Downs hosting regional driving competition Saturday

Kawartha Downs is hosting the Eastern Ontario/Quebec Regional Driving Championship on Saturday.

Eight harness racing drivers representing Kawartha Downs, Rideau Carleton Raceway and Hippodrome 3R will compete in six races at the Fraserville oval to determine two representatives for the 2018 National Driving Championship.

The winner of the national championship will then represent Canada in the 2019 World Driving Championship in Sweden.

Is the first time Kawartha Downs has hosted in the event’s 11-year history.

“We are extremely excited to be hosting this event,” stated Orazio Valente, general manager of Kawartha Downs. “There has been a lot of preparation going on in the background and we look forward to a great night of harness racing.”

First race post time for Saturday’s card of harness racing is 7 p.m.

Invitations were extended to drivers based on several criteria, including their 2017 statistics on their circuit.

The participating drivers are:

• Nicholas Boyd and Reg Gassien from Kawartha Downs.

• Guy Gagnon, Jonathan Lachance, Brett MacDonald and Richard Simard from Rideau Carleton.

• Stephane Brosseau and Stephane Gendron from Hippodrome 3R.

The EOQRDC races will take place in Races 1, 3 and 5 through

8. View Saturday’s entries here. Drivers will receive points based on their finishing position and the top two drivers will join six other drivers at the 2018 National Driving Championship at Grand River Raceway in Elora, Ont. on Sept. 26.

The winner will have the opportunity to represent Canada in the World Driving Championship, and join 2017 World Driving Champion, James MacDonald, in the 2019 WDC in Sweden.