Hoosier Park Racing & Casino is excited to unveil a driver challenge like never seen before in the sport of harness racing. The 2014 Champion Driver Series will pit the top 10 drivers at the Indiana harness track against one another in a five-race challenge not once, but twice, throughout the season with the champion driver driving away in a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
“Unparalleled and unprecedented -- That is the only way I can describe the 2014 Hoosier Park Racing and Casino Driver’s Challenge,” noted Hoosier Park’s Vice President and General Manager of Racing, Rick Moore. “While there have been many driver’s contests and challenges at many tracks, none has captured the uniqueness with the ultimate grand prize associated with this competition.”
In the first of the two challenges, the top 10 drivers will compete in a five-race competition on Saturday, July 19 for their share of $5,000. The rankings will be based on number of wins at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino as of Saturday, July 12, 2014. The drivers will pick their horses via a draft system to be held in the following order:
1st race: Number 1 ranked driver picks first, number 2 picks second, etc.
2nd race: Number 10 ranked driver picks first, number 9 picks second, etc.
3rd race: Same as first race
4th race: Same as second race
5th race: Same as first
The top eight finishers from the first challenge will return for round two on Saturday, September 27 with the final two positions being determined by the official Hoosier Park standings at the conclusion of racing on Saturday, September 20.
While the second go-round will be conducted in the same manner as the first challenge, the winner of the final challenge will be awarded a one-year lease of a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” driver Jason Dillander noted after seeing the car he could potentially win. “Who wouldn’t love a new car, especially one that looks like that? Hoosier Park does a great job of supporting the horsemen and the drivers, and they really make it fun to race here. I am just hoping to get off to a good start this season.”
Qualifying for the 2014 Champion Driver Series began on Friday, March 28 and will continue through Saturday, July 19 for the first challenge. Each of the drafts will take place at a community luncheon held at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. For more information on the 2014 Champion Driver Series, please visit Hoosier Park’s website.
Now in its 21st season of live racing, Hoosier Park began live racing on Friday, March 28, with a new, daily post time of 5:15 p.m. EST. Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will follow a Thursday, Friday, Saturday schedule this week and then resume a Tuesday through Saturday schedule throughout the remainder of the meet. With an extended stakes scheduled offered for the first time, the live racing season will be conducted through November 15, 2014.
(With files from Hoosier Park)