(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
August 2, 2002
By Shawn Neisteadt
(Rock Rapids, IA-August 2, 2002) Randy Droescher and Shawn Van Wyhe set the pace for the start of the 360 sprint main event, but it was Droescher leading the field as they hit the first turn. On the opening lap Clint Garner had rocketed from the fifth row and into the fourth position. On the races second lap, Mike McMahan stole the second place from Van Wyhe. Also on the second lap, Mike Sandvig took fourth from Garner. On the following lap, Van Wyhe reclaimed second and Garner once again took fourth from Sandvig.
Droescher had built up a straightaway advantage as he entered slower traffic at the races halfway point, lap nine. On the eleventh lap, McMahan and Van Wyhe battle for second again, and McMahan was able to take the spot exiting turn four. Garner moved into third with four laps remaining.
The field would never be able to touch Droescher as "The Iceman" led all 18 laps to take his first Rapid Speedway win of 2002. McMahan took second and Garner was third. Van Wyhe was fourth and Sandvig rounded out the top five. "I needed one bad here. The pit crew needed a boost. My fans needed a boost," said Droescher, pilot of the Ethanol Products #24 after the win. "We tried a new setup and it seemed to work." Droescher, McMahan and Chase Wilson won the heat races.
John DeGroot claimed the early lead of the Short Track Stock Car feature. Mark Henry moved into second with one lap completed. On the fourth circuit of the speedway, Doug Brinkhous moved by Henry and into the second place. Darrin Korthals followed suit and took third on the exit of turn four. Six laps had been run when the lead changed hands. Brinkhous dove under DeGroot entering turn three and raced off turn four with the lead. On the next lap, Korthals moved into second when DeGroot slipped high in turn one.
Brinkhous and Korthals were side by side for the lead when the yellow flag waved for a couple of cars that had made contact and left one sitting in turn four. That set the stage for a two lap shootout to the finish. Korthals wasted no time and immediately began to challenge for the lead when the green replaced the yellow. The two cars were dead even as they took the white flag. Brinkhous was faster off two and moved back into the lead, but the race wasn't done yet. Korthals moved under Brinkhous in four, but at the line it was Brinkhous taking his first win of the season. Korthals, the point leader, took second and Mark DeBoer was third. Jason DeBoer was fourth and Henry finished fifth. The heat races were won by Heath Warntjes and Randy Vander Weide.
In his first ever appearance at Rapid Speedway, Jason Grant charged from tenth to take the win of the sportsmen feature. Evan DeHaan was the early leader and held the top spot until the white flag. DeHaan and Grant entered turn one door to door and as they exited two Grant was the races new leader. Grant took the win with Scott Overgaard in second. DeHaan was third and Anthony Mann was fourth. Fifth place went to Mel Elsberry. Kevin Broesder, Jeff Hoogendoorn and Brad Haas won the heat races.
Don Gerritsen Jr. dominated the Hobby Stock feature to take his second win of the season. Mark VandenTop was second followed by Josh Klay. Colter Deutsch was fourth and Bob DeBoer rounded out the top five. Klay, DeBoer and Darwin Klaassen were victorious in heat race action.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. 24 Randy Droescher; 2. 21V Brent Vonk; 3. 25 Brian Baker; 4. 46 Robert Danielson; 5. 56 Johnn Cressman
Heat #2: 1. 3c Chase Wilson; 2. 99 Shawn Van Wyhe; 3. 17V Clint Garner; 4. 7 Mike Sandvig; 5. 14r Randy Rosenboom
Heat #3: 1. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 2. 8h Butch Hanssen; 3. 3b Buck Wilson; 4. 2D Dusty Ballenger; 5. 13 Tim Martens
A Feature: 1. 24 Randy Droescher; 2. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 3. 17V Clint Garner; 4. 99 Shawn Van Wyhe; 5. 7 Mike Sandvig; 6. 25 Brian Baker; 7. 8h Butch Hanssen; 8. 2D Dusty Ballenger; 9. 14r Randy Rosenboom; 10. 3b Buck Wilson; 11. 3c Chase Wilson; 12. 46 Robert Danielson; 13. 56 Johnn Cressman; 14. 21V Brent Vonk; 15. 13 Tim Martens; 16. 2s Laura Mulder
NMRA Short Track Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. 22W Heath Warntjes; 2. 23 Mark De Boer; 3. 44 Jason De Boer; 4. 35 John De Groot; 5. 27 Randy Brands; 6. 4 Kevin Larson
Heat #2: 1. 8 Randy Vander Weide; 2. 28 Mark Van Voorst; 3. 17 Doug Brinkhous; 4. 43 Mark Henry; 5. 11K Darrin Korthals; 6. 7x Mike Forseth
A Feature: 1. 17 Doug Brinkhous; 2. 11K Darrin Korthals; 3. 23 Mark De Boer; 4. 44 Jason De Boer; 5. 43 Mark Henry; 6. 35 John De Groot; 7. 8 Randy Vander Weide; 8. 22W Heath Warntjes; 9. 28 Mark Van Voorst; 10. 4 Kevin Larson; 11. 27 Randy Brands; 12. 7x Mike Forseth
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. 11k Kevin Broesder; 2. 7x Evan DeHaan; 3. 14 Aaron Olson; 4. 00 Gary Mulder; 5. 7xx Kevin Spurgin; 6. 6 Rick Vander Weide
Heat #2: 1. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn; 2. 5 Mel Elsberry; 3. C4 Casey Hurney; 4. 63 Todd Huisman; 5. 2h Joseph Hofer
Heat #3: 1. 72 Brad Haas; 2. 40 Scott Overgaard; 3. 2 Jason Grant; 4. 20 Anthony Mann; 5. 36 Glenn Wynia; 6. 04 Roger Verdoorn
A Feature: 1. 2 Jason Grant; 2. 40 Scott Overgaard; 3. 7x Evan DeHaan; 4. 20 Anthony Mann; 5. 5 Mel Elsberry; 6. 04 Roger Verdoorn; 7. 72 Brad Haas; 8. 7xx Kevin Spurgin; 9. 91 Jeff Hoogendoorn; 10. 14 Aaron Olson; 11. 36 Glenn Wynia; 12. 11k Kevin Broesder; 13. 63 Todd Huisman; 14. 2h Joseph Hofer; 15. 00 Gary Mulder; 16. C4 Casey Hurney; 17. 6 Rick Vander Weide
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 9B Bob DeBoer; 2. 2 Dereck Van Der Brink; 3. 81 Mark VandenTop; 4. k95 Shannon VanWyk; 5. 33x Marlo De Jager; 6. 17 Jason Wohlford
Heat #2: 1. 28x Josh Klay; 2. 2J Shaun Jurrens; 3. 7x Chris DeHaan; 4. 5 Colter Deutsch; 5. 55t Terry Penning
Heat #3: 1. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 2. 27 Donald Gerritsen Jr; 3. 28 Denton Potter; 4. 80 James Brower; 5. 16J Jon De Boer
A Feature: 1. 27 Donald Gerritsen Jr; 2. 81 Mark VandenTop; 3. 28x Josh Klay; 4. 5 Colter Deutsch; 5. 9B Bob DeBoer; 6. 45 Darwin Klaassen; 7. 28 Denton Potter; 8. 80 James Brower; 9. 55t Terry Penning; 10. 2 Dereck Van Der Brink; 11. 33x Marlo De Jager; 12. k95 Shannon VanWyk; 13. 7x Chris DeHaan; 14. 16J Jon De Boer; 15. 2J Shaun Jurrens; 16. 17 Jason Wohlford