After three years of limited racing—just a dozen starts in total—Kolby Vandenbergh is ready to hit the gas again. The 28-year-old driver from Ashland, Illinois, has landed behind the wheel of Steve Sheppard Jr.’s No. 5s Rocket Chassis for three key Illinois Speedweek events, starting with Wednesday’s FloRacing Night in America at Spoon River Speedway, followed by Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series action Friday and Saturday at Farmer City and Fairbury.
This opportunity comes thanks to a deep-rooted connection with the Sheppard family, which includes five-time national touring champion Brandon Sheppard. The Vandenberghs run an excavating business just 15 minutes from the Sheppards’ scrapyard, and their overlapping ties have now created a golden chance for Vandenbergh to shine. He’s aiming to make the most of what could be his best racing opportunity since finishing runner-up in Midwest LateModel Racing Association points in 2022.
“We’re gonna see where it goes from there. We have our own car coming, but we’re gonna furnish it out of their own shop,” Vandenbergh said. “I think we’re gonna kinda play it out the first couple races and see how it goes. (Steve’s) car the first couple of nights, then we might totally transition to my 15 car. But still run out of Shepp’s speed shop, looking at maybe 15, might be 25 races. We’ll see how it goes.”
Vandenbergh is currently rebuilding his family-owned No. 15 operation after a slowdown that began in 2023. That followed an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign in the MLRA, where he finished second to champion Chad Simpson in points on the Missouri-based circuit. It remains his proudest achievement in Dirt Late Model racing, as he completed the entire season with just one car and two engines, posting 16 top-10 finishes in 27 features.
“To get that accomplishment was huge for us because there was a lot of times we’d go to work, you know, three days a week and then leave that night and go racing,” Vandenbergh said.
He scaled back his racing schedule largely due to growing responsibilities at the family business, Vandenbergh Concrete & Excavating. But now, with the Sheppard family’s support and a fresh set of wheels, Vandenbergh is ready to prove he belongs back in the spotlight. Whether it’s a handful of races or a full season, this Illinois driver is charging ahead—and fans should keep an eye on the No. 5s as Speedweek heats up.