Top drivers from Northfield Park and Dayton Raceway will compete for bragging rights in the inaugural “Battle Of The Buckeyes” this Friday, Dec. 13 at Dayton, but they will unite to support a common cause.

Northfield’s Aaron Merriman, Kurt Sugg, Chris Lems, Greg Grismore and David Lake, as well as Dayton’s Brett Miller, Jeremy Smith, Tyler Smith, Kayne Kauffman and Josh Sutton have agreed to donate the $3,000 in prize money from the eight-race competition to the Greater Dayton Disaster Relief Fund. The fund benefits the neighborhoods that were devastated by a Memorial Day tornado. Post time for the Friday card is 6:15 p.m.

IN THE XPRESSLANE:

Wiggle It Jiggleit, the 2015 Horse of the Year, is scheduled to return from a lengthy layoff and run in the 12^th race this Thursday, Dec. 12, at Dover Downs. The 7-year-old pacer with nearly $4 million in earnings qualified in 1:54.4 after a final half-mile in :55.4. … Monticello Raceway will hold its annual Au Revoir races Friday, Dec. 27, featuring soon-to-be 14-year-old pacers and trotters who will be forced into mandatory retirement at the end of the year. The purse for each race is $5,000. Call Eric Warner at 845-794-4100 extension 557 for more info. … Tim Tetrick, the top money-earning driver in North America this year, is headed to Finland this week for the inaugural Arctic Horse Race at Mantyvaara Racetrack in Rovaniemi, a three-race competition against drivers from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Italy. … The Harness Youth Foundation’s Harness Heroes trading cards are available just in time for the holidays. Send your name, address and a (suggested) $20 donation to the HHYF, 2711 Friar Tuck Road, Anderson IN 46013 to order your set. The set includes 2018 champions: Ariana G, Atlanta, Captain Crunch, Dorsodoro Hanover, Emoticon Hanover, Exhilarated, Forbidden Trade, Gimpanzee, Homicide Hunter, Illusioneesta, Jimmy Freight, Kissin In The Sand, McWicked, Run Director, Shartin N, Shower Play, Six Pack, Stag Party, Tall Drink Hanover, The Ice Dutchess, Warrawee Ubeaut, Will Take Charge, Woodside Charm and Foiled Again. The featured humans include: Blair Burgess, Ray Cotolo, Ted Gewertz, Mark Hall, Joe Holloway, Dave Little, Marcus Melander, Marlys Pinske, Jerry Silverman, Linda Toscano, and Ted Wing.