Officials with Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs have announced that top Canadian driver Jody Jamieson has been named the sponsor’s exemption and will be the ninth and final competitor in the seventh annual Tioga/Vernon All-Star Drivers’ Championship.
Jamieson will be competing in his third straight Drivers’ Championship. He accomplished an unprecedented double in 2011 when he won both the Tioga/Vernon Drivers’ Championship and the World Driving Championship.
Currently, Jamieson is the top-money winning driver amongst Canadian-based drivers, as he has driven his mounts to over $4-million in purse earnings. Earlier this year, he piloted Warrawee Needy to the co-fastest race mile in harness racing history with a 1:46.4 win at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey.
“Jody has always been highly supportive of all the initiatives to help promote the sport at the Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs,” said Jason Settlemoir, VP of Racing and Simulcast. “He’s one of harness racing’s best representatives and we also feel that it’s appropriate to have the leading Canadian-based driver competing in North America’s premier driving event.”
The first round of the event will take place at Vernon Downs during a special Sunday night of racing on August 25 (first-race post time will be 6:45 p.m.). The leader after the Vernon round will receive $10,000. The drivers and their accumulated points will then head to Tioga Downs on a special Labour Day card (on September 2) that features a 1:30 p.m. first-race post time. The overall winner of the event will receive $25,000.
The Vernon Downs leg of the challenge shares the card with the $700,000 Zweig Memorial Trot, which will feature Hambletonian champion Royalty For Life racing on his home track. The Tioga Downs leg of the challenge shares the card with the $400,000 Cane Pace, the opening leg of the Pacing Triple Crown. 'The Cane' is expected to feature a long-awaited showdown between top-rated three-year-olds Captaintreacherous and Vegas Vacation.
In addition to the racing on the track, fans will be treated to a variety of giveaways and promotions, including the annual bobblehead giveaway and t-shirt giveaway (while supplies last) and drawings to win iPads and laptop computers. There will also be pre-race autograph sessions with the drivers on both days of the event.
(With files from Tioga / Vernon)