Jamie Laboucane – Top Time On Opening Night In Calgary
Photo By Shellie Scott
It was a warm but cloudy evening in Calgary as the 2026 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby presented by Play Alberta got underway on Friday night. Defending champion Chanse Vigen returned to defend his title, and as always, the chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede attracted a capacity crowd. When the dust settled on opening night, it was Jamie Laboucane, driving the Panorama Advisory Group outfit, who claimed the Kirk’s Trail Tire Wheels on Fire Fast Time of the Night with a blazing run of 1:10.98.
Coming off barrel number two in the eighth heat, Laboucane earned the day money by just eight one-hundredths of a second over defending champion Chanse Vigen. Obrey Motowylo finished third, former Calgary Stampede champion Logan Gorst placed fourth, and Rae Croteau Jr. rounded out the top five on opening night.
The top three drivers in the aggregate standings following racing on Saturday, July 11, will advance to the Championship Final Heat. The winner of that heat will be crowned the 2026 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby presented by Play Alberta Champion.
Live coverage of Day 2 of the 2026 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby presented by Play Alberta can be heard Saturday night, July 4, 2026 on WPCA Radio beginning at 7:15 p.m. MDT on 96.5 The Ranch. Fans can also listen via streaming through the WPCA website, the iHeartRadio app, or the Radioplayer Canada app. Television coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. local time on Sportsnet One. Check your local listings.
Billy Melville
