Case repeats as top driver

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Walter Case Jr., who overcame drug and alcohol addiction to win his first North American harness driving title, Monday was named 1992 Driver of the Year by the Harness Tracks of America for the second consecutive year.

The award is based on a formula of races won, money won and in-the-money percentage. Under an HTA formula, Case received 92 out of a possible 100 points.

Jack Moiseyev and Dave Magee tied for second with 76 points, with Gaetan Lamy (68) fourth and Dave Palone (47) fifth. John Campbell, the leading money-winning driver in North America, wound up seventh.

Case, 31, set a single-season world record last year, winning 843 races. He broke the old mark of 814, set by Hall of Famer Herve Filion in 1989. The record-breaker came Dec. 12, when he guided Radar Hanover to victory at Yonkers Raceway.

Case, a Maine native, recorded the vast majority of his wins at Yonkers, breaking his own year-old mark for most wins at one track (642). Case also became the youngest driver to win 5,000 races, reaching that plateau last Jan. 16 at Yonkers.

Case’s .443 winning percentage also ranked first among all North American drivers. In addition, his mounts earned more than $3.8 million, ninth-best among all drivers.