It may seem like gasoline runs in the veins of the Benzon family as another generation has caught the vehicle-building bug.
Ty Benson, who is going into Grade 12 at DVSS, won the Young Gun Award at this year’s Boogie in the Badlands for the work he put into his 1962 GMC half-ton. The name might be familiar as father Greg Benzon is well known in the valley as an engine and car builder. The Mail has featured some of his creations, including his Hemisaurus dragster. Often, in those photos, he would have his young son.
Today, Ty has shown that he picked up a thing or two hanging around the garage.
He picked up the 1962 after his boss showed him the ad. He already had a motor built. A six-litre LS that has been built up with a carburetor meshed to a three-speed automatic and a Ford 9-inch rear end. It has no problem getting down the road, dynoing at 492 horsepower.
“I just wanted to make something fun to drive,” said Ty, adding one day he would like to take it to the dragstrip. “I wanted a truck, and I got an ad, I liked this one.”
It presents itself with a rat rod look. There are not many modifications to the suspension, using the rear coil springs and front torsion bars, but the brakes have been modernized and upgraded. He has done some framework on the back side.
While it seems natural for Ty to be into cars, Greg tells the Mail, he only wanted to impart enough information to make sure he was knowledgeable about vehicles. Ty took the initiative on this build. In fact, a lot of what he wanted to go against his father’s initial assessment, and it has worked, truly making it his own vehicle.
“I can’t count the number of times I said ‘This is how it should be,’ and he said, ‘I want it this way,’” said Greg.
He also put in the extra hours to make sure it was ready in time for the Boogie in the Badlands this year.
While he has put the finishing touches on his truck, he already has an idea of what his next project might be, and it might be less about cruising and more about getting around the track.
In the future, he is thinking about going into mechanical engineering. Even if he does, there’s a good chance he'll still have some sort of project in the garage.

It only took a day between Prime Minister Mark Carney calling a by-election and Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada Pierre Poilievre to make his way to the valley.
Poilievre is a candidate for the Battle River -Crowfoot seat in Parliament. Damien Kurek vacated the seat in order for Poilievre to run. He toured the valley, meeting with people and on Canada Day, tried his hand at flipping pancakes at the Kinsmen breakfast and then took part in the Canada Day parade here in Drumheller.
He is familiar with the valley, growing up in Calgary, and visiting with family and on school trips. He hopes he can represent the riding as well as take on the role of leader of the opposition. He has help.
“I am going to continue to work hard to connect with the people. Damien is committed to staying close with me and keeps me informed day after day with everything that is happening in the communities that make up the region,” said Poilievre. “He is going to be supplying me with petitions so I can introduce them in the House of Commons to raise local issues, and I pledge to continue to be visible and committed to the communities in the area. It is a challenge for any party leader because they have to reach out to the whole country, but on the flip side I will have a bigger megaphone to raise the concerns of the people.”
He values the contribution that this riding makes to Canada.
“This region, Battle River-Crowfoot feeds, powers and protects the country. It feeds through agriculture, powers through oil and gas and protects through the Wainwright military base. Without those three things, you don’t have a country,” said Poilievre.
While it has only been a couple of months since the 2025 federal election, Prime Minster Mark Carney has been visible on the national and international stage. Polling shows support for the Prime Minister rising.
Pundits raise a point that many of his actions appear to have been borrowed from the Conservative playbook.
"It comes down to whether he (Carney) is sincere and whether he can deliver. Mr. Carney actually opposed the Northern Gateway Pipeline that would have been that corridor. He testified against it in a Parliamentary Commitee, he supported C-69, the anti-development law and his entire cabinet and caucus is made up of people who were there with Trudeau for 10 years blocking this region and our resources," said Poilievre. “That puts them in a confusing state because he is now making different promises than his record matches. My job is to hold the government to account, fight for pipelines every single day, repeal C-69, get rid of the tanker ban, the emission cap and the industrial carbon tax so we can really unleash oil and gas production.”