When an up-and-coming driver gets to compete in a 15-race card, count on those young guns to show the world exactly what they can do if given the chance
. On Sunday, January 15, Todd Budd and Cody Henry will battle driving ace Darrell Coville in the 2012 Ultimate Racing Championship at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
Originally, the night was set up to be a showdown between Coville and 2011 Coville Cup Senior Division winner Todd Budd. Junior Division winner Cody Henry was added to the mix after the NCRHHA changed the showdown to add both the Junior and Senior division champs.
"I’m happy about it. I was told a bunch people complained that I didn’t get to go up so they gave me a shot at it," Henry, 21, told Trot Insider. "My brother got to go up last year so I want to out-do my brother. I’m just happy I get the opportunity to do it like my brother did."
Cody's brother Travis put on a clinic in the 2011 Rookie Vs. Champ Challenge, winning six races on the card.
"[Travis] didn’t give me any tips about driving against Darrell, but he gave me tips on how to race on that track," continued Henry. "It’s a fast track and he just gave me tips on how to drive on the track. He never told me about Darrell or anything, but we'll likely discuss it on the five-hour drive up there."
Budd knows that focusing on just Henry or Coville could prove costly.
"They’re all good drivers. Everybody that drives up there is good so it’s going to be tough," said Budd, son of noted trainer Bill Budd. "I feel very privileged to get to drive against them all. It’s going to be a tough competition and I think it’s a good idea [to add Cody to the challenge]. He deserves the experience too."
One thing is clear: both Budd and Henry crave the chance to strut their stuff on a full card. With 15 drives, each driver relishes this golden opportunity.
"I hope to get a lot of experience from it," stated Budd, 25. "I think it’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing getting to drive in 15 races in one night. I might never get the chance to drive in 15 races again in my life. Last year was just my second year of driving and my goal was to have a .200 average. I actually achieved that and got a higher average of .212. I was also able to buy my own horse [Mas O Menos] and he did well. I still have him to this day.
"My goal is to get more drives [in 2012] and to have a .250 to .300 average. It’s going to be hard. It's a catch-22: I need more drives and to get more experience."
After seeing what a win did for his brother Travis, who tripled his 2010 win and money totals in 2011, Cody Henry is hopeful that a breakout performance on Sunday will springboard him into a career best year.
"I’m looking for some experience and to get my name out there so people understand that I’m actually a legit and talented driver," stated Henry, son of horsemen Paul and part of harness racing's prominent Henry family. "I only got four wins last year: the three up there and I won with one of my dad’s. I go to qualifiers every week so I’d just like to get more drives and get more experience and maybe have 20 wins in 2012. I’d like to try to be an average driver this year and then the year after that I can be like my brother."
Neither Budd nor Henry have driven at Rideau since the 2011 Coville Cup and each driver will look to rekindle some of that magic on Sunday. To view entries for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Rideau Carleton Raceway.