Amateur racing will enjoy its greatest day when the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series presents its four concluding events on Friday, which will culminate the 25^th anniversary season of the Grand Circuit of Amateur Racing.

After seven months of competition, the Billings members will convene at the Meadowlands that evening to compete in four races. The top point earners will battle in either the Gold Cup Final or the Silver Cup Final while others will compete in either the Bronze Cup Final or the Brass Cup Final.

“We are extremely excited that the Meadowlands is going the extra mile for us on our 25^th Anniversary Season by carding all four of our final events,” said Peter Gerry, the president of the Billings Series. “Our membership is elated and for many it will be their first time they get a chance to drive over the mile track at the Big M.”

The Gold Cup and Silver Cup will be the first two races on the betting card that night while the Bronze Cup and the Brass Cup will be contested as non-wagering affairs events prior to the first betting race.

The Gold and Silver Cup events will be raced at 1-3/16ths miles while the Bronze and Brass Cups each will be contested at the usual one mile distance.

 The 12-horse $30,000 Gold Cup Final, which will be the second race on the betting card, features  the Midwest point champion, Dein “The Jupiter Gem” Spriggs and the Eastern Region point champ, Alan “The Intimidator” Schwartz.

The field lines up as follows (with PP’s and drivers): Travelin Preacher (#1-Dean “What Am I Bid” Beachy); Byzanz (#2- Dein Spriggs); Goalfish (#3-Peter “The President” Gerry); Mr Troy (#4-Rob “Rapid Rail” Krivelin); New Riegel Joy (#5-Alan Schwartz); Night’s Jazz (#5-“Smokin’ Joe” Faraldo); Cross Creek Whiz (#7-Vladimir “Butch” Melnichenko); Balmira CC (#8-Bob “The Lumberman” Troyer); Ego Sum (#9-“Tarheel Tom” Williams); Striking Rum (#10-George “The Brooklyn Cowboy” Casale); JNDiamond Crown (#11-“Dynamite Dave” Drew); Sorce of Victory (#12-Michelle “ The Belle” Ruvola).

The 12-horse $15,000 Silver Cup Final will go as the first race on the betting card. It lines up as follows: Wolf’s Moses (#1-Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford); Bengali (#2-Scott “The Driving Doctor” Woogen); Bingham (#3-“Jolly Roger” Bartley); D’Amico Cucina (#4-Tony “The Capo” Verruso) ; Cello Hanover (#5-Steve “ Cannonball” Markoff);  Over The Wire (#6- Bob “The Headhunter” Hechkoff); Chainsaw Sly (#7-Kelly “Sky” Walker); Rompaway Ulaine (#8-“Westerville Dave” Ehrenberg); Joshua Marvel (#9-Terry “The Dairy Queen” Donnelly); Baywood Barrister (#-10-Todd “The Downeaster” Whitney); Mr Constant (#11-Dave “Yes It’s True” Offenberg); Before The Rain (#12-“Trader Bud” Hatfield).

The 9 horse $6,000  Brass Cup will be the first race presented before the betting card. The field  is as follows: Comeupforair (#1- Guy “The Watervliet Barrister” Roemer) R Blake (#2-“Battlin Brad” Rathbone); Chatrier Blue Chip (#3-“Howie The Horse” Gelfand); Candacraigh (#4-“Buckboard Bob” Miller); Crafty Sailor (#5- “Congenial Gene” Miller); Texas Lavec (#6-Terry Donnelly); Malabar Touch (#7-Todd Whitney); Trottin Houdini (Patricia “The Write Stuff” Miller); Lookoutforleesa (Dale “The Big Boss” Zahn).

The second non-betting event will be the 10-horse $7,000 Bronze Cup. It lines up like this: He’s A Blizzard (#1- “Coach Paul” Minore); Vanished (#2- “Chicago George” Bonomo); Dream Taker (#3- “Bullet Bob” Lieberman); Deep Seas (#4-“Ironman” Walter Blacharski); My Victory Song (#5-“Wisconsin Dave” Carter); Macadean Star (#6-Simeon “Hot Rod” Hunsdon); Tiki Time (#7-Lon “Deli Boy” Frocione) I’m Back (#8-John ”Night Train” Regina); Gibralter (#9-“Spellbound Bill” Mulligan); Van Joe (#10-Joe “The Jewelry Man” Pennacchio).

Most of the 41 Billings amateurs who’ll participate in the season ending finales on Friday are men. However, three ladies also will be aboard trotters that night.  Michelle Ruvola, who has previously participated in Billings finals, earned a position in the Gold Cup  while Terry Donnelly is making another appearance in the season-ending events. However, for Patricia Miller, this marks her first time in a final Billings contest and the first time she’ll drive over the single oval at the Meadowlands.

After the Billings races are completed, the organizations’ members, along with family and friends, will gather at the Pegasus Restaurant atop the grandstand at the Meadowlands to present awards and celebrate  the season.

The first non-betting race will go to post at 6:30 p.m. followed by the second non-wagering trot.  Post time for the nightly betting card is at 7:30 p.m.