(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
July 6, 2001
Wessels, Brands claim first victories of the season
By Shawn Neisteadt
Rock Rapids, IA--Rookie sprint car driver, Ryan Bickett, took the early lead of the NMRA 360 sprint feature. By lap three, Jeremy Fey, who was looking for his second Rapid Speedway feature win in a row, had caught Bickett and overtook the lead coming off turn four. Fey had opened a slight lead when he ran into traffic on the seventh lap. As the #8 Trostle Chassis of Fey entered turn three, he jumped a lap cars tire. The contact sent Fey bouncing up the speedway. The car would have to be towed to the infield due to its broken suspension, and Fey had to give up the lead. Todd Wessels held the lap seven restart lead. Wessels started fifth and also overtook Bickett on the third lap. The tough break was all Wessels, pilot of the #28w Twister Chassis car, needed as he would lead the remaining 11 laps to claim his first win of the season. Tom Platt finished second after starting eleventh. Mike McMahon, Micah Schliemann, and Jim Smith rounded out the top five. "It feels good," said two-time track champion, Wessels. Wessels, Fey, and McMahon won the heat races.
Randy Brands took the lead of the Late Model Stock Car "A" feature from Jason DeBoer on the second lap, and never looked back to claim his first ever win in the division. DeBoer would hold on and finish second. Doug Brinkhous finished third. Chad Overgaard and Darrin Korthals rounded out the top five. The 15-lap event was cautioned twice. Steve DeKam drove off turn one on lap three to bring out the first yellow flag. John DeGroot brought out the other when he spun off the track in turn three with five laps in the books. "Keep on making perfect laps," Brands was telling himself as the laps winded down. "If you don't make perfect laps, you won't finish the race." Brands had 15 previous wins at the speedway in lower divisions. Mark Henry and Brands won the heat races.
Glenn Wynia held the initial lead of the Sportsmen feature, but Brad Haas would charge into the lead on lap three. Wynia would try to regain the lead, but lost his engine on the fourth lap. Haas continued to lead, until Brad Klaasson would overtake the top spot on lap nine. Klaasson, the defending track champion, would hold off several charges by Haas to take his second win of the season. Haas finished second. Mel Elsberry finished third. Todd Huisman came from starting position ten to finish fourth. Rick Goth finished fifth. Evan DeHaan and Klaasson claimed heat race victories.
Darwin Klaassen took the lead of the NMRA Hobby Stock feature with five laps remaining to put the Corner Service #45 into victory lane for the fifth time this season. James Brower started sixth and charged forward to finish second. Anthony Mann came from eighth to finish third. Mike Deutsch started eleventh and came to the finish line fourth. Mark VandenTop transferred in from winning the "B" feature and finished fifth. Heat race wins went to Brower, Mann, and Jason Vande Vegte.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. 8 Jeremy Fey; 2. 48 Paul Veen; 3. 24 Randy Droescher; 4. 17B Ryan Bickett; 5. 47 Brent VandeWeerd; 6. 1K Mark Slendy
Heat #2: 1. 28W Todd Wessels; 2. 8X Jim Tiesler; 3. 9 Micah Schliemann; 4. 5w Chris Wasmund; 5. 3A Rick Adams
Heat #3: 1. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 2. 33 Jim Smith; 3. 99 Shawn Van Whye; 4. 25X Tom Platt; 5. 16v Josh Holt
A Feature: 1. 28W Todd Wessels; 2. 25X Tom Platt; 3. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 4. 9 Micah Schliemann; 5. 33 Jim Smith; 6. 24 Randy Droescher; 7. 48 Paul Veen; 8. 3A Rick Adams; 9. 1K Mark Slendy; 10. 47 Brent VandeWeerd; 11. 99 Shawn Van Whye; 12. 5w Chris Wasmund; 13. 17B Ryan Bickett; 14. 16v Josh Holt; 15. 8 Jeremy Fey; 16. 8X Jim Tiesler
NMRA Late Model Street Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 43 Mark Henry; 2. 7 Steve DeKam; 3. 17 Doug Brinkhous; 4. 22W Heath Warntjes; 5. 10 Dale Furby; 6. 35 John De Groot; 7. 23 Mark De Boer
Heat #1: 1. 27 Randy Brands; 2. 11K Darrin Korthals; 3. 42 Chad Overgaard; 4. 44 Jason De Boer; 5. 01 Greg Mulder; 6. 98 Curt Van Beek; 7. 97 David Kruger
A Feature: 1. 27 Randy Brands; 2. 44 Jason De Boer; 3. 17 Doug Brinkhous; 4. 42 Chad Overgaard; 5. 11K Darrin Korthals; 6. 23 Mark De Boer; 7. 10 Dale Furby; 8. 97 David Kruger; 9. 98 Curt Van Beek; 10. 43 Mark Henry; 11. 22W Heath Warntjes; 12. 35 John De Groot; 13. 7 Steve DeKam; 14. 01 Greg Mulder
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. 7x Evan DeHaan; 2. 63 Todd Huisman; 3. 76 Greg Roemen; 4. 66 Marty Halouska; 5. 90 Rick Goth; 6. 21 Don Grems
Heat #2: 1. 45K Brad Klaassen; 2. 72 Brad Haas; 3. 5 Mel Elsberry; 4. 36 Glenn Wynia; 5. 27B Billy Sprock; 6. 40 Scott Overgaard; 7. 6 Rick Vander Weide
A Feature: 1. 45K Brad Klaassen; 2. 72 Brad Haas; 3. 5 Mel Elsberry; 4. 63 Todd Huisman; 5. 90 Rick Goth; 6. 7x Evan DeHaan; 7. 6 Rick Vander Weide; 8. 40 Scott Overgaard; 9. 66 Marty Halouska; 10. 76 Greg Roemen; 11. 27B Billy Sprock; 12. 36 Glenn Wynia; 13. 21 Don Grems
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 80 James Brower; 2. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 3. 2 Dereck Van Der Brink; 4. 17S James Slawson; 5. 8 Broc Yesda; 6. 28 Denton Potter
Heat #2: 1. 18 Jason Vande Vegte; 2. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn; 3. 24 Randall Kurth; 4. 21X Mike Deutsch; 5. 81 Mark VandenTop; 6. 31x Jeremy Franken
Heat #3: 1. 20 Anthony Mann; 2. 21 Larry Kracht; 3. 9B Bob DeBoer; 4. 15 Tammy Kracht; 5. 7x Chris DeHaan; 6. 4 Travis Jansma; 7. 55 Korey Woelber
B Feature: 1. 81 Mark VandenTop; 2. 31x Jeremy Franken; 3. 7x Chris DeHaan; 4. 99 Kevin Frodermann; 5. 8 Broc Yesda; 6. 4 Travis Jansma; 7. 55 Korey Woelber; 8. 28 Denton Potter
A Feature: 1. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 2. 80 James Brower; 3. 20 Anthony Mann; 4. 21X Mike Deutsch; 5. 81 Mark VandenTop; 6. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn; 7. 15 Tammy Kracht; 8. 21 Larry Kracht; 9. 9B Bob DeBoer; 10. 18 Jason Vande Vegte; 11. 17S James Slawson; 12. 31x Jeremy Franken; 13. 2 Dereck Van Der Brink; 14. 24 Randall Kurth