By: Bryan Hebson
The Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association 2007 season is taking on a new and interesting look evident by the action after the first five shows.
Rookie Driver Sean Debolt is looking to qualify for the 2008 Calgary Stampede (top 12 from CPCA qualify) and sat in 14th spot only 8 points back of Ross Knight who was in 12th. Debolt has some good horsepower however penalties have kept him from cracking the top 12 in the standings.
Ross Fisher in his third year of professional wagon racing picked up 6 new horses in the office season and like Debolt has his sights set on qualifying for the 2008 Calgary Stampede. Fisher held down 13th position after the fifth show with 135 points and is in contention as things tighten up in the CPCA Pro Tour Standings.
Former WPCA driver Jim Nevada took some time off from wagon driving to spend time with his family and promote wagon racing however he kept a barn of horses and worked with them over the winter.
Nevada entered as a Permit Driver with the CPCA heading into the Wainwright Show and looked like he left the rust at home placing 2nd on day 2 and finishing with a 4 day total time of 416.68 good enough for 5th place overall.
Tim Haroldson won the Wainwright Stampede with an aggregate time of 411.65. The Melfort driver just missed qualifying for this year’s Calgary Stampede and plans on returning next year. After the first 5 shows Haroldson held down 10th spot with 170 points.
The CPCA rolled into High River June 28-30 for the Beattie Homes CPCA High River Championship with Ray Mitsuing sitting atop the Canadian standings. The three-day Battle of the Builders (tarp sponsors from home building industry) was put on by the CPCA and Chuckwagon Fans were given another preview of what to watch for at the Calgary Stampede (WPCA Raced 1 week prior).
Ray Mitsuing (Sandalwood Homes) recorded the fastest time on night 1 speeding around the 5/8ths oval in 116:31, Grant Preece (Mascuch Albert) finished second with a time of 117.02 and Jim Knight (Beattie Homes) finished 3rd with a time of 118.23.
Gary Gorst (Calbridge Fine Homes) was the top driver on day 2 thundering around the track in 117.89 while Mitsuing, Preece and Knight finished well below.
Rod Salmond who just made his last appearance at the Calgary Stampede closed out the High River show with the fastest time on Day 3. The veteran driver from Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan wheeled around the track in 118.04.
Mitsuing finished 2nd with a time of 118.46 and Gorst found a seam between those 2 at the wire to save some time finishing in 118.54. Gorsts time was just enough to give him the 3 day aggregate of 355.39. Grant Preece was second with 356.04 and Ray Mitsuing was 3rd with 356.37.
“This is the first show I have ever won,” said Gorst. The Meadow Lake driver has 2 solid outfits and if he can avoid penalties has a good chance to qualify for the Canadian Championship Dash in Lloydminster. Gary’s Outriding sons Logan and Dustin (05 Calgary Stampede Champions) rode behind him to capture the prestigious award.
Behind the Barns
Jim Nevada finished 24th overall at the CPCA High River Show after being hit with outrider penalties on day 2.
Sean Debolt finished 11th at High River with a 3 day aggregate time of 361.23. The former pony driver will be full of run heading into the last few shows of the season.
The CPCA made history once again as Deanette Deck became only the 2nd female outrider to compete at the professional level. Deck has been in goods hands training with Jim Nevada.
Chuckwagon fans can listen to the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon races live every Saturday Night through a link on the CPCA website or on Lloyd FM out of Lloydminster
For more on the CPCA and the sport of chuckwagon racing visit www.cpcaracing.com.
