Since 2001, Monticello Raceway has been paying tribute to the memory of the great civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by presenting a race exclusively for drivers of African-America descent.
The eighth edition of the event will go to post the afternoon of Thursday, January 15, the actual birth date of Dr. King, with eight talented drivers set to battle in the event which is slated as Race 8.
Among the drivers to be featured in the race is Cedric Washington, two-time winner of the Dr. King Paces, who is among the African-American drivers with the most victories in the sport. A longtime regular at Monticello Raceway, Washington’s 1,731 driving victories place him third all-time behind Randy Tharps, 4,175 wins, and Lew Williams’ 2,023.
On Thursday, Washington has a good chance to add to his win totals when he guides Artristocracy from Post 4 in the Dr. King Pace. A seven-time winner last year, the Christine Spano-owned pacer holds a lifetime mark of 1:58 1 taken at 'the Mighty M' last season.
However, don’t put a circle around Artristocracy and Cedric Washington yet, as there are seven others in the contest that have to be reckoned with.
Former Dr. King Pace winners with mounts this year include Don Simmonds, General 'Bubba' Washington, Jr. (Cedric’s dad) and last years champ, Dennis Watson.
Simmonds, who comes in from Vernon Downs, will handle Evan Katz’s and Billy Parker Jr.’s Bing N and start from Post 3. The pacer, a 1:57:1 winner last season, sports a 2:02:4 victory two starts ago on December 26.
Cedric’s dad, Bubba Washington, has Megan Gilmour’s Famous Last Words, a 1:56:1 winner last year who is a winner of two of his last three starts. Unfortunately for Bubba he’ll have to start from Post 8.
The track odds-maker has given the morning line favourite roll to Black Jack Magic who will race away from Post 1. Owned by female blacksmith Elisha Lafreniere, the pacer comes into the event of a 2:01:4 victory in his last start and is a winner of three of his last four races. Jim King Solomon, in from Freehold Raceway, will be in the pilot's seat.
Rounding out the field for the Eighth Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pace are: George Polk, Jr., in from Delaware with Mike Doherty’s Half Life; last years champ, Dennis Watson, in from Freehold Raceway to drive Steve Moore’s and Ben Versaci’s, Tycoon Ernesto N; George Newell. Jr., up from Yonkers Raceway with Bruce Aldrich’s Half Life; and local driver Bobby 'Boonie' Williams, who’ll sit behind John Stubits’ Flying After Midnite.
First race post time for the 13-race card is 12:40 p.m.
(With files from Monticello)