(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
July 2, 2003
Ballenger Returns to Winning Ways Wednesday
By Shawn Neisteadt
(July 2, 2003-Rock Rapids, IA) Dusty Ballenger jumped from the front row and into the lead as the green flag waved on the NMRA 360 Sprint feature. Brent Vonk moved into third on lap 2 when he went by Chase Wilson. The leaders entered lap traffic only 6 laps into the race. On that sixth lap Butch Hanssen passed Mitch Runge and moved into the top five. On the eighth lap, Hanssen took the fourth spot from Wilson.
The red flag waved on lap nice when Mitch Runge jumped a tire and flipped on the backstretch. The car was heavily damaged, but Runge walked away unharmed.
Wilson and Vonk began to battle once again on the restart, but the two cars bumped in turn three. Both drivers slowed on the trace and Vonk stopped to bring out the caution with 10 laps counted. Vonk's night was over and Wilson retired just after the restart.
Ballenger was untouchable out front as he took his second win at Rapid Speedway for the season. Mike Sandvig took second and third went to Hanssen. Randy Rosenboom finished fourth and Micah Schliemann took fifth.
In the Late Model Stock Car feature, Mark Henry and David Kruger battled side by side for the first two laps until Henry edged into the top spot. The lead became a three-wide battle on the sixth lap as Henry was door to door with Kruger and Scott Overgaard. Scott Overgaard was the big gainer on the close racing as he moved from third to the lead as they raced of turn four. Scott Overgaard held on from there to give the 2002 Sportsmen champion his first career Late Model Stock Car feature win. Mark DeBoer came from tenth to take second. Chad Overgaard was third from ninth and Kruger took fourth. Henry crossed the line fifth.
Mel Elsberry took the lead one lap into the Sportsmen feature and led 11 laps to take his first win of the season. Rick Vander Weide came from seventh to second and third was Evan DeHaan. Randy Brands came across the fourth and fifth went to Anthony Mann.
Bob DeBoer took the early lead of the Hobby Stock feature. That lead lasted until Colter Deutsch took the top spot two laps into the event. Deutsch led the final 10 laps to take his second win of the year. DeBoer was second and third was Dereck VanderBrink. Chris DeHaan finished fourth and Mark VandenTop took fifth.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 2. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 4. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 5. Tom Platt, Ashton; 6. Brandon Buysse, Luverne, Minn.; 7. Tim Krueger, Brandon, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 2. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 3. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 4. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 6. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 7. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D..
Heat #3: 1. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 2. Chase Wilson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Micah Schliemann, Hartford, S.D.; 4. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 5. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 6. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 2. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 3. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 5. Micah Schliemann, Hartford, S.D.; 6. Tom Platt, Ashton; 7. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 8. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 9. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 10. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 11. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, .D.; 12. Chase Wilson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 13. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 14. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 15. Brandon Buysse, Luverne, Minn.; 16. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 17. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 18. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 19. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 20. Tim Krueger, Brandon, S.D..
NMRA Late Model Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 2. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 3. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 4. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 5. Randy Vander Weide, Sioux Center; 6. Heath Warntjes, Boyden.
Heat #2: 1. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 2. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 3. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 5. John De Groot, Sioux Center; 6. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids.
A Feature: 1. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 2. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 4. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 6. John De Groot, Sioux Center; 7. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 8. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 9. Rick Goth, Madison, S.D.; 10. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 11. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 12. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 13. Randy Vander Weide, Sioux Center.
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 2. Randy Brands, Boyden; 3. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 5. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 6. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 7. Jeremiah Jordahl, Madison, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Kevin Broesder, George; 2. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 3. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 4. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 5. Joseph Hofer, Mitchell, S.D.; 6. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 2. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 4. Randy Brands, Boyden; 5. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 6. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 7. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 8. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 9. Kevin Broesder, George; 10. Joseph Hofer, Mitchell, S.D.; 11. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 12. Jeremiah Jordahl, Madison, S.D.; 13. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D..
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Bob DeBoer, Little Rock; 2. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn.; 3. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 4. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 5. Andy Hansen, Madison, S.D.; 6. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Scott Borkowski, Mitchell, S.D.; 2. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center; 3. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 4. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 5. Mike Buss, Luverne, Minn.; 6. Jason Faber, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #3: 1. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 2. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 3. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 4. Chris Tiesler, Ellsworth, Minn.; 5. Brent Holstein, Hardwick, Minn.; 6. Steve Eliason, Brookings, S.D..
B Feature: 1. Andy Hansen, Madison, S.D.; 2. Steve Eliason, Brookings, S.D.; 3. Jason Faber, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 5. Mike Buss, Luverne, Minn.; 6. Brent Holstein, Hardwick, Minn..
A Feature: 1. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 2. Bob DeBoer, Little Rock; 3. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 4. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 5. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 6. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 7. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 8. Steve Eliason, Brookings, S.D.; 9. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 10. Scott Borkowski, Mitchell, S.D.; 11. Chris Tiesler, Ellsworth, Minn.; 12. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center; 13. Andy Hansen, Madison, S.D.; 14. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn..