The winning connections of World Champions Jess and Grant with SP Four Square and Train Story for Jess Udy and Jess Sandberg.

© American Chariot Racing

OGDEN, UT—MARCH 16, 2020—After dominating multiple events throughout the season, Jess and Grant emerged victorious in the final event of the chariot racing season, the World Championships, at the Golden Spike Event Center in Ogden, Utah.

The Worlds were presented by American Chariot Racing and were sponsored by C&R Auto and Trailer Sales.

The World Championship event is traditionally a four-day affair spanning two weekends. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, ACR elected to shorten the event to a single weekend, two-day competition.

Followers of the regular season of American Chariot Racing would not be surprised at the results of the World Championships; the 2020 World Championship team Jess and Grant won multiple events this year, including a four-week win streak.

Brenda Butler drivesthe Butler Family Team, Tex and Nickel, to second Division Champions victory.
© American Chariot Racing

Jess Udy trains the championship team; he and Jeff Sandberg split the drives. The winning team was sponsored by Bob Fry.

Jess and Grant won the 11th and final race of Sunday, an exciting 4-team race with a final time of 22.54. Moon and Newbold were second in 22.59 and Cowboy Up & Flying T were third in 22.72.

CLICK HERE for the replay of Sunday’s final race and the close finish at the wire.

The Butler Family team took home the honors as the winners of the 2nd Division. Doug Butler trains and Brenda Butler drives their team of Tex and Nickel.

The Butler Family won the last of three races in the second division with a time of 22.92, defeating BSW Racing with 23.05 and Gibbs Racing with a time of 23.08. The team was sponsored by S Erwin Excavation.

Gary Simpson drives SMS Boogie Nanu and Honey Badger to third Division Champions. © American Chariot Racing

Sunday began with seven teams in the third division competing in three races. Gary and Cutter posted the fastest time, 23.12, in the third race between Two Strong Quarter Horses who finished in second place with 23.18 and Gift, Jorgensen and Cajun, third place finishers with a time of 23.19.

Gary Simpson trains and drives the team of SMS Boogie Nanu and Honey Badger. The team was also the third division winners of the Rocky Mountain Regional Championships on February 22. Gary and Cutter were sponsored by Westmark Credit Union.

SMS Boogie Nanu spent most of his career at Los Alamitos, where he started in several stakes, including the Los Alamitos Winter Derby (G1) in 2015. He was bred in Oregon by Richard Carver, by Brookstone Bay and out of Catch You Later, by Raise a Secret. The 8-year-old gelding earned over $25,000 in 26 lifetime starts.

Honey Badger is a 9-year-old FDD Dynasty gelding. He was bred in California by Cody Joiner, out of the Corona Cartel mare Corona Mas Fina. He earned $18,000 in 23 starts and two wins, and raced at Los Alamitos, Remington and at several Intermountain tracks.

The sport of chariot racing continues each winter at several tracks throughout the Intermountain Region. Thank you to American Chariot Racing for managing the 2019-2020 season at the Golden Spike Event Center and for providing results and content for each event this season.