Calgary’s Chanse Vigen was the top driver on Day 1 of the World Professional Chuckwagon races at the Ponoka Stampede.
Vigen, driving the Wentworth Oilfield Services Ltd. clocked in at a blistering time of 1:14.05 in heat eight from barrel four.
He was first by a wide margin, 1.02 seconds over last weekend’s Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede Champion Jamie Laboucane. Former Ponoka Stampede Champion Obrey Motowylo placed third, with Codey McCurrach and Mitch Sutherland placing fourth and fifth on opening night respectively.
The top 8 in the aggregate after Friday night’s run will go into the semi-final round on Saturday in heats 7 and 9. The top 4 times from the semi-final round on Canada Day – July 1 – will go into the $75,000.00 Tommy Dorchester Championship Final Heat where the winner will take home the 2023 Ponoka Stampede Championship.
Day 2 of Chuckwagon racing continues at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The nighttime performance also includes Kids Wild Pony Racing, Flying Cross Junior Jockeys and All Pro Canadian Chuckwagons.
