Vern Nolin Earns Greatest Single-Event Win Of His Career At Ponoka Stampede

When Vern Nolin raced his way to the Tommy Dorchester $50,000 winner-take-all heat at the 2018 Ponoka Stampede, he was met with fierce competition. The Dewberry, Alberta, driver was new to the WPCA compared to his fellow drivers in the final four heat, and he had his work cut out for him if he wanted to walk away with the check.

In 2016, Nolin changed associations and began racing as a World Professional Chuckwagon Association driver after many years of success on the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association circuit. His CPCA career included being named the champion driver for the association four times, the title of CPCA high-point in 2012, and 11 show championships along the way. 

A look at Nolin's WPCA statistics shows he had what it took to hold his own with the thoroughbreds during his first two years as a WPCA driver. In just his second start as a WPCA driver on the pro tour, Nolin would win the 2016 Ashley Richards Memorial, and follow that up with back-to-back Calgary Stampede Equine Outfit of Excellence awards in 2016 and 2017, and 21 top-10 finishes in his 2017 season. 

But the other three drivers he was up against in the final four at the Ponoka Stampede packed a punch that included six world titles between them. Kirk Sutherland, the 2014 world champion, Kurt Bensmiller, the reigning and two-time world champion, and one of the most successful WPCA drivers of all time, Jason Glass, who has four world titles under his belt, were all gunning for that $50,000 check. 

"Any time you've got them guys hooked with you it's anybody's race so we just pray for good endings," said Nolin of his competition. 

Nolin was on a roll, though. His outfit had won the last two nights in a row and had clinched the aggregate after night four’s races. 

A clean start around barrel No. 1 saw Nolin easily take the rail position on that final—and most anticipated—heat at the Ponoka Stampede. A great start, but he had three drivers hot on his heels that all had a taste of a Ponoka Stampede victory in the past and no-doubt would take that check again if given the chance.

"The track was nice, probably the best it's been all week," said Nolin. "I knew that outfit on the rail—if I could get them out there—I knew they'd be tough to beat."

Coming down the backstretch, Nolin had Glass breathing down his neck and trying to gain on the would-be champion. 

"Down the lane, they just kept grabbing gears and I thought if the outriders were there, I never even looked back," said Nolin. "I just threw it at them and thought that if they were there, we had it."

He finished the heat in a time of 1:16.20—not his fastest of the week's results, but faster than the wolves that wouldn't give him a moment to breathe all the way around the track that day.

Nolin, who seems hard to pull emotion from, was all smiles as he drove into the arena in the shiny new truck that he’d won for the aggregate title at Ponoka, and collected that oversized check that meant he was not only $50,000 richer, but he had also made the greatest single-event victory of his budding career in the WPCA. 

Fast forward to the Calgary Stampede this week, and Nolin is still continuing his winning ways. He placed third on night No. 1 with a time of 1:11.45, was a little slower on night two, but sits comfortably in the aggregate race in the No. 4 spot, just over one second off of No. 1.