Hi again everyone, this is Arnie Jackson with your Rangeland Derby Chuckwagon Racing update.
The finalists for the Rangeland Derby’s Dash For Cash have also been decided. After nine nights of exciting chuckwagon racing, the field of 36 entrants has been narrowed to just four.
The four top wagons in total running time, and that includes the myriad of penalties that the various outfits have incurred over the last nine days, have surfaced as the combatants for Sunday night’s $100,000 championship run.
The four wagon masters will be up on stage, prior to tenth and final night of competition, to choose barrels, and with the warm and dry conditions, most observers will tell you, this becomes a drawing contest. Whichever outfit draws the number one set of barrels will have the best opportunity to win the title for 2008.
When the dust settled following Saturday night’s races, it was mathematically clear that Jason Glass of High River, Alberta had won the week’s aggregate, the new GMC truck and first place in the qualifying standings with a total time on the week of 11:28:62. Glass incurred only two seconds in penalties over the nine preliminary runs at this years Calgary Stampede.
Finishing second in the qualifying was Grande Prairie’s Hugh Sinclair, who also picked up two seconds in penalties on the week but finished right behind Glass with a total time of 11:30.21.
An amazing week for the ten times Calgary Stampede Champion, Kelly Sutherland of Grande Prairie. After taking a five second barrel penalty opening night, Sutherland fought his way back to qualify in third place with a time of 11:32:17. Don’t think there won’t be any emotions in place Sunday night. After all Kelly’s brother Kirk Sutherland will be running right along side the King. Kirk Sutherland, also from Grande Prairie, grabbed fourth place in the qualifying with an 11:35:69, and that included a 1 secopnd penalty for a late outrider earlier in the week.
Top day money of $6000.00 went to Buddy Bensmiller from Dewberry, Alberta. Driving the ACERA Developments wagon, Bensmiller covered the 5/8th of a mile track in just 1:14:30. One of the heavy favorites, Bensmiller wound up running for day money only, when he picked up an amazing 12 seconds in penalties for various offences.
The final night of the Rangeland Derby Chuckwagon races get underway at 8:00 p.m. at Stampede Park in Calgary.
With your Calgary Stampede Rodeo and Chuckwagon report, I’m Arnie Jackson.
