Losing by a point was tough for Bryan VanderHoek in the Gordy Mannes Memorial weekend at Penticton Speedway, Aug. 4 to 6.
鈥淚f I had to lose to somebody, losing to him was a good thing. Not a good thing, it鈥檚 tolerable,鈥� said VanderHoek of 麻豆精选, quickly correcting himself. 鈥淐ole was good. He beat us by one point which is painful but he鈥檚 a great kid. He races clean.鈥�
Anderson topped VanderHoek, 111-110 in the B.C. Streetstock invitational. Billy Beasley was third with 108 points.
The weekend is special to VanderHoek鈥檚 crew member Rob Krickemeyer, who raced against Mannes.
鈥淚t鈥檚 near and dear race for him. One he wanted to win,鈥� he added. 鈥淚t was pretty good considering all the things we had to deal with this weekend.鈥�
VanderHoek鈥檚 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鈥檛 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.鈥檚 best drivers.
鈥淚t was exciting.鈥�
Last weekend was VanderHoek鈥檚 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鈥檛 a person who won鈥檛 help another driver out.
鈥淚f you have a part and they need it, you lend it to him,鈥� said VanderHoek. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not even a question.鈥�
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.
