History in the Making

The 2010 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championship is in the books, and history has been made as Kelly Sutherland, driving the Lucid/Lux Chuckwagon Team outfit, and along with outriders Chance Flad, Doug Irvine, Reo King and Chanse Vigen emerged from the sudden death championship final heat as the champions and $100,000.00 richer. It is a history making 11^thCalgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championship for Sutherland, who until tonight had shared the record for the most Calgary Stampede championships with legendary Dick Cosgrave.

Coming off barrel number 1 in heat number 9, Sutherland won the penalty free sudden death final by 47 one-hundreds of a second over aggregate winner Neal Walgenbach who placed 2nd from barrel number 3, followed by Jason Glass who placed 3rd from barrel number 4 and Kirk Sutherland who was 4th from barrel position number 2.

As far as day results are concerned, Kelly Sutherland also posted the top time of the night with a very rapid 1:14.88, with Gary Gorst, Neal Walgenbach, Jason Glass and Jim Knight filling out the top five for the night.

Jason Glass received the Calgary Stampede’s Safe Drive Award for the second time in his career for being the least penalized driver over the first 9 nights of the Rangeland Derby. Glass also received the very prestigious Guy Weadick Award earlier in the day for. This prestigious award is sponsored by J&L Supply and is presented annually to the one chuckwagon or rodeo competitor who best embodies what the cowboy stands for and who best typifies the spirit of the Calgary Stampede. It is based upon ability, appearance, showmanship, character, sportsmanship and cooperation with other cowboys, the arena crew, the media and the public. Devin Mitsuing received the Orville Strandquist Award for Top Rookie Driver. Mitsuing won the award for placing tied for 18^th overall with earnings of $22,200.00 bettering Brian Mayan who placed 27th overall with earnings of $19,750.00.

Sutherland ended up in first place overall with total earnings of $138,400.00 followed by Jason Glass who finished 2nd, followed by Neal Walgenbach in 3rd place overall with earnings of $45,700.00 plus a 2010 GMC Truck that he won for being the 2010 aggregate champion, Kirk Sutherland was 4th with total earnings of $38,150.00, with Gary Gorst having his finest Calgary Stampede rounding out the top five with total earnings of $37,800.00.

The WPCA Dodge Pro Tour now returns starting July 22, 25, 2010 with the running of the Bonnyville Chuckwagon Championship in Bonnyville, Alberta. Races will run Thursday-Saturday starting at 7:00 PM, with the finals and the running of the George Normand Memorial Sudden Death Final on Sunday at 2:00 PM. Live radio coverage can be heard Thursday – Saturday at 6:45pm, with the finals on Sunday at 1:45pm on Classic Country AM1060 out of Calgary, 890AM CJDC out of Dawson Creek and 99.7 FM The Wolf out of Bonnyville.

~ Billy Melville