 26 more than runner-up Dave Palone’s 571 and 56 more than Tim
Tetrick’s 541.
Wrenn has been racing mostly at Northfield Park although one
day a week he’s been traveling to Batavia Downs to compete there.
He recently called the Monticello Raceway publicity office
and offered to race in the Maple Leaf Mile.
“My dad called me and said Monticello is looking for drivers
of Canadian heritage and since we have Canada in our background why don’t you
give them a call he told me, which I did, “the younger Wrenn
related.
“ I told their publicity office that I’d to come
to Monticello and drive (in the Canadian race) but I think you can understand
it’s a long drive from Northfield to Monticello but if I can get quite a quite
a few drives that day I’ll be there. Just please let me know if that’s
possible.”
Eric Warner , the Mighty M’s director of racing
thought that Wrenn’s request was reasonable.
“We’ll do our best to get him (Wrenn) as many drives as
possible that afternoon,” Warner said when the question was posed to him. “Of
course we’ll need the cooperation of the local trainers but with Wrenn’s
record and talent I don’t think there will be too much trouble finding
drives for him. At least I hope not.”
If Wrenn decides to come he’ll be competing against some
talented local drivers whose background goes back to Canada in one way or
another.
Among those Warner has already received confirmation from
include last year’s winner, Jimmy Devaux, and two recent members of the
local colony, Jason Ryan and Aaron Byron. Warner also said that
Jacques Primeau and Keith Haase can be counted on but he still needs eight
driers to fill the race.
Anyone of Canadian heritage would would like to
drive in the Maple Leaf Mile, is asked to contact Warner in
the race office by calling 845.794.4100x557. Or they can contact the
tracks publicity department at ext. 455.
