une 26, 2026 – More Information Available at www,wpca.com<http://www.halfmi
2026 Ponoka Stampede – Ponoka, Alberta
Laboucane Opens Ponoka with Fastest Time on Night One
Friday night marked the opening of one of chuckwagon racing’s biggest and most prestigious events-the 90th Ponoka Stampede. Despite cool temperatures and a brief pre-race shower, track conditions held up well, and the capacity crowd at Ponoka was treated to an entertaining evening of racing. When the night wrapped up, Jamie Laboucane captured the Kirk’s Trail Tire Wheels on Fire Fast Time of the Night with an impressive run of 1:17.93.
Coming off barrel number four in the eighth heat, Laboucane, driving the Wild Rows Pump & Compression Ltd. outfit, finished 37 one-hundredths of a second ahead of Chad Fike to take the opening-night lead. Former Ponoka Stampede champion Obrey Motowylo finished third, followed by Preston Faithful in fourth and Dustin Gorst in fifth.
Former Ponoka Stampede champions Luke Tournier and Jason Glass claimed sixth and seventh respectively, while Cruise Bensmiller sits eighth after the opening night. Layne MacGillivray and Evan Magee rounded out the top ten.
The top eight drivers in the aggregate standings following Monday night’s performance will advance to Tuesday’s semifinal round, racing in Heats 7 and 9. The four fastest times from Tuesday’s semifinals on June 30 will qualify for the $90,000 Tommy Dorchester Championship Final Heat on Wednesday, July 1, where the winner will be crowned the 2026 Ponoka Stampede Champion.
Day 2 of the Ponoka Stampede can be heard live on WPCA Radio on 96.5 The Ranch, beginning at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, 8:30 p.m. Central, and 7:30 p.m. Mountain. Fans can also listen through the WPCA website, iHeartRadio, and Radioplayer Canada, while live video coverage will be available via the WPCA livestream at watch.wpca.com.
Billy Melville
Day 1 Results
Rank
Driver
Sponsor
Total Time
1
Jamie Laboucane
Wild Rows Pump & Compression Ltd.
1:17.93
2
Chad Fike
TOMCO Group of Companies
1:18.30
3
Obrey Motowylo
Midwest Pipelines Inc.
1:18.31
4
Preston Faithful
De Havilland Aircraft Canada – Waterbomber
1:18.48
5
Dustin Gorst
Century Downs Racetrack and Casino
1:18.51
6
Luke Tournier
Pidherney’s
1:18.58
7
Jason Glass
Birchcliff Energy Ltd.
1:18.62
8
Cruise Bensmiller
Red Deer Lock & Safe Ltd.
1:18.70
9
Layne MacGillivray
Ensign Energy Services Inc.
1:18.76
10
Evan Magee
Irvine Tack and Western Wear
1:19.06
11
Kris Molle
Eagle Builders
1:19.26
12
Darcy Flad
Wetaskiwin Ready Mix
1:19.64
13
Doug Irvine
Recon Metals
1:19.75
13
Kurt Bensmiller
Versatile Energy Services Ltd.
1:19.75
15
Logan Gorst
Inter-Pacific Specialized Services Ltd.
1:19.88
16
Evan Salmond
De Havilland Aircraft Canada – Twin Otter
1:20.00
17
Troy Dorchester
PureChem Services
1:20.06
18
Wade Salmond
De Havilland Aircraft Canada – Sherpa
1:20.17
19
Jordie Fike
Alta-Fab Structures Ltd.
1:20.28
19
Todd Baptiste
CBO Earthworks
1:20.28
21
Ross Knight
In Memory of Bruce Quance
1:20.49
22
Layne Flad
Ponoka Ready MIX Concrete Ltd
1:20.58
23
Mitch Sutherland
Morskate Manufacturing
1:20.61
24
D.J. King
High Octane Welding Ltd.
1:20.92
25
Dallas Dyck
Irvine Tack and Western Wear
1:21.26
26
Ryan Baptiste
Hayshakers Bobcat Service Ltd.
1:21.38
27
Chance Bensmiller
McWilliam Auto Appraisal Services/Tornado infrastructure Equipment
1:21.42
27
Tuff Dreger
Hearts and Hoofprints – The Les David Foundation
1:21.42
29
Cody Ridsdale
Quick Mats Ltd.
1:21.49
30
Dayton Sutherland
Manitoulin Transport
1:21.53
31
Troy Flad
Central Alberta Tile One
1:21.56
32
Rae Croteau Jr.
In Memory of Kim Graham
1:22.02
33
Vern Nolin
VJV Livestock Marketing Group
1:22.14
34
Dean Dreger
R/T Rentals Inc.
1:22.43
35
Chance Flad
Optimum Equipment Solutions
1:23.32
36
Chanse Vigen
Ermineskin Cree Nation
1:25.69
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