Kelly Sutherland has made his way around the track for the final time. The Grande Prairie chuckwagon driver has retired after the World Professsional Chuckwagon Association season wrapped up Sunday in Rocky Mountain House.
Over his 50 year career in the sport, Sutherland won the World Championship 12 times and was the runner up in another another 11. He broke the record by winning his 11th world title in 2010, and followed it up with another in 2011. On top of that, he has 12 Calgary Stampede wins under his belt.
Known as “The King”, Sutherland started as an outrider in 1967 and moved to take the reins as a driver the next year, with 1969 as his rookie year. He’s now 65 and has reached the mandatory age of retirement for the WPCA. The Sutherland name will continue on in the sport, as his son Mark, brother Kirk, nephew Mitch, and grandson Dayton are all still competing.
Kelly finished his final season tied for 18th place with 902.5 points. Kurt Bensmiller is the 2017 WPCA World Champion.