What to Watch For: PWVT Finals Set to Invade Corpus Christi May 5-6
By: James Youness
PUEBLO, Colo. – When Friday night’s Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals, presented by Coastal Bend Chevy Dealers, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. CST in Corpus Christi, Texas, bull riding fans will witness 44 of the industry’s most promising riders battle it out for the title of 2023 Champion and a corresponding $50,000 prize.
Seeing No. 1 Josh Frost bring an 85.5-point lead into the PWVT season finale, the ever-competitive field will look to tighten the race while putting some pressure on the 27-year-old, who remains in charge with just two more days of competition remaining. Having two event wins to his name this season, along with an impressive seven Top 10 finishes, fans can expect the talented cowboy to show up and show out down south.
With No. 2 Claudio Montanha Jr. within comfortable striking distance, he joins No. 3 Dawson Brandon, No. 4 Macaulie Leather and No. 5 Michael Lane in staying within 250 points of the tour’s current leader.
With riders able to earn a maximum of 320 points during the season-ending spectacle, plus up to an additional 27 points based on ride score bonuses, there are plenty of contenders still fighting for a chance at the 2023 honors.
The entire Top 10 remains in contention at this time, including Mason Moody, Kyle Jones, Grayson Cole, Jake Morinec and Alex Marcilio, but a round win or two for Frost could easily push the Randlett, Utah, native over the catchable line this weekend.
Just 325.5 points back from No. 1 Frost and still mathematically capable of making a run for the crown, No. 13 Austin Richardson spent a majority of his season competing within the premier series field, and has already clinched his spot in next weekend’s showdown, but that won’t stop the competitive 23-year-old from giving it his best throughout the upcoming two-day slate.
For up-and-comers like No. 21 Aaron Williams, who also spent some time away from the PWVT chasing his dream on Unleash the Beast, he’ll make his Finals debut on the expansion league Friday while continuing to make a name for himself.
While Williams hasn’t qualified for next weekend’s World Finals just yet, he, his mustache and exuberant celebrations continue to bring smiles to fans, riders and tour personnel alike, as his presence is simply unmatchable.
Thankfully for guys like Williams, and any other cowboys technically eliminated from ending the season ranked No. 1 on PWVT, five riders from this weekend’s PWVT Finals will be invited to the 2023 World Finals: Unleash the Beast May 12-21 in Fort Worth, Texas.
This weekend’s riders, who haven’t already clinched a berth to this year’s finale, will have a chance to earn one of the final five spots as follows:
(1.) The highest placing rider from the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals event who hasn’t already qualified for the 2023 PBR World Finals
(2.) The highest-finishing International Invite in the PWVT Finals. If no International Invite places in the PWVT Finals Event, the invite to the World Finals will go to the highest ranked of those international riders in the Velocity Global Standings as of the conclusion of the PWVT Finals event. If no international riders are competing in the PWVT Finals, the invite will be eliminated, and the 36th position will be awarded to the 36th highest eligible contestant in the UTB Standings
(3-5.) The three highest ranked riders in the year end 2023 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Standings at the conclusion of the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals not already qualified for the 2023 PBR World Finals
Regardless of who makes the cut and advances to next weekend, there will be plenty of rank rides, wrecks, celebrations and beyond on display Friday and Saturday inside American Bank Center, with action set to begin Friday night at 7:30 p.m. CST.
With the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals set to invade Corpus Christi, Texas, this weekend, May 5-6, let’s take a look at who’s drawing into the lineup for the season-end showcase:
WHO’S IN FOR PWVT FINALS
Ednei Caminhas
Brandon Chambers
Carlos Garcia
Michael Lane
Alex Marcilio
Zane Cook
Elijah Mora
Claudio Montanha Jr.
