(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
August 3, 2001
Wessels takes second win of the season
By Shawn Neisteadt
Rock Rapids, IA--Todd Wessels took the checkered flags first for the second time this season, but he would not receive credit for the win. The win was credited to Shawn Van Whye. Earlier in the week, Van Whye was told by a doctor he must take some time away from racing due to recent racing related concussions. That's when Van Whye called Wessels and asked the veteran driver to put Van Whye's #99 on his car and run for points. Wessels took the lead of the NMRA 360 Sprint feature from Jeremy Fey on the second circuit of the 18-lap event and would never be touched. The only caution flag of the event waved when Dusty Ballenger slowed to enter the pit area and Randy Droescher drove over his right rear tire. The front left wheel area of Droescher's #24 would break causing the Iceman to go off the track in turn one. Droescher's night ended as the wrecker took his car to the pits. On the ensuing restart, Micah Schliemann entered turn one in the fifth position and used the high line to overtake Brian Baker and Mike McMahan, and exit turn two in third. Schliemann ran in third until lap six when he passed Fey for second, and set his sight on Wessels. It was too late for Schliemann though, as Wessels had built a healthy lead and would maneuver effortlessly through lap traffic to take the win. "I didn't know how close anybody was," said Wessels after the victory. "I was just running my line and maneuvering through lap traffic." Schliemann came from the tenth starting position to finish second. Brian Baker finished third. Clint Garner charged form the twelfth starting position to take fourth. Fey rounded out the top five. Heat race wins went to Wessels, Baker, and McMahan.
David Kruger held the early lead of the NMRA Late Model Stock Car feature, but Mark Henry was making an attempt at the lead on lap six. The battle would cost Henry momentum that allowed Randy Brands to move into second. Henry battled back to reclaim the second position, only to have Mark DeBoer take it away on the backstretch. Due to the hub-to-hub racing action behind him, Kruger had built a slight lead over the rest of the pack, but that was erased by a lap eight caution for a car with a flat tire. One lap after the restart, DeBoer passed Kruger and led the remaining six lap to put the Countryside Inn #23 into victory lane for the fourth time this season. Kruger held on to finish second. Henry came to the line third. Chad Overgaard and Jason DeBoer rounded out the top five. Kruger and Mark DeBoer claimed wins in the heat race action.
When the leader of the Sportsmen feature, Glenn Wynia, spun out in turn four of lap four, it appeared that Brad Haas would inherit the lead. But, as luck would have it, Haas would have to replace a flat tire on the caution laps. That gave Brad Klaassen the lead that he would never relinquish to put the #45K into the winner's circle for the third time this season. Evan DeHaan finished a strong second. Mel Elsberry finished third with Todd Huisman and Rick Vander Weide following to the checkereds. Scott Overgaard and Huisman scored heat race wins.
After watching Tammy Kracht and Bob DeBoer battle for the lead during the first seven laps of the NMRA Hobby Stock feature, and battling with DeBoer for the lead during the next four laps, Anthony Mann would take the lead on the backstretch during the final lap and take the win. The win is Mann's second of the season. DeBoer finished second. Darwin Klaassen, Mark Vanden Top, and James Slawson rounded out the top of the order. Heat race wins went to Chris DeHaan, Jeff Hoogendoorn, and DeBoer. Steve Eliason won the "B" feature.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. 99 Todd Wessels; 2. 33 Jim Smith; 3. 17 Clint Garner; 4. 47 Brent VandeWeerd; 5. 11x Joe Riedel; 6. 8X Jim Tiesler
Heat #2: 1. 25 Brian Baker; 2. 9 Micah Schliemann; 3. 25X Tom Platt; 4. 8 Jeremy Fey; 5. 8h Butch Hanssen; 6. 17B Ryan Bickett
Heat #3: 1. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 2. 24 Randy Droescher; 3. 75 Gordy Vogelaar; 4. 2D Dusty Ballenger; 5. 70 Blaine Foreman
A Feature: 1. 99 Todd Wessels; 2. 9 Micah Schliemann; 3. 25 Brian Baker; 4. 17 Clint Garner; 5. 8 Jeremy Fey; 6. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 7. 25X Tom Platt; 8. 75 Gordy Vogelaar; 9. 47 Brent VandeWeerd; 10. 8h Butch Hanssen; 11. 33 Jim Smith; 12. 11x Joe Riedel; 13. 17B Ryan Bickett; 14. 24 Randy Droescher; 15. 2D Dusty Ballenger; 16. 70 Blaine Foreman; 17. 8X Jim Tiesler
NMRA Late Model Street Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 97 David Kruger; 2. 17 Doug Brinkhous; 3. 87 Jesse Akkerman; 4. 43 Mark Henry; 5. 11K Darrin Korthals; 6. 7 Steve DeKam
Heat #2: 1. 23 Mark De Boer; 2. 44 Jason De Boer; 3. 42 Chad Overgaard; 4. 22W Heath Warntjes; 5. 27 Randy Brands; 6. 35 John De Groot
A Feature: 1. 23 Mark De Boer; 2. 97 David Kruger; 3. 43 Mark Henry; 4. 42 Chad Overgaard; 5. 44 Jason De Boer; 6. 35 John De Groot; 7. 87 Jesse Akkerman; 8. 11K Darrin Korthals; 9. 22W Heath Warntjes; 10. 27 Randy Brands; 11. 7 Steve DeKam; 12. 17 Doug Brinkhous
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. 40 Scott Overgaard; 2. 7x Evan DeHaan; 3. 45K Brad Klaassen; 4. 5 Mel Elsberry; 5. 36 Glenn Wynia; 6. 27B Billy Sprock
Heat #2: 1. 63 Todd Huisman; 2. 6 Rick Vander Weide; 3. 66 Marty Halouska; 4. 72 Brad Haas; 5. 90 Rick Goth; 6. 3j Jeremiah Jordahl
A Feature: 1. 45K Brad Klaassen; 2. 7x Evan DeHaan; 3. 5 Mel Elsberry; 4. 63 Todd Huisman; 5. 6 Rick Vander Weide; 6. 72 Brad Haas; 7. 66 Marty Halouska; 8. 40 Scott Overgaard; 9. 3j Jeremiah Jordahl; 10. 36 Glenn Wynia; 11. 90 Rick Goth; 12. 27B Billy Sprock
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 7x Chris DeHaan; 2. 20 Anthony Mann; 3. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 4. 18 Jason Vande Vegte; 5. 42 Steve Eliason; 6. 20x Joe Schueller; 7. 10 Paul Korthals
Heat #2: 1. 9B Bob DeBoer; 2. 80 James Brower; 3. 24 Randall Kurth; 4. 81 Mark VandenTop; 5. 28 Denton Potter; 6. 8 Broc Yesda
Heat #3: 1. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn; 2. 21X Mike Deutsch; 3. 15 Tammy Kracht; 4. 17S James Slawson; 5. 72J Clint Potter; 6. 4 Travis Jansma
B Feature: 1. 42 Steve Eliason; 2. 10 Paul Korthals; 3. 72J Clint Potter; 4. 20x Joe Schueller; 5. 4 Travis Jansma; 6. 8 Broc Yesda; 7. 28 Denton Potter
A Feature: 1. 20 Anthony Mann; 2. 9B Bob DeBoer; 3. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 4. 81 Mark VandenTop; 5. 17S James Slawson; 6. 42 Steve Eliason; 7. 7x Chris DeHaan; 8. 24 Randall Kurth; 9. 21X Mike Deutsch; 10. 15 Tammy Kracht; 11. 18 Jason Vande Vegte; 12. 80 James Brower; 13. 10 Paul Korthals; 14. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn