(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
May 23, 2003
Ballenger Returns to Rapid Speedway Victory Lane
By Shawn Neisteadt
(May 23, 2003-Rock Rapids, IA) Twenty-five NMRA 360 Sprints entered competition Friday night. Eighteen of them qualified for the "A" feature.
Dusty Zomer grabbed the early lead of the feature as he looked to grab his first ever win in sprint car racing. The yellow waved with one lap down when Jody Rosenboom lost the engine in his Mader Farms #6. Two laps later several cars tangled in turn one. Gordy Vogelaar continued after the pile-up, but the night was done for Shawn Van Wyhe, Tom Platt and Butch Hanssen. During that caution period, third place running Johnn Cressman went to the infield and his crew removed the nose wing on his #56.
Zomer led the field to the restart followed by rookie driver Casey Abbas. When the green flew, Randy Droescher moved into third and Dusty Ballenger took fourth. Randy Rosenboom started last, 18th, in the feature and charged hard and into the top five on lap 10. Thirteen laps in the race, Ballenger took third from Droescher as they went into turn one. One lap later, Chase Wilson spun his #3c machine to bring out another caution.
Zomer still set the pace with only four laps remaining, but as he got on the gas for the restart the engine let go in his #1 bringing out the caution and ending his hopes for a victory. Abbas then inherited the lead and was looking for his first career sprint car win. The green soon replace the yellow and Abbas ran in front of Ballenger, Droescher and the rest of the field. On lap 15, Abbas made a slight mistake and Ballenger took advantage of the opportunity and the 2000 track champion moved into the lead. Ballenger went on to take his third ever win at Rapid Speedway. Abbas finished an impressive second just ahead of Droescher. Cressman raced back to a fourth place finish and Brent Vonk took fifth.
"I didn't know if I had anything for him," said Ballenger after the win. "He gave me one chance, other than that, Casey did one hell of a job." The heat races were won by Platt, Cressman, Hanssen and Wilson. Lyle Howey won the "B" feature.
It took eight laps for Darrin Korthals to move from the eighth starting spot to the lead of the Late Model Stock Car feature. Korthals never looked back and went on to his second straight win. Second through fourth crossed the line three wide. Mark DeBoer was credited with second just ahead of Chad Overgaard and Jason DeBoer. Scott Overgaard rounded out the top five. Korthals and Scott Overgaard won the heat races.
With only half a lap remaining in the Sportsmen feature, the race leader, Mel Elsberry, slowed and dropped to the back of the pack. That left a dash to the win between Randy Brands and Evan DeHaan. Brands won the drag race off the final turn for the win. DeHaan was second and Rick VanderWeide took third. Kevin Broesder, the early race leader, finished fourth and the fifth spot went to Pete Kracht. Brands, VanderWeide and Daryl Reverts were winners in heat race action.
Three laps into the Hobby Stock feature, the #11 of Keith Alexander took a tumble in turn four. Alexander was unharmed. The red flag waved as the leaders raced off turn two. The race leader, Josh Klay, did not stop until he had drove past the wreck and sat in the middle of the front stretch. For driving past the accident, Klay lost his lead position and was sent to the rear of the field. That gave the lead to Mark VandenTop. The defending track champion went on to take the win ahead of Denton Potter. Jon DeBoer was third followed by Dereck VanDerBrink and Chris DeHaan.
Rapid Speedway races again at 8pm this Friday.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. Tom Platt, Ashton; 2. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 3. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 4. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 5. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 6. Butch Evink, Colton, S.D.; 7. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 2. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 3. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 4. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 5. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 6. Joe Riedel, Ramona, S.D..
Heat #3: 1. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Micah Schliemann, Hartford, S.D.; 3. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 5. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 6. Kevin Flowers, Hartford, S.D..
Heat #4: 1. Chase Wilson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 3. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 4. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 5. Ricky Sammons Jr, Huron, S.D.; 6. Tim Krueger, Brandon, S.D..
B Feature: 1. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 2. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 3. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 4. Ricky Sammons Jr, Huron, S.D.; 5. Joe Riedel, Ramona, S.D.; 6. Butch Evink, Colton, S.D.; 7. Tim Krueger, Brandon, S.D.; 8. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 2. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 3. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 4. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 5. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 6. Micah Schliemann, Hartford, S.D.; 7. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 8. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 9. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 10. Chase Wilson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 11. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 12. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 13. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 14. Butch Hanssen, SiouxFalls, S.D.; 15. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 16. Tom Platt, Ashton; 17. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 18. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids.
NMRA Late Model Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 2. Rick Goth, Madison, S.D.; 3. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 4. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 5. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 6. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids.
Heat #2: 1. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 2. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 3. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 4. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. John De Groot, Sioux Center.
A Feature: 1. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 2. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 4. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 5. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 6. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 7. Randy Vander Weide, Sioux Center; 8. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 9. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 10. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 11. Rick Goth, Madison, S.D.; 12. John De Groot, Sioux Center.
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 3. Kevin Broesder, George; 4. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 5. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids.
Heat #2: 1. Randy Brands, Boyden; 2. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 3. Josh Schmidt, Marion, S.D.; 4. Pete Kracht, Steen, Minn.; 5. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids.
Heat #3: 1. Daryl Reverts, Humboldt, S.D.; 2. Daryl Green, Mitchell, S.D.; 3. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D.; 4. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 5. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Randy Brands, Boyden; 2. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 3. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Kevin Broesder, George; 5. Pete Kracht, Steen, Minn.; 6. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 7. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 8. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 9. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 10. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D.; 11. Josh Schmidt, Marion, S.D.; 12. Daryl Green, Mitchell, S.D.; 13. Daryl Reverts, Humboldt, S.D.; 14. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 15. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D..
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 2. Dereck Van Der Brink, Rock Rapids; 3. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 4. Brent Holstein, Hardwick, Minn.; 5. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center.
Heat #2: 1. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 2. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 3. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 4. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 5. Keith Alexander, LeMars.
Heat #3: 1. Shaun Jurrens, Little Rock; 2. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 3. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn.; 4. Dan Kannegieter, Little Rock; 5. Jason Faber, Sioux Falls, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 2. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 3. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 4. Dereck Van Der Brink, Rock Rapids; 5. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 6. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn.; 7. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 8. Dan Kannegieter, Little Rock; 9. Brent Holstein, Hardwick, Minn.; 10. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 11. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 12. Shaun Jurrens, Little Rock; 13. Jason Faber, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 14. Keith Alexander, LeMars; 15. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center.