Chanse Vigen – Takes Over Top Spot On Day 3 In Rocy Mountain House
Photo By Shellie Scott
It was an exciting day on a beautiful afternoon at North Saskatchewan River Park in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta as the third run of the Battle of the Rockies was run off under excellent weather and racetrack conditions. When things concluded on the afternoon, Chanse Vigen, driving the Terra Firma Resources outfit, had the fast time with a penalty free run of 1:14.16.
Coming off barrel 4 in heat number 10, Vigen topped the field by 70 one-hundredths of a second over Jason Glass who had to settle for second place for the second consecutive day. Day 1 winner Wade Salmond placed third, Jamie Laboucane was fourth, with Ross Knight filling out the top five wagons on the day. The day also saw old Britt Irvine, who celebrated his 15th birthday today, make his debut run as an outrider behind his father Doug Irvine, and completed his first race penalty free.
With the cancellation of Friday’s races, the 2023 Battle of the Rockies will conclude on Monday night. With one run to go, the day money run has now put Chanse Vigen on top of the overall aggregate standings with a three-day total time of 3:47.09. That puts him exactly one-half second in front of Jason Glass who has now moved up into second place overall. Day 2 overall leader Evan Salmond dropped down into third plhird place overall, with Wade Salmond and Chad Fike making out the top three overall after three runs. The driver posting the best 4-day aggregate time after Monday’s run will take home the 2023 Battle of the Rockies Championship.
In the season long Elite Team Series, five teams representing five show locations – Grande Prairie, Ponoka, Strathmore, Rocky Mountain House and Century Downs – are competing for points at these respective locations only in an attempt to win the Elite Team Series Championship. Overall, Team Strathmore Stampede, consisting of Chad Fike, Kris Molle, Jason Glass and Chance Bensmiller are leading the way with 1,952.5 points. That puts them just 106.5 points ahead of Team Battle of the Rockies. The Elite Team series will conclude next week at the Century Downs World Chuckwagon Finals.
In the race to qualify for the Century Downs Racetrack and Casino Winner’s Zone Playoff Round, the top twelve are now set. Jamie Laboucane, Chanse Vigen, Jason Glass, Evan Salmond, Chad Fike, Layne MacGillivray, Obrey Motowylo, Rae Croteau Jr., Kris Molle, Wade Salmond, Ross Knight and Kurt Bensmiller will be the top twelve that will compete in the Century Downs Racetrack and Casino “WINNER’s ZONE” Championship next week.Battle of the North finalist Chance Thomson, who currently sits in 13th spot overall is now eliminated, 120 points back with just 1 runs remaining.
The finals of the Battle of the Rockies from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta can be heard live Monday evening, August 21, 2023 starting at 8:45pm Eastern, 7:45pm Central and 6:45pm Mountain Time on Real Country 910.
Billy Melville
