Joe Putnam pulled in $1,000 for Outfitter’s, Inc. of Pendleton, Indiana during the Fab Five/Challenger Pie Eating Contest Sunday at Hoosier Park

.

Putnam finished a whole apple pie in less than eight and one-half minutes to claim the grand prize for his charity. Brian Elmore, director of racing operations, served as one of the judges for the contest and declared Putnam the winner.

Putnam was the only driver to polish off an entire pie. Trace Tetrick, who represented Drug Awareness Resistance Education (DARE) was close behind in second, eating a Lemon Meringue pie while Mike “Mo Pete” Peterson finished third, eating more than half of a cherry pie for Shriner’s Hospital for Children.

Peter Wrenn, Hoosier Park’s leading driver and the Challenger to the Fab Five, finished in fourth place representing St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with his Chocolate Cream pie eating skills. Ricky Macomber dove into a Banana Cream pie for Indiana School for the Deaf while Jason Dillander rounded out the field with Coconut Cream for his charity, American Cancer Society.

The Fab Five and Wrenn will return following the races Monday, May 31 for another round of the Pie Eating Contest. The drivers will once again vie for the top prize of $1,000 for their selected charities. Live racing begins at 1 p.m. Estimated post time for the Pie Eating Contest is 4:15 p.m.

A resident of Pendleton, Putnam and his wife, Lisa, are active members of Outfitter’s Inc. The organization provides clothing and school supplies for underprivileged children each year in Madison County. Putnam raised $1,080 during the 2009 racing season through various Fab Five charitable promotions. He will continue to do charitable work for Outfitters through the end of the Standardbred season, which ends Sunday, July 11.

The Fab Five and Challenger Peter Wrenn will once again participate in Charity Chariots beginning Saturday, June 19. The drivers will provide rides around Hoosier Park’s oval behind racehorses in double-seated jog carts prior to the live racing program for four consecutive Saturdays beginning at 4 p.m. Last year’s Charity Chariots brought in nearly $5,000 total for five charities associated with the Fab Five members.

(Hoosier Park)