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Vern Nolin – First place on Night 1 In Ponoka. (Photo By Shellie Scott)
2021 WPCA Pro Tour

Ponoka Stampede Wild West Chuckwagon Championship update

Sep 3, 2021 | 10:25 AM

It was described as a perfect evening at the final stop of the 2021 WPCA Pro Tour at the Ponoka Stampede Wild West Chuckwagon Championship in Ponoka Thursday night.

Officials say Kurt Bensmiller, in search of his fifth career World Chuckwagon Championship and record breaking fourth in a row, came into the final show of the year trailing Obrey Motowylo by just 6.5 points. The World Champion Chuckwagon Driver will be declared on Sunday evening.

On the day, it was Vern Nolin, fresh off a big win at the Battle of the Rockies, driving his McCaw’s Drilling & Blasting Ltd. Outfit who posted the fast time of the night with a 1:16.52. Coming off barrel three in the second heat of the evening, Nolin had the fast time of the night by just 15 one-hundredths of a second over former Ponoka Stampede champion Kirk Sutherland.

Evan Salmond was third, Chanse Vigen was fourth and World Points leader Obrey Motowylo rounded out the top five wagons on the day. The top four drivers in the aggregate standings following Saturday night’s run will go into the $25,000.00 Championship Final Heat to declare the winner of the 2021 Ponoka Stampede Wild West Chuckwagon Championship.

Day two of the final stop of the 2021 WPCA Pro Tour at the Ponoka Stampede Wild West Chuckwagon Championship can be heard live on Sept. 3, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, 7:30 p.m. Central Time and 6:30 Mountain Time on Rural Radio Channel 147 on SiriusXM.

Day 1 Results

Rank

Driver

Sponsor

Total Time

1

Vern Nolin (Wagon #2)

McCaw’s Drilling & Blasting Ltd.

1:16.52

2

Kirk Sutherland

Eagle Builders

1:16.67

3

Evan Salmond (Wagon #2)

Wheeler’s Transport (2001) Ltd.

1:16.92

4

Chanse Vigen

Reinhart Construction

1:16.97

5

Obrey Motowylo

Co-operators Insurance

1:17.25

6

Dustin Gorst

Sims & Associates Insurance Services

1:17.27

7

Chanse Vigen (Wagon #2)

Volker Stevin /Glover International Trucks

1:17.37

8

Kris Molle

Benoit Oilfield Construction (1997) Ltd.

1:17.42

9

Darcy Flad

Wild West Meats

1:17.79

10

Chad Fike

Earth Drilling Co Ltd.

1:17.85

11

Chance Thomson

Edmonton Custom Packers

1:18.03

11

Kurt Bensmiller

Versatile Energy Services Ltd.

1:18.03

13

Cody Ridsdale

Rai-Lynn Trucking Ltd.

1:18.14

14

Wade Salmond (Wagon #2)

Vold, Jones & Vold Auction Co. Ltd.

1:18.17

15

Roger Moore

Optimum Equipment Solutions

1:18.59

16

Kelly Morin

PrairieWater & Equipment Sales Inc.

1:18.70

17

Kirk Sutherland (Wagon #2)

Central Alberta Tile One

1:18.72

18

Jordie Fike

Signs & Graphics By Foss/G & T Custom Farming

1:18.83

19

Wade Salmond

Pidherney’s

1:18.99

20

Josh Hrynyk

Midlite Powerline Construction

1:19.14

21

Troy Flad

Global Overhead Doors Ltd.

1:19.28

22

Troy Flad (Wagon #2)

Crystal Kids

1:19.37

23

Cody Ridsdale (Wagon #2)

O’Chiese Business and Investment Centre

1:19.75

24

Chance Bensmiller

Half A Dime Contracting

1:19.95

25

Bob Van Eaton

Ol’ MacDonald’s Music Festival

1:20.10

26

Colin Lefley

Ole Smokes Coffee

1:20.12

27

Dean Dreger

Quest Geomatics Inc.

1:20.29

28

Derek Aebly

Horizon Hauling

1:20.50

29

Vern Nolin

STEP Energy Services Ltd.

1:20.60

30

Dustin Gorst (Wagon #2)

Century Downs Racetrack & Casino

1:21.62

31

Layne MacGillivray

League Projects Ltd.

1:22.49

32

Chance Flad

Aspen Crossing

1:22.61

33

Kurt Bensmiller (Wagon #2)

Irvine’s Tack & Western Wear

1:24.82

34

Evan Salmond

Challand Pipeline Ltd.

1:25.78

35

Tuff Dreger

Red Deer Motors

1:26.16

36

Roy Romanow

Alberta Veterinary Center

1:36.01