HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: Pacer 2 on August 06, 2025, 08:02:13 PM
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The son of longtime horsepeople Mark and Melissa Beckwith won 608 races, which was good for third in the national standings behind Aaron Merriman and Jason Bartlett.
His money-earnings were a career-high $6,271,414, which was good for 18th in North America.
You’d think Beckwith would have kept things pretty much the same after a monster year like that, but that’s exactly what he did not do.
Every winter, with a small handful of exceptions, the “A-list” drivers take some time off from the Meadowlands after six months of Grand Circuit grind, which gives some young pilots a chance to be seen where the light is brightest, at the track located just off the New Jersey Turnpike’s Exit 16W.
It was an opportunity that Beckwith, now 22, took full advantage of, as he not only became the leading driver at the mile oval at the Winter-Spring-Championship meeting, which concluded Saturday (Aug. 2), Hambletonian Day, but became the youngest ever to lead the Big M colony, checking in two years younger than John Campbell, who was 24 when he wore the belt in 1979.
Beckwith’s 92 wins were far more than runner-up David Miller’s total of 68.
“To win the driver title at the Meadowlands is truly an honor,” said Beckwith. “On a nightly basis, I get to race with guys who, in my mind, are Hall of Fame drivers.
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The son of longtime horsepeople Mark and Melissa Beckwith won 608 races, which was good for third in the national standings behind Aaron Merriman and Jason Bartlett.
His money-earnings were a career-high $6,271,414, which was good for 18th in North America.
You’d think Beckwith would have kept things pretty much the same after a monster year like that, but that’s exactly what he did not do.
Every winter, with a small handful of exceptions, the “A-list” drivers take some time off from the Meadowlands after six months of Grand Circuit grind, which gives some young pilots a chance to be seen where the light is brightest, at the track located just off the New Jersey Turnpike’s Exit 16W.
It was an opportunity that Beckwith, now 22, took full advantage of, as he not only became the leading driver at the mile oval at the Winter-Spring-Championship meeting, which concluded Saturday (Aug. 2), Hambletonian Day, but became the youngest ever to lead the Big M colony, checking in two years younger than John Campbell, who was 24 when he wore the belt in 1979.
Beckwith’s 92 wins were far more than runner-up David Miller’s total of 68.
“To win the driver title at the Meadowlands is truly an honor,” said Beckwith. “On a nightly basis, I get to race with guys who, in my mind, are Hall of Fame drivers.
TLDR
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Is the title to this thread about you giving HEAD to JC! ;D
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If he is so great how come he isn't on the grand circuit. The kid has a good smile and a good personality, but his name and JC shouldn't be in the same sentence.
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Would somebody please look up JC's wins and earnings at the age of 22, because they are nowhere near this kid's.
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Still surprised he didn't have a single drive on the Hambo card.
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Dexter Dunn had less than half as many drives yet had over $1 million dollars more in purse earnings.
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And only 8th in purse earnings behind Dunn, Svanstedt, Zeron, Gingras, Dave Miller and both McCarthys.
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There are plenty of drivers who achieved some "statistical" accomplishment well before and long before John Campbell. None of them are even remotely close to being in the same universe as John Campbell as a driver. It will be a long time before anyone is.