The Atlantic Regional Driving Championship (ARDC), the last of the four regional events, will mark the conclusion of the regional competitions paving the way to the 2024 National Driving Championship (NDC) in Trois-Rivières, Que., on July 5.
Standardbred Canada is pleased to confirm the following field of eight drivers for the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship, which is set to take place on Saturday, May 25, at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park in P.E.I.
- Marc Campbell
- Redmond Doucet
- David Dowling
- Paul Langille
- Corey MacPherson
- Ardon Mofford
- Ken Murphy
- Todd Trites
This is the sixth time the ARDC has been held at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Red Shores also hosted the inaugural National Driving Championship in 2007, and twice more after, making them three-time NDC hosts.
Drivers will receive points based on their finishing position. The first and second-place finishers from the eight-race competition will advance to the 2024 National Driving Championship, which is set to return to Trois-Rivières, Que., on Friday, July 5 at Hippodrome 3R. They will be joined by the two finalists from each of the other regional championships (Western, Ontario, Quebec / Eastern Ontario).
Invitations were extended to drivers based on racing criteria from their 2023 season up to Feb. 29, 2024. Additionally, drivers were required to confirm their availability for both the 2024 National Driving Championship and the 2025 World Driving Championship.
The draw for the Atlantic Regional will be facilitated by Standardbred Canada. The format will allow drivers to participate in selecting the horses they will drive.
First, there will be a draw to determine the order of the draft (first through eighth) for the first Atlantic Regional race. A random number generator will then be used to determine the draw for the next seven races to ensure each driver has the opportunity to draw a first through eighth pick. Following the draft will be the post position draw to ensure that every driver drives from post one through eight for the competition.
The winner of the 2024 National Driving Championship will be invited to represent Canada in harness racing's 2025 World Driving Championship, hosted in New Zealand and Australia.
(Standardbred Canada)