(Racing Every Friday Night)
By Justin Zoch
Butch Hanssen received a visit from an old friend on Friday night. Lady Luck showed up in the form of a lap thirteen caution and allowed Hanssen to slide past leader Buck Wilson and take his fourth victory of the season at Rapid Speedway. A clear, warm August afternoon quickly gave way to a cloudy, cold evening and officials were forced to run the program very quickly. The entire show was run in two hours and was completed before the rains came, much to the delight of the fans and crews.
In the Pam Oil/Valvoline/AC Delco/Lewis/Pepsi 360 sprints feature, it was Bigelow, MN's Jim Smith jumping out to an early lead in only his second visit to the speedway this season. However, 1998 Rookie of the Year, Brent Vande Weerd was methodically working his way to the front using the low groove. On lap five, he passed the cushion busting Smith and looked to be on his way to victory. However, Buck Wilson had begun his drive to the front in the Precision Drywall #3b. Wilson used the high side to dispose of Vande Weerd and started stretching out his lead. Meanwhile, Butch Hanssen was now the man on the move as he too cruised past Vande Weerd on the high side. Hanssen ferociously charged towards Wilson and eventually caught him in lapped traffic. As the two leaders charged into turn three, Wilson was trapped behind Shawn VanWhye's lapped machine and Hanssen flung his sprinter to the high groove. However, Hanssen jumped the cushion and had to slow to bring it under control. Wilson began stretching his lead and appeared to be on his way to his first Rapid Speedway victory of the year, until lap thirteen when Chad Meyer slowed on the frontstetch. On the restart, Hanssen dove to the inside of Wilson and cruised to yet another victory. Hanssen extended his already large point lead over Chad Meyer. Wilson came home second and Vande Weerd held on for a strong finish in third. Madison's Chuck McGillivray and Brian Baker, who recovered from his big accident one week ago, rounded out the top five.
Excitement and controversy were definitely on tap in the Late Model Stock Car feature race. Mark Deboer, who won the last two weeks, jumped off the pole into an early lead and held the point until Hull, IA's Mike Grevengoed slid by in turn one. Grevengoed stretched out his lead in his #17 and looked to be running away with the victory. Meanwhile, fierce rivals and points contenders Terry Dieren and Dale Furby had started their charge to the front from the fifth row. Grevengoed got caught in lapped traffic and this allowed Dieren to close right onto his rear deck lid. As the white flag flew, Dieren charged into turn one and took the lead. However, as they moved through turns three and four, Grevengoed and Dieren tangled and spun to the high side of the track. Mark Deboer eased through on the low side and stole the lead in the last corner and took what appeared to be a victory. However, officials ruled that Dieren had been the victim of Grevengoed's rough driving and Dieren was given the victory and Grevengoed was scored at the end of the lead lap in ninth. Deboer was second followed by Wayne Kruger, Furby and Leon Mulder making a rare appearance in Dave Mulder's #32.
In the sportsmen feature, it was former Rapid Nationals champion and points contender Jason Deboer who hauled his #44 past early leader, Jesse Akkerman, and then survived several caution flags to take his first victory of the season. Points leader Chad Overgaard finished in second followed by Akkerman, Mark Henry, and Jeff Wittrock. Overgaard now has a slim four point lead over DeBoer in the season standings.
The IMCA Hobby Stock feature saw Robert Norem of Ocheyden, IA take his first victory of the season. Norem started from the pole and was never seriously challenged for the win. Ken Roemen had his "Big Iron" #9 car running in second the entire race before dropping off the pace on lap ten. Marlo DeJager came home in second and points leader Steve Folkens finished third. Allendorf's David Bosma was fouth and Randy VanderWeide came from fourteenth on the grid to round out the top five.
There were four cruisers on hand this evening and the team of Roemen and Dreesman took the win with a last lap pass of race long VanBeek and Woelber. It was the second win of the year for points leaders Roeman and Dreesman.
SPRINT CARS
PAM OIL/VALVOLINE/AC DELCO HEAT: 1. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 2. Brent Vande Weerd, Rock Rapids; 3. Chad Meyer, Sioux Falls; 4. Mark Slendy, Sioux Falls; 5. Jim Smith, Bigelow, Minn.; 6. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 7. Brent Vonk, Hudson, SD
LEWIS/PEPSI HEAT: 1. Buck Wilson, Sioux Falls; 2. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls; 3. Bill Fredin, Windom, Minn. 4. Shawn VanWhye, Lester; 5. Chuck McGillivray, Madison, SD; 6. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls.
A FEATURE: 1. Hanssen; 2. Wilson; 3. Vande Weerd; 4. McGillvray; 5. Baker; 6. Smith; 7. Garner .
LATE MODEL STOCK CARS
FIRST HEAT: 1. Rick VanderWeide, Sioux Falls; 2. Gus Clark, Sioux Falls; 3. Leon Mulder, Doon; 4. Terry Dieren, Brandon, SD.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Mike Grevengoed, Hull; 2. Mark Deboer, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Darin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 4. Dale Furby, Sioux Falls.
A-FEATURE: 1. Dieren; 2. Deboer; 3. Wayne Kruger, Luverne, Minn.; 4. Furby; 5. Mulder; 6. Mike Noteboom, Orange City; 7. Clark.
SPORTSMAN
FIRST HEAT: 1. Jason Deboer, Sioux Center; 2. Jamie Teaszen; 3. Jeff Coster, Sioux Falls
SECOND HEAT: Jeff Wittrock, Sioux Falls; 2. J.J. Zabel, Parker, SD; 3. Jesse Akkerman, Luverne, Minn.; 4. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.
A-FEATURE: 1. DeBoer; 2. Overgaard; 3. Akkerman, 4. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 5. Wittrock; 6. Coster; 7. Zabel;
I.M.C.A. HOBBY STOCKS
FIRST HEAT: 1. Ken Roeman, Rock Rapids; 2. Shawn Jurrens, Little Rock; 3. Larry Kracht, Magnolia, Minn.; 4. Doug Brinkhaus, Doon.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Robert Norem, Ocheyden; 2. Marlo DeJager, Doon; 3. Randy VanEngen, Doon; 4. Steve Folkens, Lester.
THIRD HEAT: 1. Tammy Kracht, Steen, Minn.; 2. Clint Potter, Larchwood; 3. David Bosma, Allendorf; 4. Kirk Maasdam, Orange City.
A-FEATURE: 1. Norem; 2. DeJager; 3. Folken; 4.
Bosma; 5. VanEngen; 6. L.
Kracht; 7. Maasdam.
CRUISERS
FEATURE: 1. Roemen/Dressman, Rock Rapids