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MONDAY, APRIL 7,
2008 EAST TRIUMPHS BUT
GOOD TIMES PREVAIL AT THE EAST-WEST AMATEUR CHALLENGE Contact: David
Siegel (dsiegel@axcis.com) For the first
time in the event’s short three-year history, Team East defeated Team West 142-133
over the two night, six race series at the “Challenge at Cal-Expo. Steve “Mr. Sacramento” Chambers, summed it
all up when he said, “while the team lost, I cannot feel anything but like a
winner; this is what amateur racing is all about”. The races were all competitive, carded with 8-10 horse fields,
and the desire for each driver to win was only exceeded by the sportsmanship
and camaraderie that occurred off the track. On Friday morning
and afternoon, Team East was treated to a tour of the State Capitol, Old Town
Sacramento, and lunch on a River Boat in “Old Sac”. The first evening
of competition resulted in a clean sweep of the first place honors by the
invading easterners with George Casale, Scott Woogen and Steve Oldford all
getting their pictures taken. Despite
winning all three heats, the Easterners trailed the Left Coasters by 3 points
as a result of the strong finishes in each races by Team West for the minor
spoils. On Saturday
night, the wealth got spread around a little more as Bob Troyer (East) took
the first race. Scott Woogen vaulted
the East well in front after taking the fifth leg of the series and achieving
a series driving double. Still, the
West was in striking distance going into the final leg. For a few moments, it looked like the west
came back as it had the first and third horses across the line in the final
event. But a totally correct call by
the officials DQ’d the winner resulting in a clean six for six sweep for team
east as George Casale scored his second winner of the series to close things
out. Detailed results,
charts and race replays can be found on the host's California Amateur Driving
Club (CADC) web site at: http://www.thecadc.com/standings_eastwest08.html George Casale,
Scott Woogen, Steve Oldford, Bob Troyer and Howie Gelfand, all top Billings
Drivers from 2007 represented Team East.
The Golden Staters were Jason Maier, Sabrina Shaw, Sue Boyce, Dave
Siegel and Rick Bertrand. 25
different Cal-Expo trainers entered 53 horses in the six race series. Team East brought
gifts commemorating the event for the participating drivers, trainers and
racing secretaries. In addition,
through the generosity of the Billings organization and the California
Amateur Driving Club, purses were augmented by about 10%. Assistant racing secretary Joe Nefsky
commented that the handle was very solid this weekend and he was quite satisfied
with the monies and interest generated by the Challenge series. “There is not
sufficient space to thank all of those who contributed to making this event
the success that it was. 25 trainers
saw the positive attributes of amateur racing to enter their horses. Seeing old friends, making new ones, great
sportsmanship, and the eventual attraction of new owners through possible
participation are just a few of the things amateur racing brings to the
sport. I cannot thank these horsemen
enough for their contributions,” said California Amateur Driving Club (CADC) president
and Challenge participant David Siegel. “We also greatly
appreciate the contributions of our operator, Cal-Expo racing, and in
particular it’s GM Dave Elliott, Racing Secretary Fred Kuebler and Assistant
Racing Secretary Joe Nefsky which, for the third year running, gave this
event the support it needed to be successful. In addition, things like this can only work within a positive
partnership setting. The support
shown by our horseman’s association (CHHA) and its president Ben Kenney was
essential to make this event the success it turned out to be. And while the organizations’ leaders
exhibited great support, at the end of the day it is the entering trainers
and owners that allow this to occur.
All of the amateurs cannot thank them enough for their support and
participation. Good-will ambassador and
CADC board member Steve Chambers ensured that all of the needs of Team East
were taken care of and is most appreciated for his efforts. Finally, to have been honored in the
presence of some of the best amateur drivers in the country, making the long
journey westward, and contributing to the purse augmentation of these races
is a testament to their dedication to our sport. It was truly a team effort on so many dimensions and in a time
with so many challenges and distractions from the core of racing, it was so
refreshing to have such great camaraderie off the track with such great
competition on the track" said Siegel. |