(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
May 2, 2003
By Shawn Neisteadt
(Rock Rapids, IA-May 2, 2003) A tremendous field of race cars turned out for the second week of racing at Rapid Speedway. Those cars gave the fans one of the best races in recent memory.
Mitch Runge jumped from the pole to the lead of the NMRA 360 Sprint Car feature as the field took the green. Runge's lead lasted two laps until Ryan Bickett pulled wheel to wheel in turn one and grabbed the lead exiting turn two. On the third lap, Butch Hanssen drove into the top five when he overtook Randy Droescher entering turn one.
Bickett entered lap traffic seven laps into the race. Behind the leader, three wide racing formed as Brent Vonk, Micah Schliemann, and Hanssen all battle. Nine laps into the 18 lapper, Hanssen drove into the third position. Then, on lap 13, Hanssen passed Runge for second. Bickett was too far away to catch as he maneuvered through the dense traffic like a seasoned veteran to grab his first Rapid Speedway victory of his career.
"I knew when I got around Runge, that Gordy (Vogelaar), Butch Hanssen and all those guys would be coming. You can't wait around with these guys," said Bickett after the win. Hanssen finished second and Vonk crossed the line third. Runge finished fourth and Schliemann rounded out the top five. Bickett, Runge and Schliemann won the heat races. Lyle Howey III won the B feature.
With four laps remaining in the Late Model Stock Car feature, the yellow flag waved. As Randy VanderWeide slowed and tried to enter the pits, Heath Warntjes found no room around the slowing car and they collided. That set the stage for four laps of exciting racing. John DeGroot had led from the drop of the green, but found Mark DeBoer on his bumper on the restart. When the green reappeared, Rick Goth took third from David Krueger. With the white flag in the air, the crowd came to its feet. DeBoer was looking for the lead inside of DeGroot. The two exited four and drag raced to the finish where it was DeGroot taking his first win. DeBoer was second followed by Goth. Darrin Korthals came back from an early race incident to finish fourth just ahead of Krueger. Chad Overgaard and Don Bickett won the heat races.
Chris Huisman led the first 11 laps of the Sportsmen feature, but found the lead spot challenged with the white flag waving. As the leaders came to the white flag, Evan DeHaan pulled door to door with Huisman. They ran like that until turn four when Rick VanderWeide made it a three way battle for the win. At the stripe it was DeHaan inches ahead of VanderWeide who was just inches ahead of Huisman. Mel Elsberry finished a close fourth. Randy Brands rounded out the top five. The feature event for the sportsmen showcased a great deal of three wide racing and all cars in the top six were bumper to bumper. The heat races were won by DeHaan and Anthony Mann.
Chris DeHaan spun with only two laps remaining in the Hobby Stock feature. That set the race up for a green-white-checkered shootout. Denton Potter had the restart lead but Mark VandenTop, the defending champion was on his tail. The race was a close one, but Potter held on for the win. VandenTop was second and Colter Deutsch was third. Shawn Jurrens finished fourth and Shannon VanWyk rounded out the top five. Jurrens and VanWyk were victorious in the heat races.
Racing action resumes on Friday night. The green flag waves at 8 pm sharp.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat 1: 1. Micah Schliemann, Hartford, S.D.; 2. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 4. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 5. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 6. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 7. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids.
Heat 2: 1. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 3. Joe Riedel, Ramona, S.D.; 4. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 5. Tim Krueger, Brandon, S.D.; 6. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 7. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D..
Heat 3: 1. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 2. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 3. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 4. Brock Dump, Lennox, S.D.; 5. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 6. Butch Evink, Colton, S.D.; 7. Chase Wilson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
B Feature: 1. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 2. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 3. Chase Wilson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Butch Evink, Colton, S.D.; 5. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 6. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 2. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 4. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Micah Schliemann, Hartford, S.D.; 6. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 7. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 8. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 9. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 10. Joe Riedel, Ramona, S.D.; 11. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 12. Brock Dump, Lennox, S.D.; 13. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 14. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 15. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 16. Chase Wilson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 17. Tim Krueger, Brandon, S.D.; 18. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.
NMRA Late Model Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 2. Brad Klaassen, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Rick Goth, Madison, S.D.; 4. John De Groot, Sioux Center; 5. Randy Vander Weide, Sioux Center; 6. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 7. Howard Baartman, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 8. Heath Warntjes, Boyden.
Heat #2: 1. Don Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 2. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 3. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 5. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 6. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 7. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center.
A Feature: 1. John De Groot, Sioux Center; 2. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Rick Goth, Madison, S.D.; 4. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 5. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 6. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 7. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 8. Brad Klaassen, Adrian, Minn.; 9. Don Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 10. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 11. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 12. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 13. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 14. Randy Vander Weide, Sioux Center; 15. Howard Baartman, Sioux Falls, S.D..
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 2. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 3. Randy Brands, Boyden; 4. Pete Kracht, Steen, Minn.; 5. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D.; 6. Kevin Broesder, George.
Heat #2: 1. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 2. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 3. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 5. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids.
A Feature: 1. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 2. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 4. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 5. Randy Brands, Boyden; 6. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 7. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D.; 8. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 9. Pete Kracht, Steen, Minn.; 10. Kevin Broesder, George; 11. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids.
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Shaun Jurrens, Little Rock; 2. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 3. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 4. Bob DeBoer, Little Rock; 5. Brent Holstein, Hardwick, Minn.; 6. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 7. Chad VantHull, Rock Rapids.
Heat #2: 1. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center; 2. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 3. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn.; 4. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 5. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 6. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 2. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 3. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 4. Shaun Jurrens, Little Rock; 5. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center; 6. Bob DeBoer, Little Rock; 7. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 8. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 9. Brent Holstein, Hardwick, Minn.; 10. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn.; 11. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 12. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 13. Chad VantHull, Rock Rapids.