When Monticello Raceway presents its Maple Leaf Pace, the fifth leg of its Heritage Drivers Series on Monday afternoon, May 18 for drivers of Canadian Heritage, Dennis St. Pierre has confirmed that he will participate and Richard Simard is also a possible entrant
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St. Pierre, 47, currently sixth on the leaderboard at Saratoga Raceway has reined 57 winners thus far this season and has amassed 2,779 driving victories in his career. Just recently St. Pierre posted a driving triple which moved him up in the Saratoga Raceway drivers standings.
Contacted by telephone, St. Pierre said he’d enjoy coming to Monticello to participate especially since Saratoga is dark on Mondays and he inquired as to what drivers will be in the race. He was told that Stephane Bouchard will be back to defend his title and that there is a possibility that Richard Simard may also be in.
Simard, 49, another talented reinsmen, is currently racing at Pompano Park and though he would like to compete he isn’t yet sure if he can make the race in time since he has slated Saturday, May 16 as his last day competing in southern Florida.
In his latest email correspondence with the Mighty M’s publicity office, Simard stated: “let me think about it to see if it is possible for me to be there on time. I’ll give you a definite answer by Friday (May 8) the latest.”
Simard has made a career racing in Montreal, Windsor Raceway and Hazel Park and in his 27-plus years in the sulky the diminutive reinsman has won 5,290 races.
Also committed to drive in the Maple Leaf Pace on May 18-- Victoria Day in Canada-- are Stephane Bouchard ,John Gilmour, Terry Finch, Mike Doherty and Jacques Primeau.
The winner of the Maple Leaf Pace will join the winners of Monticello Raceway’s four previous Heritage Drivers races in the “All-America Derby” slated for early October at the Sullivan County oval. They include: Jim King Solomon (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pace); Doreen Dailey (Lady Godiva Pace); Jimmy Marohn, Jr. (St. Paddy Pace) and PJ Lutman (Passover Pace).
(Monticello Raceway)