Chanse Vigen – First Place On Opening Night Of The Medicine Hat Stampede
Photo By Shellie Scott
After wrapping up last weekend at the Bonnyville Chuckwagon Championship, the WPCA Pro Tour resumed Thursday night with the opening performance of the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Cool temperatures and intermittent rain created slower track conditions, but a near-capacity crowd was treated to an outstanding night of chuckwagon racing. Defending champion Chanse Vigen, who has captured the Medicine Hat title the past two years, picked up right where he left off by posting the Kirk’s Trail Tire Wheels on Fire Fast Time of the Night with an opening run of 1:02.88.
Coming off barrel number one in the eleventh heat, Vigen, driving the Volker Stevin Canada outfit, finished first overall on the day by a commanding 1.38-second margin over Wade Salmond. Two-time Medicine Hat champion Jason Glass was third fastest, followed by Darcy Flad in fourth, while Doug Irvine and Evan Salmond shared fifth place on the night.
The top three drivers in the aggregate standings following Saturday night’s performance will advance to Sunday’s Championship Final Heat, with the winner of the final being crowned the 2026 Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede Champion.
Day 2 of the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede can be heard live on Friday, June 12, 2026, beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 p.m. Central, and 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time on 96.5 The Ranch. Streaming is also available through the WPCA website at wpca.com, as well as on the iHeartRadio and Radioplayer Canada websites and apps.
Billy Melville
