Josh Hrynyk – Wins First Career Day Money On Night 4 At The Ponoka Stampede
Photo By Shellie Scott
After inclement weather slightly altered the format for the 2024 Ponoka Stampede, the pressure was on a handful of drivers still in the running for a spot in Monday’s $75,000.00 Tommy Dorchester Championship Final Heat.
Despite some afternoon rains, racetrack conditions were excellent, and some fantastic chuckwagon races were witnessed by the 12,000 patrons who took in the event. When it all played out, Chanse Vigen, Luke Tournier, Kurt Bensmiller and Rae Croteau Jr. made the cut and will comprise the $75,000.00 Tommy Dorchester Championship final heat. Jason Glass ended up in the crying hole and missed the winner-take-all final by exactly one and three quarter seconds.
Vigen, driving the Grind Energy Services outfit, and along with outriders Rory Armstrong and Ethan Motowylo qualified in first place overall after posting the best 4-day aggregate time of 5:00.63. It’s the second year in a row that Vigen has won the aggregate winner and will receive a 2024 GMC Truck courtesy of Summit Fleet. Vigen is looking to become the first back-to-back winner of the Ponoka Stampede since Kelly Sutherland in 2011 when Chanse Vigen was one of Sutherland’s outriders in both 2010 and 2011.
On the day, it was Josh Hrynyk who won the day money with the fast time of the evening with a penalty free run of 1:14.73. From barrel number 1 in the second heat on the evening, Hrynyk driving the Quick Mats Ltd. outfit was the fast man on the day by just 8 one-hundredths of a second over Luke Tournier. Third place belonged to Jamie Laboucane, with Rae Croteau Jr, and Evan Salmond filling out the top five on the night. It was the first time Josh Hrynyk has won a day money on the WPCA Pro Tour.
The finals of the Ponoka Stampede Championship can be heard on WPCA Radio live on Monday night, July 1, 2024 starting 6:30pm Mountain time on New Country 910. As well, race fans can watch the races live on the watch.wpca.comstreaming platform.
Billy Melville
