Irvine off mounts

Hoosier Park opens tonight for its 13th season of harness racing and the Indiana track will be without its most accomplished driver. Don Irvine Jr. will not drive in the opening night card or the Sunday, April 2, program after failing field sobriety tests following a March 26 traffic accident.



"We took him off his mounts today and Sunday. The decision was made yesterday morning," Hoosier Park presiding judge Tim Schmitz said Saturday morning. "He has to meet with the (IHRC) executive director (Joe Gorajec) next week."



According to a story published in the Anderson Herald Bulletin Thursday, March 30, Irvine drove his truck into a pole and hit a brick sign before striking an Anderson residence. Alcohol was found in his vehicle. The 55-year-old reinsman was arrested and preliminarily charged with leaving the scene of an accident as well as operating while intoxicated. Both charges are Class A misdemeanors.



"He (Irvine) was staggering and officers smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverages on his breath," Anderson Police Department Lt. Janice Songer told the Herald Bulletin. "He failed all field sobriety tests. He tested .29 on the Blood Alcohol Content test. There was an open bottle of whiskey in the vehicle."



Prior to the 2005 season, Irvine reigned as Hoosier Park's leading driver for five consecutive years. He has earned six driving titles at the track since it opened in 1994. Last season he finished second to Brett Miller in the standings before successfully defending his title later in the year at Indiana Downs. (report filed by James Platz)

« Back