Simpson, John F. Jr.
Harness Racing
b. Dec. 26, 1919, Chester, NC
Simpson won each of harness racing's six triple crown races at least once, and twice he won two legs of a triple crown. In 1957, he drove Torpid to victories in the Cane Pace and the Little Brown Jug, and he drove Ayres to wins in the Hambletonian Stakes and the Kentucky Futurity in 1964. Ayres set a Hambletonian record with a time of 1:56 4/5.
His other wins in triple crown races were with Ford Hanover in the 1951 Kentucky Futurity, Noble Adios in the 1956 Little Brown Jug, Add Hanover in the 1956 Yonkers Trot, Hickory Smoke in the 1957 Hambletonian, Bullet Hanover in the 1960 Little Brown Jug, and Thor Hanover in the 1962 Messenger Stakes.
Simpson, whose father was also a trainer and driver, began racing in 1938. He led the nation in heats won in 1950 and was the leader in heats and money won in 1951. He retired from driving in 1965 to become president and general manager of Hanover Shoe Farm. During his driving career, he recorded 1,467 wins and had $4,771,400 in winnings.