Longtime racing fan Brad Lichty is off to the Little Brown Jug later this year, compliments of Grand River Raceway. The Elmira, ON resident was the victor yesterday in the Geek Squad Spring Championship.

For the past two months, avid racing fans have been winning their way into the Grand River Raceway Geek Squad through qualifying contests. The Spring Championship on July 1 presented the harness racing geeks with a mix of trivia and handicapping exercises.

Lichty and fellow finalist Jim Tangney duked it out in the final challenge - a Spelling Bee chalked full of horse names.

Lichty clinched the grand prize with 'Galleria.' Neither Lichty or his wife (and fellow Geek Squad semifinalist) Corrine have attended the Little Brown Jug before.

The summer edition of the Grand River Raceway Geek Squad kicks off July 8 with a $700 Geek Squad Handicapping Tournament on Tuesday nights from July 8 to July 29. The Summer Geek Squad Championship will be staged on September 1 with a grand prize of $1,000.

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(Grand River)