Okotoks Dayton Sutherland says he didn't have a lot of time to worry about whether or not he was going to win the "Battle of the Rockies" in Rocky Mountain House Sunday, August 19.

He raced in the early heats, and then had to wait for those chasing him to race in the later heats, but says he didn't sit in the barns counting times.

"I was outriding most of the time, so I'd come back after the heats and listen to all the times and what not, you know as the announcer's announcing them and we're on the back stretch pulling off the horses and what not."

He says there was no ritual or bit of hazing he had to go through with the other drivers after winning his first career title.

He says Logan Gorst did text him telling him he had to buy KFC for everyone, but Sutherland says he kind of "dropped the ball" on that one.

Sutherland says he and his dad Mark will spend a few days in Winnipeg this week looking at some new horses before heading home for the off-season.