Bensmiller takes chuckwagon crown
By Laurence Heinen Times Contributor
Doug Taylor Photo
The 36-year-old reinsman won his second straight World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) show title aboard his Versatile Energy Services Ltd. rig at the Strathmore Stampede on Monday after traversing the track in a quick time of 1:13.93.
That gave him the top four-day aggregate time of 4:58.26, which was 1.42 second better than current WPCA points leader Vern Nolin and his Crowbourne Capital Corp. outfit.
For his efforts, Bensmiller won $1,629.30 in day money and an additional $3,400 for finishing atop the aggregate standings.
“It’s just a good thing,” said Bensmiller regarding his success in Strathmore (he also won the championship in 2012). “It just seems like when you’re doing things right and consistent, then you end up doing well at the same shows all the time.”
He’s the third straight driver to win the Strathmore Stampede title two years in a row. Gary Gorst accomplished the feat in 2016-17, while Jason Glass won back-to-back buckles in 2014-15.
“I’m hoping it’s the three-timer club if we can get it next year here,” said Bensmiller, who previously won at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede earlier this year. “You just want to set yourself up to have the opportunity to win every chance that you can, so you just find those little areas that help you take advantage of some of the other guys. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Despite starting off the No. 4 barrel on Monday, Bensmiller guided his outfit around the track in the fastest time of the meet to win his third title in Strathmore.
“When we turned ’em loose coming home, I knew we had a lot of run,” said Bensmiller, who outraced Logan Gorst, Nolin and Kirk Sutherland down the stretch drive. “If they get these long home stretches where they get to be turned loose, they’re just a dynamite outfit.”
Bensmiller also praised his outriders Rory Gervais and Cole Somerville for their support and consistency during the four-day show and throughout the season so far.
“Cole and Rory have been with me all year,” Bensmiller said. “They’ve been a dynamic duo for me. They get along with my horses real well, so it helps a guy out a lot when you can just go out and worry about driving and not have to worry about the two guys and the jobs that they’re doing because you know that they’re going to do it well every time. It just makes things a lot easier for me and smoother.”
Currently sitting second in the WPCA standings behind Nolin, Bensmiller will be looking to have solid showings at the Battle of the North in Dawson Creek, B.C., from Aug. 7-11 and at the Battle of the Rockies in Rocky Mountain House, Alta., from Aug. 15-18, leading into the Century Downs World Finals at the Century Downs Racetrack and Casino in Balzac, Alta., from Aug. 21-25.
“This time of year, now that Calgary and Ponoka are over, it’s a whole new game plan and we’re trying to work our way up to Century; so the outfit’s just starting to work and hopefully we can keep ’em going for the next three weeks,” Bensmiller said.
Also on Monday, Luke Tournier and Mark Sutherland were involved in a dead heat in the eighth race as they finished with identical times of 1:14.38 which was good for a tie for second spot on the afternoon behind Bensmiller.
As for the aggregate standings, Sutherland ended up in third spot with a total time of 5:00.69, while Gorst (5:01.04) and Tournier (5:03.12) rounded out the top-five finishers.