Glass outraces Vigen to win Strathmore Stampede title

By Laurence Heinen Times Contributor

Jason Glass accomplished a hat trick of sorts in Strathmore on Monday, Aug. 4.

By winning the $30,000 Championship Final Heat aboard his Birchcliff Energy Ltd. chuckwagon, Glass added a third Strathmore Stampede title to the ones he won in back-to-back years in 2014-15.

“I love this town,” said Glass, who made the short trip up to Strathmore from his home in High River. “The crowd seems to like the checkered wagon. They’re always loud when we come across the finish line and they’re very appreciative after the race, so it’s always fun in Strathmore. 

“It’s not far from my hometown, so I know I’ve got some friends and family in the stands and I think this committee in this town, they put on a hell of a weekend and hopefully we come back here for a long time.”

Although he finished second behind Chanse Vigen’s Blackstone Drilling Fluids Ltd. outfit in the three-night aggregate standings (from times recorded Friday through Sunday), Glass earned a measure of revenge by beating his rival across the finish line during Monday’s ‘Dash For Cash.’

“Vigen’s on fire,” said Glass, who recorded Monday’s fastest time of 1:13.94 to edge Vigen by just 91/100ths of a second. “He’s been flying for several years now and driving amazing. He’s got some really talented horses that can really fly out there and I love that.”

Glass also credited his own amazing equine athletes for their spectacular efforts during the four-day show.

“I’ve been driving quite a few new ones the last few shows,” said Glass, who’s sitting in first place in the World Professional Chuckwagon Association driver standings with 992 points – which is just 21.5 ahead of Vigen and 23.5 ahead of Evan Salmond. “I’m very proud of them. Just beautiful horses. We shuffle them around a lot and try to keep them fresh. To outrun some of these other drivers you need to be on top of your game and those horses need to love what they do.”

The veteran 54-year-old reinsman also praised the jobs that his outriders Tyson Whitehead and Trey MacGillivray did to help him win the title.

“Tyson Whitehead, he’s been riding for me for several years,” Glass said. “He’s an amazing, talented athlete and does a great job, and Trey MacGillivray has also been riding for me most of the summer and doing a great job as well, so hats off to those guys. They’re great cowboys.”

For his efforts, Glass won $15,000, while Vigen pocketed $7,500. Salmond took home $4,500 for finishing third in the final, while Lane Tournier (driving for his injured father Luke Tournier) earned $3,000 after crossing the finish line in fourth spot.

The championship finalists had the four fastest times from Monday’s nine races, while Jamie Laboucane’s clocking of 1:15.44 to win the third heat was good enough for fifth spot on the afternoon.

After the conclusion of the Strathmore Stampede, the contingent of WPCA Pro Tour drivers quickly packed up to make the long trek to Dawson Creek, B.C., for the Battle of the North, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday.