(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
July 20, 2001
Kruger claims fortieth Rapid Speedway win
By Shawn Neisteadt
Rock Rapids, IA--After two unsuccessful starts to the NMRA 360 Sprint feature, Jeremy Fey grabbed the lead. Chris Wasmund slid off turn one on the first start, and flipped while entering turn one on the second start. The flip collected Bill Martens and sent him spinning off the speedway. Both cars were badly damaged, but both drivers walked away uninjured. After one lap was completed, Tom Platt had a rear end break, causing the #25x machine to stop on the backstretch and bring the caution flag out once again. The red flag flew with two laps completed when Paul Veen flipped exiting turn two. The incident also collected Brian Baker. Baker would suffer front wing damage, but would continue in the race. Veen walked away from the incident, but his car was unable to return. Fey continued to lead and ran into lap traffic on lap six, but Clint Garner was charging from starting position 18 and overtook the second position from Jim Smith on the eleventh circuit around the speedway. The field was bunched up when the yellow hanky made another appearance over the speedway on lap 13. Doug Martens suffered mechanical problems and had gone off the track in turn one. With the field bunched up and five laps to go, the green flag waved. Micah Schliemann, who started eleventh, moved into third on the restart. Garner passed Fey in turn two on lap 14 and went on to the victory. Fey finished second with Schliemann in third. Brent VandeWeerd and Smith rounded out the top five. "I didn't expect it at all," said Garner, driver of the Verhey Enterprises #17, on the win. "I got a fast car and a lot of laps here, and with the help of my little brother Matt setting the car up, it all added up. The win was Garner's second win in a row at Rapid Speedway. Heat race wins went to Jim Tiesler, Fey, and Veen.
After following Curt Van Beek for the first eleven laps of the Late Model Stock Car feature, David Kruger took the lead exiting turn two. Kruger would lead the remaining five laps of the event to claim his fortieth career victory at the speedway. The post race celebration for Rapid Speedway's all-time winningest driver included donuts and a Polish victory lap. Van Beek finished second. Doug Brinkhous came from eighth to finish third. Mark Henry and Randy Brands rounded out the top of the order. Kruger, Henry, and Mark DeBoer claimed the heat races.
Don Grems led every lap of the NMRA Sportsmen main event to claim his first victory of the season. Scott Overgaard finished second. Rick Vander Weide started tenth and charged forward to finish third. Rick Goth came from twelfth to finish fourth. Evan DeHaan went home with top five honors. The race was caution once when several cars would get out of shape and Randy Vander Weide stopped in turn four on lap three. Glenn Wynia and Brad Klaassen claimed wins in the heat races.
Kevin Frodermann led the first five laps of the NMRA Hobby Stock feature, but as he exited turn two, the car broke extremely loose and another car slammed into the front of Frodermann's machine. Frodermann's car would slide down the backstretch and the engine would ignite. Frodermann escaped the car without being burned or injured, but the car would not be able to return to action. On the ensuing restart, Anthony Mann rocketed from third to the lead and drove on to his first win since last season's Rapid Nationals. "Just stay patient and stay calm and things will happen," Mann told himself while charging from the tenth starting position to the front. Darwin Klaassen finished second with Mark VandenTop, Bob DeBoer, and James Brower rounding out the top five. DeBoer, Chris DeHaan, Dereck Van Der Brink, and Jason Vande Vegte won the heat races. Brower and Mike Deutsch won the "B" features.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. 48 Paul Veen; 2. 28W Todd Wessels; 3. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 4. 2D Dusty Ballenger; 5. 5w Chris Wasmund; 6. 3C Wyatt Anfinson
Heat #2: 1. 8X Jim Tiesler; 2. 33 Jim Smith; 3. 9 Micah Schliemann; 4. 47 Brent VandeWeerd; 5. 99 Shawn Van Whye; 6. 28 Mitch Runge; 7. 17 Clint Garner
Heat #3: 1. 8 Jeremy Fey; 2. 24 Randy Droescher; 3. 25X Tom Platt; 4. 25 Brian Baker; 5. 51 Doug Martens; 6. 51M Bill Martens
A Feature: 1. 17 Clint Garner; 2. 8 Jeremy Fey; 3. 9 Micah Schliemann; 4. 47 Brent VandeWeerd; 5. 33 Jim Smith; 6. 24 Randy Droescher; 7. 25 Brian Baker; 8. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 9. 2D Dusty Ballenger; 10. 8X Jim Tiesler; 11. 51 Doug Martens; 12. 28 Mitch Runge; 13. 3C Wyatt Anfinson; 14. 48 Paul Veen; 15. 25X Tom Platt; 16. 99 Shawn Van Whye; 17. 51M Bill Martens; 18. 5w Chris Wasmund; 19. 28W Todd Wessels
NMRA Late Model Street Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 23 Mark De Boer; 2. 35 John De Groot; 3. 42 Chad Overgaard; 4. 44 Jason De Boer; 5. 22W Heath Warntjes; 6. 01 Greg Mulder
Heat #2: 1. 97 David Kruger; 2. 10 Dale Furby; 3. 27 Randy Brands; 4. 7 Steve DeKam; 5. 5 Moose Schuldt
Heat #3: 1. 43 Mark Henry; 2. 11K Darrin Korthals; 3. 98 Curt Van Beek; 4. 17 Doug Brinkhous; 5. 87 Jesse Akkerman
A Feature: 1. 97 David Kruger; 2. 98 Curt Van Beek; 3. 17 Doug Brinkhous; 4. 43 Mark Henry; 5. 27 Randy Brands; 6. 23 Mark De Boer; 7. 87 Jesse Akkerman; 8. 42 Chad Overgaard; 9. 5 Moose Schuldt; 10. 22W Heath Warntjes; 11. 44 Jason De Boer; 12. 35 John De Groot; 13. 7 Steve DeKam; 14. 11K Darrin Korthals; 15. 10 Dale Furby; 16. 01 Greg Mulder
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. 36 Glenn Wynia; 2. 7x Evan DeHaan; 3. 5 Mel Elsberry; 4. 66 Marty Halouska; 5. 72 Brad Haas; 6. 8 Randy Vander; 7. 7 Daryl Reverts
Heat #2: 1. 45K Brad Klaassen; 2. 21 Don Grems; 3. 6 Rick Vander Weide; 4. 40 Scott Overgaard; 5. 63 Todd Huisman; 6. 90 Rick Goth
A Feature: 1. 21 Don Grems; 2. 40 Scott Overgaard; 3. 6 Rick Vander Weide; 4. 90 Rick Goth; 5. 7x Evan DeHaan; 6. 5 Mel Elsberry; 7. 63 Todd Huisman; 8. 72 Brad Haas; 9. 66 Marty Halouska; 10. 45K Brad Klaassen; 11. 7 Daryl Reverts; 12. 36 Glenn Wynia; 13. 8 Randy Vander Weide
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 7x Chris DeHaan; 2. 99 Kevin Frodermann; 3. 15 Tammy Kracht; 4. 21 Larry Kracht; 5. 20x Joe Schueller; 6. 12J Seth Jurrens
Heat #2: 1. 2 Dereck Van Der Brink; 2. 42 Steve Eliason; 3. 31x Jeremy Franken; 4. 21X Mike Deutsch; 5. 20T Adam Thielbar; 6. 17S James Slawson
Heat #3: 1. 18 Jason Vande Vegte; 2. 20 Anthony Mann; 3. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 4. 80 James Brower; 5. 24 Randall Kurth
Heat #4: 1. 9B Bob DeBoer; 2. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn; 3. 81 Mark VandenTop; 4. 5 Colter Deutsch; 5. 2K Mike Kiggins; 6. 4 Travis Jansma
B Feature #1: 1. 80 James Brower; 2. 21 Larry Kracht; 3. 17S James Slawson; 4. 20x Joe Schueller; 5. Travis Jansma
B Feature #2: 1. 21X Mike Deutsch; 2. 20T Adam Thielbar; 3. 5 Colter Deutsch; 4. 2K Mike Kiggins; 5. 24 Randall Kurth; 6. 12J Seth Jurrens
A Feature: 1. 20 Anthony Mann; 2. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 3. 81 Mark VandenTop; 4. 9B Bob DeBoer; 5. 80 James Brower; 6. 2 Dereck Van Der Brink; 7. 21X Mike Deutsch; 8. 31x Jeremy Franken; 9. 21 Larry Kracht; 10. 18 Jason Vande Vegte; 11. 20T Adam Thielbar; 12. 42 Steve Eliason; 13. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn; 14. 15 Tammy Kracht; 15. 7x Chris DeHaan; 16. 99 Kevin Frodermann