BIG RIGS, VI RENTALS STOCK CARS, MINI STOCKS and HORNETS August 2nd, 2008 Van Dyke Wins Big Rig Feature: Story and photos by Ken Keating, Illusion Photography                 Western Speedway welcomed the Big Rigs back to Victoria along with the Hornet Series, Serious Coffee I.M.S.4 Mini Stocks, and the V.I. Rentals Stock Car Series running a full program of Trophy Dashes, Heat races, and Feature events Saturday night.                 While participating in Big Rig hot laps Terrill Schmidt spun out on corner one and with no where to go Dan Glowazky plowed into the front end of the big KW sitting in the track. The hit bent the front end of the International enough to cause damage to the radiator and end the night early for Glowazky.                 The Hornets were as entertaining as always with a good car count and running on the big oval for this event. There was some minor bumping but very few major crashes as seen in past events. Brent Smith led for several laps with the other fast cars trying to get through heavy traffic. Lapped traffic eventually played a part in the final outcome as Smith used the inside to get through, Daryl Cahill used the outside to get by the lapped cars and the leader on the very last lap and went on to the victory. Smith hung on for second place with Jean-Luc Lagan coming home in third spot.                 Mike Derepenigny had an excellent run on this night. He won the Trophy Dash, his Heat race, and started second for thirty laps of racing with the I.M.S.4 Mini Stock Feature event. He passed early leader, Kevin Knight, on lap five and drove away to a substantial lead over the rest of the race. Behind him several cars were in a battle for the second through fifth place. Points leader, Lois Pollard Grant, moved from her eleventh starting spot to get into the race for the lead on lap three racing with Sean Constantine, Matt Szauer, Knight, and Giles Parenteau. On lap eight, Pollard Grant dropped back to sixth place and had to try another charge to the front. She worked herself back in contention moving to the fourth spot by lap eighteen but two laps later disaster struck the “Lady From Sooke” as the throttle broke forcing her to the pits and ending her night. Derepentigny took the checkered flag completing the clean sweep for this young man followed by Szauer and Parenteau.                 Earlier in the evening Gentleman Jim Steen won a very popular victory in the Trophy Dash for the Stock Car series. Jim has been at Western Speedway since it was founded fifty plus years ago and hasn’t missed too many opportunities too race. He started on the pole, along side of Trevor Emery, for forty laps of racing in the Feature event. On the very first turn Jim got turned a little sideways that caused a chain reaction collecting several cars including Brian Clutchey but all involved were able to continue and no caution. Emery had the lead for the first nine laps with Aaron Wilkie and Buck Ford right on his tail. On lap ten Ford took over the lead and led for the next nineteen laps. Behind him Emery, Wilkie, Dave Reside, and Josh Reaume were in a tight battle to get to the leader. On lap thirteen, Reaume had moved to second spot and began to reel in the leader. Meanwhile further back in the field, Ray Anderosov and Ryan Wade were on the march toward the front with Anderosov taking the third spot on lap twenty-one losing that spot to Wade on lap twenty-four. Up front Reaume made the pass for the lead on lap thirty sending Ford back to second followed by Wade and Anderosov. On lap thirty-seven Wade moved to the outside going three wide and took the lead sending Reaume back to second. Wade went on for the win, Reaume held on to second, with Anderosov holding on for third.                 Thirty-five laps would be the distance for the Big Rig Feature race on this night. Rob Fowler and Terrill Schmidt held the front row with local driver Glen Creed starting fifth and Peter Van Dyke and “Pinkfoot” starting seventh. Only four laps in Sully moved up and ran side by side with Fowler for several laps each driver trading the lead lap after lap. On lap four, Van Dyke had moved up to third followed by Darwin Berdahl in a big Kenworth. For the next several laps, Fowler and Sully continued to battle for the lead preventing either Van Dyke or Creed, now running fourth, the opportunity to get by. On lap nineteen, Fowler spun out on turn one and Van Dyke took the lead with Creed getting by for second. In the aftermath, Scully sustained major damage to his truck sending him to the pits and ending his run. On lap twenty-one Darren Berdahl moved up to third and put pressure on Creed in his Louisville Ford while Creed was trying to get by Van Dyke. The laps ran out with Pinkfoot and Van Dyke finishing first, to capture the Butch Taylor Memorial Cup, Creed in second and Darren Berdahl taking the third spot. Hats off for Fowler and Sully for the first half of the race as they battled side by side and bumper to bumper up front for so many laps much to the delight of the many fans who witnessed a great Feature event.                 The next event at Western Speedway is the Thursday Night Thunder series with the Hornets and Bumblebees August seventh, followed by two nights of Monster Truck and FMX action Friday and Saturday night. IMS4 MINI STOCK CAR CLASS: FAST TIME:  #97 Lois Pollard-Grant  18:634 (new track record) B DASH: Mike Derepentigny; Matt Szauer; Gilles Parenteau; Alex Mouner A DASH: Lois Pollard-Grant; Sean Constantine; Glen Percival;  Ken Schuurman 1st HEAT: Mike Derepentigny; Kevin Knight; Matt Szauer; Gilles Parenteau 2nd HEAT: Lois Pollard-Grant; Ken Schuurman; Sean Constantine; Glen Percival MAIN EVENT: Mike Derepentigny; Matt Szauer; Gilles Parenteau; Sean Constantine; Glen Percival   STOCK CAR CLASS: FAST TIME:  #90 Kirk Peacey  18:521 (new track record) B DASH: Jim Steen; Brandon Carlson; Trevor Emmory; Brian Ford A DASH: Marc Parkinson; Ryan Wade; Ray Anderosov; Kirk Peacey 1st HEAT: Trevor Emmory; Josh Reaume; Aaron Wilkie; Dave Reaside 2nd HEAT: Brian Clutchey; Marc Parkinson; Ryan Wade; Ray Anderosov MAIN EVENT: Ryan Wade; Josh Reaume; Ray Anderosov; Aaron Wilkie; Kirk Peacey   HORNET CLASS: B DASH: Mike McPeek; Brandon Phillips; Garrett Smith; Reece Crocker A DASH: Phil Lagan; Robin Trotter; Phil Calnan; Bruce Crocker 1st HEAT: Dean Bowers; Brad Davies; Cassandra Musfelt; Jake Spring 2nd HEAT: Troy Tarbuck; Daryn Cahill; Brent Smith; Brandon Phillips MAIN EVENT: Daryl Cahill; Brent Smith; Jean-Luc Lagan; Phil Calnan; Phil Lagan   BIG RIGS CLASS: FAST TIME:  #63 Peter Van Dyke  21:097 B DASH: Rob Fowler; Darwin Berdahl; Terrill Schmidt; Ron Singer A DASH: Glen Creed; Darren Berdahl; Peter Van Dyke; Cam Sully HEAT RACE: Darren Berdahl; Darwin Berdahl; Ron Singer; Glen Creed;  Rob Fowler MAIN EVENT: Peter Van Dyke; Glen Creed; Darren Berdahl; Darwin Berdahl; Ron Singer