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Rae Croteau Jr. on Night 1 of the Grande Prairie Stompede 2026. (Image Credit: WPCA/Shellie Scott)
By Erika Rolling
Chuckwagons

Croteau Jr. posts fastest time at Grande Prairie Stompede Night 1

May 28, 2026 | 6:48 AM

The professional chuckwagon season officially got underway Wednesday (May 27) night with the running of the Grande Prairie Stompede Championship.

Obrey Motowylo entered this year’s edition as the defending Grande Prairie Stompede Champion, while former Grande Prairie resident Chanse Vigen began defense of the World Chuckwagon Championship as he captured the title for the third consecutive time in 2025.

2010 Grande Prairie Champion Rae Croteau Jr. posted the fastest time of the evening with a clean run of 1:14.55. Driving the Catalyst Production Systems Ltd. outfit from barrel number one in Heat 8, Croteau Jr. finished first overall on the night by just three one-hundredths of a second over permit driver Gage Flad. Chance Flad finished third overall on the night, while Dale Young and Cruise Bensmiller rounded out the top five.

The top driver in the aggregate following Saturday night’s performance will earn the Ralph Vigen Memorial Award along with the use of a 2026 GMC truck for one year, courtesy of Summit Fleet.

The top four drivers in the aggregate standings after Saturday will advance to Sunday’s $40,000 Championship Final Heat, where the winner will collect the championship title and the 2026 Grande Prairie Stompede crown.

The running of the WPCA is during the Grand Entry Evening Show each night at Evergreen Park, which starts at 5:00 p.m.

by Erika Rolling