Hoosier Park drivers pick horses for Saturday – The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — The top 10 drivers at Hoosier Park Thursday were afforded a rare opportunity in harness racing.
Those drivers were able to select the horses they wanted to be behind for a series of five Saturday races that make up the 2016 All-Star Drivers Series.
There was a draft held at HP’s Homestretch Restuarant. The 10 drivers are Trace Tetrick, John DeLong, Sam Widger, Tyler Smith, Ricky Macomber, LeWayne Miller, Jason Dillander, Rick Plano, Mike Peterson and Dan Shetler.
Races 5 through 9 will make up the first evening of the series. The second and final night of the competition will be held on Oct. 22. Points will be awarded from each race. The winner at the end of the five Saturday races will be awarded $3,000. Second place will get $1,500 and third will get $500.
Those points will carry over until Oct. 22. At the end of that night, the driver with the most points will get one of three prizes, $10,000 cash, an exotic vacation or a “toy” of the driver’s choosing.
This is the third year for this contest. LeWayne Miller won in 2014 and got a free year’s lease of a Corvette Stingray. Jason Dillander won a year ago and got a trip to Hawaii.
When the drivers this year were polled about which of the three prizes they would choose if they won, there was about an even split between the trip and the “toy.” Only two picked the money, Plano and Shetler.
Then the drivers were asked which of the three years’ prizes they favored, Widger offered, “Well I didn’t like last year’s at all. I went into the final race and needed to finish anywhere but last to win the trip to Hawaii. I finished last.”
Both Miller and Dillander picked in the middle of the pack in the draft process. he first race starts with the top driver getting first choice down through the 10th. For the second race the No. 10 driver gets first pick through the No. 1 driver.
“I am still up in the air about how they draw for the choice of horses,” said Dillander. “I think since the guys in the middle always have a choice, they can get horses who will score points.”
When he was asked about what he thought of his choices for this year’s event, Dillander said, “I am pretty confident of my picks. I don’t know if any of them have a chance to win, but I think all of them have a chance to finish well. Last year I don’t think I won any races.”
Dillander won the title with two seconds, one fourth and two fifth-place finishes. He had 69 total points for the two nights.
First post on Saturday is 5:45 p.m. The first race in the All-Star Driver Series is slated for 7:09 p.m.
