2024 Battle of the North Champions
Cinch Oilfield Hauling & Cranes Ltd./TeKh Group Inc. Outfit
(L-R): Miss Rodeo Canada Kaylee Shantz, DCEA’s Murray Pratt & Connie Patterson Presenting,
Driver Rae Croteau Jr., Outriders Brendan Nolin & Tyler DeSutter,
Bannister GM Dawson Creek’s Mark Heselwood, Aaron Powell & Myles Longphee Presenting
Photo By Shellie Scott
Despite a little pre-race rain, spirits were not dampened and the the 2024 Battle of the North Championship finished with a spectacular Championship Final Heat. For the second consecutive year it was Rae Croteau Jr., driving the Cinch Oilfield Hauling & Cranes/TeKh Group outfit, and along with outriders Brendan Nolin and Tyler DeSutter who captured the title in a thrilling final in Dawson Creek, British Columbia.
In a penalty-free Championship Final Heat, Croteau Jr. won the championship with a run of 1:16.58 from barrel position number 2, 72 one-hundredths of a second faster than Jamie Laboucane who placed 2nd from barrel position number 4, followed by Chad Fike who placed 3rd from barrel position number 1, with Jason Glass finishing 4th from barrel position number 3. It was also the second consecutive year that Jamie Laboucane finished second to Rae Croteau Jr. at the Battle of the North.
As far as the day results go, Chanse Vigen, driving the Sundown Oilfield Services Ltd. Outfit, won the day money after posting the fast-time of the night with a 1:15.82. Coming off barrel number 3 in heat number 8, Vigen placed first overall for the day by 76 one-hundredths of a second over champion Rae Croteau Jr. who had the second best time on the evening. Kurt Bensmiller, Jamie Laboucane and Obrey Motowylo rounded out the top 5 for the night. Cruise Bensmiller won the Kenn Borek Memorial Award for being the Most Sportsmanlike Driver.
The WPCA Pro Tour now moves onto Rocky Mountain House, Alberta for the Battle of the Rockies Championship starting Thursday, August 15, 2024 and running through to Sunday, August 18, 2024. Racing will go Thursday through Saturday evenings starting at 7:00pm with Sunday’s finals starting at 2:00pm. You can catch all of the action live on WPCA Radio on New Country 92.5 FM Drumheller, 93.3 FM Stettler, 105.7 FM Brooks, 94.9 FM Blairmore, 92.7 FM Pincher Creek.
Billy Melville
