NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – After an electric night of competition at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Collision at The Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina, Grayson Cole (New Ringgold, Pennsylvania) delivered an unmatched performance, winning Round 1 and surging to an early event lead.
As action got underway in the Palmetto State, Cole was paired with Neon Street (Dustin Denning Bucking Bulls/Burnt Chimney Bucking Bulls). Matching the animal athlete jump-for-jump, Cole reached the requisite 8 for a commanding 88.5 points to win Round 1.
In addition to garnering 28 Velocity Global points, Cole, who was one of 15 riders to deliver a score in the opening round, holds a 1.5-point lead entering Championship Saturday.
Second was Chase Wimer (Corning, California).
Wimer conquered Smooth Over It (Shuler Bucking Bulls) for 87 points to earn 18 Velocity Global points.
Canadian sensation and Austin Gamblers rider Griffin Smeltzer (Claresholm, Alberta, Canada) completed the podium in Round 1 of the PBR Collision at The Coliseum, delivering a third-place score.
Outlasting Rock Solid’s Gucci Time (Rock Solid Bucking Bulls), Smeltzer was marked 86.5 points, netting him 17 points in the feverish race to be crowned the 2023 PBR Velocity Tour Champion.
Dakota Eagleburger (Fair Grove, Missouri) was fourth, earning 16 Velocity Global points.
Eagleburger brought the raucous crowd to its feet when he rode Grey Goose (LH Cattle co./Sho-Me Rodeo) for 86 points.
Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was Carlos Garcia (Abingdon, Virginia).
The veteran rider proved the more dominant athlete in his showdown with Pneu-Dart’s Southern Twist (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls), reaching the whistle for 85.5 points.
Garcia’s Round 1 score netted him 15 Velocity Global points.
Action for the PBR Collision at The Coliseum will conclude with Round 2 and the championship round on Saturday, Feb. 4. Action gets underway at 7 p.m. EST.
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
PBR Collision at The Coliseum
North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, South Carolina
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Grayson Cole, 88.5-0-0-88.50-28 Points.
2. Chase Wimer, 87-0-0-87.00-18 Points.
3. Griffin Smeltzer, 86.5-0-0-86.50-17 Points.
4. Dakota Eagleburger, 86-0-0-86.00-16 Points.
5. Carlos Garcia, 85.5-0-0-85.50-15 Points.
6. Afonso Quintino, 85-0-0-85.00-13.5 Points.
(tie). Seth White, 85-0-0-85.00-13.5 Points.
8. Caden Bunch, 84.5-0-0-84.50-12 Points.
9. Dustin Herman, 84-0-0-84.00-10.5 Points.
(tie). Keith Hall, 84-0-0-84.00-10.5 Points.
11. Eduardo de Oliveira, 83.5-0-0-83.50-8.33 Points.
(tie). Jake Goodson, 83.5-0-0-83.50-8.33 Points.
(tie). Mike Lee, 83.5-0-0-83.50-8.33 Points.
14. Bryan Titman, 82-0-0-82.00-8 Points.
15. Matt Allgood, 78-0-0-78.00-7 Points.
Jake Morinec, 0-0-0-0.00
Hunter Ball, 0-0-0-0.00
Michael Lane, 0-0-0-0.00
Brandon Ballard, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Jenks, 0-0-0-0.00
Bennie Shetler, 0-0-0-0.00
Brandon Chambers, 0-0-0-0.00
Kade Alberty, 0-0-0-0.00
Joao Paulo Fernandes, 0-0-0-0.00
Storm Howard, 0-0-0-0.00
Guilherme Valleiras, 0-0-0-0.00
Gage Gay, 0-0-0-0.00
Trace Brown, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody McCandless, 0-0-0-0.00
Quentin Vaught, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Teel, 0-0-0-0.00
Austin Beaty, 0-0-0-0.00
Eder Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00
Beau Caplinger, 0-0-0-0.00
Loyd Sisk, 0-0-0-0.00
Randy Whitener, 0-0-0-0.00
Cole Devlin, 0-0-0-0.00
Jeffrey Ramagos, 0-0-0-0.00
Jared Avina, 0-0-0-0.00
Devan Mealing, 0-0-0-0.00