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Motowylo racing team wins 2026 Grande Prairie Stompede Championship. L-R: Hayden, Obrey (driver), Hayden Motowylo. (Image Credit: Erika Rolling)
By Erika Rolling
Chuckwagons

Motowylo wins second consecutive GP Stompede crown

May 31, 2026 | 11:34 PM

Obrey Motowylo and his sons, Ethan and Hayden, are the 2026 Grande Prairie Stompede champions to start the professional chuckwagon racing season.

In the $40,000 Championship Final Heat, Motowylo ran a penalty-free time of 1:15.27 to capture the GP crown for the second straight year. He crossed the finish line 95 one-hundredths of a second ahead of 2019 Grande Prairie champion Luke Tournier, who placed second from barrel position number three. Darcy Flad finished third from barrel position number two, while Troy Dorchester completed the Championship Final field in fourth place from barrel position number four.

Obrey Motowylo heads towards finish line during Championship Final Heat at 2026 GP Stompede.
Obrey Motowylo heads towards finish line during Championship Final Heat at 2026 GP Stompede. (Image Credit: Erika Rolling)

It was first time the Grande Prairie Stompede has had a back-to-back winner since Jerry Bremner in 2007 and 2008, Neal Walgenbach in 2005 and 2006, and Norm Cuthbertson in 2003 and 2004.

Motowylo also won the Ralph Vigen Memorial Award for the best four-day aggregate time of 5:03.19, and the use of a GMC pickup for a year, courtesy of Summit Fleet.

Obrey Motowylo gets the keys to a GMC pickup truck, courtesy of Summit Fleet, after posting the best four-day aggregate time at GP Stompede 2026.
Obrey Motowylo gets the keys to a GMC pickup truck, courtesy of Summit Fleet, after posting the best four-day aggregate time at GP Stompede 2026. (Image Credit: Erika Rolling)

Obrey spoke with Everything GP after his win, saying he ran new horses, which ended up being a successful switch.

“My good left leader runs off the 1 and 2 barrel, he was a little off on his hip I think, so I had my trusty little 3 and 4 barrel chestnut horse, threw him on there, and he worked like a charm.”

He says winning back-to-back at the same event feels great.

“Especially starting the season it kind of sets you up for your heats and further down the road. Now I know for sure at least I’ll be paired with the fastest guys in the next show too.”

Crowd at Evergreen Park's JDA Raceway for Sunday Championship Final Heat at Grande Prairie Stompede 2026.
Crowd at Evergreen Park’s JDA Raceway for Sunday Championship Final Heat at Grande Prairie Stompede 2026. (Image Credit: Erika Rolling)

In the nightly standings, Grande Prairie chuckwagon driver Mitch Sutherland and the Westcore Contracting outfit captured the Kirk’s Trail Tire Wheels on Fire Award with the fast run of 1:15.24 from barrel position number one in the third heat. Sutherland’s time was only three one-hundredths of a second quicker than Motowylo’s championship-winning run. Another local driver, Tuff Dreger, and Jamie Laboucane shared third and fourth place on the evening, while Chad Fike rounded out the top five fastest times.

The WPCA Pro Tour now heads to Bonnyville for the Bonnyville Chuckwagon Championship, which runs from June 4 through June 7. Jamie Laboucane enters the event as the defending champion.

by Erika Rolling