Kyle Jones
Dalton Rudman
Francisco Garcia Torres
Dakota Eagleburger
Dakota Warnken
Dustin Martinez
Aaron Williams
Junio Quaresima
Rafael Jose de Brito
Josh Frost
Sam Woodall
Alex Cerqueira
Manoelito de Souza Junior
Flavio Zivieri
Grayson Cole
Daylon Swearingen
Joao Lucas Campos
Austin Richardson
Nick Tetz
Dylan Smith
Patterson Starcher
Garrett Jones
Conner Halverson
Chase Wimer
Griffin Smeltzer
Dawson Branton
Jake Morinec
Mason Moody
Cassio Dias
Wingson Henrique da Silva
Jaxton Mortensen
Vitor Losnake
Afonso Quintino
Guilherme Valleiras
Elizmar Jeremias
Alvaro Ariel
NO. 1 JOSH FROST BRINGS 85.5-POINT LEAD INTO PWVT FINALS
Having racked up a combined 625.5 Velocity Global points throughout the 2023 season, with 337.5 of the points coming directly from PWVT competitions and 288 of the points from three Touring Pro Division – USA Top 3 finishes, including a pair of event victories, No. 1 Josh Frost enters Friday’s PWVT Finals with an 85.5-point lead over No. 2 Claudio Montanha Jr. atop the PWVT standings. Having competed at several levels of competition this season, making three event appearances on Unleash The Beast, three at the TPD-US level and seven at PWVT events, Frost has seen it all this season. After bringing a slim 30.5-point lead into the Clovis Rodeo PBR in Clovis, California, last week, Frost went on to capture the event title en route to earning a season-high 130 Velocity Global points. But, with Montanha Jr. turning in a runner-up effort and earning 75 Velocity Global points of his own, he easily remains within striking distance as the season finale quickly approaches.
PULLING DOUBLE DUTY
Despite next weekend’s 2023 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast set to kick off just six days after the PWVT Finals conclude Saturday evening, five riders who have already clinched their spot in the UTB finale have also elected to ride in this weekend’s expansion series showdown in Corpus Christi. With Flavio Zivieri, Austin Richardson, Guilherme Valleiras, Wingson Henrique da Silva and Rafael Jose de Brito prepared to pull double duty in chasing some additional cash prizes and relevancy within the industry, none of the five UTB regulars are mathematically eligible to close the gap in hopes of securing the 2023 PWVT championship, but remain eligible for the Finals event title. Coming into Friday’s finale, de Brito is currently ranked No. 9 on Unleash The Beast and continues to lead the 2023 Rookie of the Year Race by 120.67 UTB points, while da Silva sits at No. 14. While the opportunity to shine within a different locker room is a potentially inviting option, the riders will look to escape this weekend’s slate without picking up any additional injuries before World Finals.
LATE-SEASON SWEARINGEN
After earning the honors of 2022 World Champion during last season’s debut in Fort Worth, Texas, Daylon Swearingen is preparing to compete for the first time since January 6 after suffering an injury at the early-season UTB event and eventually electing to receive surgery on his banged-up groin. With just one qualified ride to his name (85.75 points atop Otis in Tucson, Arizona on Nov. 26) since competing at the inaugural PBR Team Series Championship, last year’s champion will need to shake off the rust as he readies to face his first bovine opponent in four months. With just eight Velocity Global points on his resume this season, Swearingen earned the invite, alongside 2002 World Champion Ednei Caminhas, via his world champion status, and due to the massive deficit in the points standings, will only be able to qualify for the 2023 Unleash The Beast World Finals with an overall Finals event victory Saturday evening.
FOLLOW ALONG
The bull riding action for the 2023 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals, presented by Coastal Bend Chevy Dealers, begins at 7:30 p.m. CST on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 at American Bank Center Arena. PBR’s RidePass on Pluto TV will also broadcast both nights of action, beginning at 7:30 p.m. CST. Prior to the event on May 5, attendees can enjoy a pre-show concert from three-time GRAMMY Award winner David Lee Garza y los Musicales.
Fans can stay tuned to PBR.com and PBR social media channels throughout the weekend for the latest scores, wrecks, injury updates and beyond as the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals, presented by Coastal Bend Chevy Dealers, prepares to invade Corpus Christi as the final expansion series event of the season!
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media
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