Yonkers, NY --- There was a "bon voyage" party at Yonkers Raceway on Friday evening, May 1, and the guest of honor was Jason Bartlett, Yonkers' leading driver, who will soon represent the United States in the 24th World Driving Championship in Norway.

Officials representing Yonkers, Standardbred horsemen's organizations from New York and Maine, and the U.S. Trotting Association gathered in the winner's circle to make the official presentation of Bartlett's USA driving colors and matching helmet -- the design for which was selected by visitors to the USTA's Web site.

Joseph Faraldo, president of the Standardbred Owners Association of New York did double duty, making a presentation of a travel bag to Bartlett's wife, Kristen, on behalf of the Maine harness horsemen, and then presenting an embroidered travel bag, emblazoned with Bartlett's colors and name, as a gift from the organization he heads.

Bob Galterio, the chief executive at Yonkers Raceway, who like Faraldo is a member of the Board of Directors of the USTA, made the presentation of the colors and helmet Bartlett will wear in the Championship, which will open on May 14 in Bergen, Norway, and joined the others in offering best wishes and good luck to Yonkers' leading driver.

"This is a real honor for me," Bartlett told the crowd. "I'm not sure what quite to expect, but it's going to be exciting."

When it was noted that the rules of racing in Norway forbid the use of whips, he said, "I'm not too worried about it; none of the drivers, I would think, would have any kind of advantage because of that."

The five-leg, 20-heat competition, which will come to a conclusion at Oslo on May 20, will pit Bartlett against nine other outstanding drivers, including the reigning World Driving Champion, Belgium's Christophe Martens, the reigning European champion, Germany's Roland Hulskath, Canadian representative Brad Forward, and the third place finisher in the most recent Championship, Sweden's Bjorn Goop.

The winner of the Championship will take home $20,000 -- the same amount a driver would earn for winning an $800,000 race, and Bartlett will attempt to join Joe Marsh, Jr., Ron Pierce, and Dave Magee as U.S. representatives who have won the World Driving Championship.