Chuckwagon Racing Legend Tom Glass Dies at 77

Tom Glass, a monumental figure in Western Canadian sports and a three-time World Professional Chuckwagon Association champion, has died at age 77 following a stroke on June 26. A native of High River, Alberta, Glass was described by the WPCA as "the face of chuckwagon racing" and compiled a career record that stands among the greatest in the sport's history.

Glass came from a dynasty of chuckwagon drivers, following his grandfather Tom Lauder and father Ron Glass into the sport. He began his career at age 14 as an outrider in 1963 and led his own racing team three years later. His competitive achievements include three world championships, four Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby titles as a driver, two additional Stampede titles as an ourider, and four Ponoka Stampede championships. After dominating the sport throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he retired as a driver in 1998 and 2000, respectively, but remained instrumental in chuckwagon racing, serving as a commentator, ambassador, and co-founder of the WPCA.

Beyond chuckwagon racing, Glass built a parallel career in the film industry as a stunt performer and coordinator, working on major productions including Interstellar, Need for Speed, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Unforgiven, Happy Gilmore, and others. In 2022, he and John Scott were among the 16 inaugural inductees into the Canadian Stunts Hall of Fame. Nine years earlier, he joined his father Ron as only the second father-and-son duo to be inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Glass was celebrated as a mentor and steward of Western heritage. Fellow chuckwagon driver Mark Sutherland paid tribute to his influence, recalling how Glass offered genuine encouragement and analysis of his racing performances. Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas noted that while Glass's achievements on the track earned him iconic status at the Calgary Stampede, his impact extended far beyond competition through mentorship and ambassadorship.

His legacy continues through his son Jason Glass, a four-time World Champion Chuckwagon Driver and one of the sport's most successful contemporary drivers. Tom Glass is survived by his wife Joanne, three children, and five grandchildren.