Skip to content

Single point decides Speedway winner

Winner of Gordy Mannes Memorial weekend decided by a point
8065993_web1_170811-PWN-Speedway-Gordie-Mannes
The Gordy Mannes Memorial weekend at the Penticton Speedway featured 28 cars with the province’s best drivers. Penticton Speedway Facebook page

Losing by a point was tough for Bryan VanderHoek in the Gordy Mannes Memorial weekend at Penticton Speedway, Aug. 4 to 6.

“If I had to lose to somebody, losing to him was a good thing. Not a good thing, it’s tolerable,” said VanderHoek of Kelowna, quickly correcting himself. “Cole was good. He beat us by one point which is painful but he’s a great kid. He races clean.”

Anderson topped VanderHoek, 111-110 in the B.C. Streetstock invitational. Billy Beasley was third with 108 points.

The weekend is special to VanderHoek’s crew member Rob Krickemeyer, who raced against Mannes.

“It’s near and dear race for him. One he wanted to win,” he added. “It was pretty good considering all the things we had to deal with this weekend.”

VanderHoek’s front tire was hit resulting in a ball joint getting bent. After that was a spark plug issue forcing him to race on seven cylinders. VanderHoek said weekends can come down to breaks, which they didn’t get any.

VanderHoek said it was a great weekend and one of the biggest races he was a part of with 28 cars and B.C.’s best drivers.

“It was exciting.”

Last weekend was VanderHoek’s third Gordy Mannes Memorial race. What he loves about competing in it is the camaraderie among the drivers. While everyone takes the sport serious, there isn’t a person who won’t help another driver out.

“If you have a part and they need it, you lend it to him,” said VanderHoek. “It’s not even a question.”

The next weekend of action at Penticton Speedway is Vintage Sprint Cars on Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 26, the Eve of Destruction Night, also at 7 p.m.