VanDenBerg victorious at Winston
WINSTON, Mo. (Oct. 20, 2002) - John VanDenBerg of Oskaloosa, Iowa, will remember the Fall National Saturday night at the Winston Speedway for a long, long time. He crashed head-on into the guard rail coming out of turn two after getting in a mix with two other cars on the first lap of his heat race. He rolled over easy once and crawled out uninjured. The car was righted, and he headed to the pits under a red flag, made minor repairs and returned.
VanDenBerg won his heat, holding off Johnny Saathoff of Beatrice, Neb., to lock in a spot in the feature show. In the draw among the top 12 drivers, he got the front row outside. Seven laps into the 40-lap race he moved in front and held it the rest of the way to win the $5,000 first prize money from a field of 26 cars and closed out a night he will remember for a long, long time. When he unbuckled, VanDenBerg raced across the track and climbed the fence near the flagman's stand, waving and shouting to the crowd.
Kelly Shryock of Forest City, Iowa, who won the features Thursday and Friday turned down a challenge and an added $2,500 to the first place money. He was offered the chance to start 26th instead of his fifth row inside spot, and if he won he would collect $7,500. Winning Thursday and Friday gave him $2,000 and $3,000 and he added another $650 for his ninth place finish Saturday night.
The racing program which started at 5 p.m. and concluded shortly before 10 p.m. was run before the season's largest crowd of 2,103 fans and 154 race cars were in the expanded pit area for the final race of the season at Winston and for the United States Modified Touring Series. The total purse for three nights was $95,000.
There were 139 cars on hand Thursday and 167 cars on hand Friday.
Also competing in the full racing program and extra added purse of the three-night racing program were hobby stocks, super/street stocks, B modifieds and charger cars.
<font size="4"><b>RESULTS</b></font>
First three places in the other Saturday Features:
B modified Feature--1. Larry Winn, Hallsville, Mo., 2. Gene Stigall, Winston. 3. Denny Albertson, Chillicothe.
Charger Feature--1.Eddie Schwope, Jr., St. Joseph. 2. Steven Clancy, Odessa. 3. Michael Jones, St. Joseph.
Super Stock/Street Stock Feature--1. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon, Iowa. 2. Mike Robinson, Moravia, Iowa. 3. Howard Gordon, Jr., New Sharon, Iowa.
Factory Stock Feature--1. Kris Walker, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 2. Jake Richards, Edwardsville, Ks., 3. Larry Embrey, Granger, Iowa.
FRIDAY FEATURE WINNERS:
USMTS Modified Feature--1. Kelly Shryock, Forest City, Iowa. 2. Bruce Hanford, Davenport, Iowa. Justin Boney, Desoto, Ks.
B Modified Feature--1. Larry Winn, Hallsville. 2. Rick German, Red Oak, Iowa. 3. Bobby Cookson, Quincy, Ill.
Super, Street Stock Feature--1.Howard Gordon, Jr., New Sharon, Iowa. 2. Ross McCombs, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 3. Mike Robinson, Moravia, Iowa.
Hobby Stock Feature--1. Jake Richards, Edwardsville, Ks., 2. Joe Bradshaw, Marion, Iowa. 3. Rex Bonnett, Pleasantville, Iowa.
THURSDAY FEATURE WINNERS:
USMTS MODIFIED FEATURE--1. Kelly Shryock, Forest City, Iowa. 2. Bruce Hanford, Davenport, Iowa. 3. Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
B Modified Feature--1. David Bouzek, Trenton. 2. Rick German, Red Oak, Iowa. 3. Larry Winn, Hallsville, Mo.
Super/Street Feature--1. Howard Gordon, Jr., New Sharon, Iowa. 2. Ross McCombs, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 3. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon, Iowa.
Hobby Stock Feature--1. Gene Stigall, Winston, Mo., 2. Joe Bradshaw, Marion, Iowa. 3. Troy Turley, Warrensburg, Mo.
Finish Saturday of area regular Winston drivers--
Saturday USMTS Feature-- Dean Wray, Trenton, 13th.
USMTS First B Feature--Mark Dotson, Cameron 5th; Terry VanTrump, Richmond, 8th; Chad Houston, Jamesport, 12th; Greg Querry, Bethany, 16th.
USMTS Second B Feature--Lee Hibner, Chillicothe, 10th; Dale Marriott, Brookfield 11th; Yancy Shepard, Gladstone, 12th; Robbie Kincade, Trenton, 15th;
USMTS Third B Feature--Chad Clancy, Kearney, 10t; Lonnie Hibner, Chillicothe, 15th; Derlin Johnson, Trenton 18th.
Saturday B Modified Feature--Cory Wray, Trenton, 4th; Jim Nolker, Richmond, 7th; Clint Baker, Meadville, 9th; Hugh Eddy. Milan, 10th; David Bouzek, Trenton, 11th; Dusty Beaty, Bethany, 13th; Jim Peeler, Milan, 14th; Sam Anderson, Trenton, 15th; Gary Nolker, Richmond, 18th; Jeff Jackson, Excelsior Springs, 19th; John Yoder, Jamesport, 20th; Joey Roberts, Brookfield, 22nd.
Saturday Charger Feature--Rodney Harkins, Osborn, 9th; Anthony Percell, Cameron, 10th.
Saturday Super/Street Stock Feature--Jason Estes, Cameron, 7th; Steven Klinger, Browning, 8th; Derrick Iddings, Coffey, 14th; William Ruttenberg, Cameron, 15th; Ed Kline, Kearney, 16th; Daniel Detweiler, Jamesport, 18th; Steve Young, Cameron, 19th
Saturday Factory Stock Feature--Steven Klinger, Browning, 6th; Eric Joy, Cowgill, 19th; Darrell Whitt, Cameron, 20th; Bill Caldwell, Altamont, 21st; Terry Waterbury, Coffey. 22nd