Quick...what driver won the most races at Monticello Raceway during the first decade of the 21st Century?
A first guess would undoubtedly produce the name of Billy Parker, Jr. Zeke, as he is known on the backstretch, has copped 14 driving titles since coming here in the mid-1980’s and although he won three driving championships (2003-2004-2009) at the Mighty M since 2000 he finished the past decade here with 1,944 wins. That total only ranked him second on them list.
The leader, surprising or not, was Bruce Aldrich, Jr.
Aldrich, who found a home here in the late 1990’s reined 2,353 winners from 2000 through 2009 but over those years he copped just one driving title (2001) although he has been among the top three in races won nearly every season.
Stephane Bouchard captured two driving titles (2006-2007) as did Greg Merton who topped the charts during 2000 and 2005.
The other seasonal driving leader, who was also the youngest driver to ever win a Mighty M driving title, was 21-year-old Jordan Stratton whose 363 winners was tops in 2008. Stratton’s 828 decade victories, which ranked him ninth on the list, were produced in just 3-1/2 seasons.
For the first five years of the past decade Jimmy Devaux’s 1,129 wins was tops, some 37 better than Bruce Aldrich’s 1,082. However, Aldrich’s 1,271 wins from 2005-2009 topped Zeke Parker’s 1,167 over that same period.
The biggest seasonal output during the past decade belonged to Bouchard when he reined 410 winners in 2006. However, Monticello Raceway’s all-time high of 526 seasonal driving victories was produced by Billy Parker, Jr. during 1995.
When Bruce Aldrich, Jr. was asked who he thought was the leader over the past 10 years he too responded by saying Billy Parker, Jr. And his second guess was Greg Merton.
After being taunted he was told that he had won the most races since 2000 and he responded, "I knew I had a lot of winners, too, but I didn’t think I had the most."
Aldrich first arrived on the scene in 1999 and being a top-notch race driver he was, and still is, in demand for his catch-driving services.
“I’ve had a great time since I’ve been here and though I’ve won a lot of races much of the credit goes to the trainers who have had their horses in top shape.” Aldrich then added “Everyone knows that Zeke has always been my idol and for me to win this honour is mind-boggling.”
Below is the list of the drivers with the most wins at Monticello Raceway during the first decade of the 21st Century.
Driver - Wins
Bruce Aldrich, Jr. - 2,353
Billy Parker, Jr. - 1,944
Greg Merton - 1,918
Jimmy Devaux - 1,731
Kyle DiBenedetto - 1,408
Mike Merton - 1,325
Stephane Bouchard - 1,021
Mike Forte - 846
Jordan Stratton - 828
Claude Huckabone III - 820
Cedric Washington - 703
(Monticello Raceway)