(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
July 25, 2003
VanWyhe gets on track and into Rapid Speedway Victory Lane
By Shawn Neisteadt
(July 25, 2003-Rock Rapids, IA) After struggling for the first half of the season, Shawn VanWyhe broke through on Friday night with his first win of the season.
VanWyhe jumped into the lead at the drop fo the green flag for the 18 lap sprint car feature. One lap into the race, Ryan Bickett moved past Steve Ballenger for the fourth place then Steve Ballenger lost fifth to his son Dusty Ballenger on lap four.
The leaders ran into slower traffic on lap six. Two laps later, Bickett made his way passed Mike Sandvig for third in the second turn. Eleven laps were in the books when Sandvig lost fourth to Dusty Ballenger. With only three laps to go, Johnn Cressman, who had been running second since the start, slowed and pulled off the speedway.
At the finish it was VanWyhe ahead of Bickett and Dusty Ballenger. Sandvig finished fourth and Lyle Howey III came from eleventh to fifth in the flag to flag feature. "We're looking at the second half of the season as the start of our new season," said VanWyhe after the win.
VanWyhe, Sandvig and Cressman won the sprint car heat races.
The grandstands came to life as the crowd cheered on two cars at the finish of the Late Model Stock Car feature. Mark Henry had led from the start of the race while Darrin Korthals charged from ninth. Henry led at the white flag with Korthals in hot pursuit. As they came off the final turn, Korthals dipped low and the drag race to the finish began. At the line, Henry picked up the win by just a few inches over Korthals. Chad Overgaard was third and Mark DeBoer came from eleventh to fourth. John DeGroot rounded out the top five. Henry and Overgaard were victorious in the heat races.
In the sportsmen feature, it was a night to remember for Nick Beyenhof. The 16-year old driver led all 12 laps of the event to take his first ever win. Chris Huisman finished second and Evan DeHaan was third. Mel Elsberry crossed the line fourth and Anthony Mann was fifth. The points leader, Rick Vander Weide suffered a blow to his points lead when his engine expired on lap five of the feature. The heat races were won by Beyenhof and DeHaan.
Bob DeBoer took the lead of the Hobby Stock feature on lap two from Bobbi Kracht. DeBoer led the rest of the distance to score his second feature win of the season at Rapid Speedway. Chris DeHaan was second followed by Derrick Vander Brink. Denton Potter came from tenth to fourth and Mark VandenTop rounded out the top five. Kelly Doeden won the consolation feature. The Hobby Stock heat races were won by DeBoer, Colter Deutsch and Billy Cowell.
Rapid Speedway races again this Friday night.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 2. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 3. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 4. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 5. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 6. Brandon Buysse, Luverne, Minn..
Heat #2: 1. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 2. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 3. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 4. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 5. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 6. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn..
Heat #3: 1. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 2. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 3. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 4. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 5. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 6. Jim Krueger, Brandon, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 2. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 3. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 4. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 5. Lyle Howey III, Brookings, S.D.; 6. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 7. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 8. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 9. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 10. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 11. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 12. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 13. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 14. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 15. Brandon Buysse, Luverne, Minn.; 16. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 17. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 18. Jim Krueger, Brandon, S.D..
NMRA Late Model Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 2. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 3. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 4. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 5. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 6. Heath Warntjes, Boyden.
Heat #2: 1. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 2. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Randy Vander Weide, Sioux Center; 4. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 5. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 6. John De Groot, Sioux Center.
A Feature: 1. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 2. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 3. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 4. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 5. John De Groot, Sioux Center; 6. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 7. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 8. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 9. Randy Vander Weide, Sioux Center; 10. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 11. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 12. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center.
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 2. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D.; 3. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 4. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 5. Mel Elsberry, Orange City.
Heat #2: 1. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 2. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 4. Kevin Broesder, George; 5. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids.
A Feature: 1. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 2. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 3. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 4. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 5. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 6. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 7. Kevin Broesder, George; 8. Casey Hurney, Brandon, S.D.; 9. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 10. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D..
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 2. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 3. Mike Buss, Luverne, Minn.; 4. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 5. Kelly Doeden, Sibley; 6. Jason Faber, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Bob DeBoer, Little Rock; 2. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 3. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 4. Bobbi Kracht;; 5. Troy Woelber, Hull; 6. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D..
Heat #3: 1. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 2. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center; 3. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 4. Larry Kracht, Magnolia, Minn.; 5. Rodney VandenTop, Rock Rapids.
B Feature: 1. Kelly Doeden, Sibley; 2. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 3. Jason Faber, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Troy Woelber, Hull; 5. Rodney VandenTop, Rock Rapids.
A Feature: 1. Bob DeBoer, Little Rock; 2. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 3. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 4. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 5. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 6. Bobbi Kracht;; 7. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 8. Kelly Doeden, Sibley; 9. Billy Cowell, Steen, Minn.; 10. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 11. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 12. Larry Kracht, Magnolia, Minn.; 13. Mike Buss, Luverne, Minn.; 14. Shannon VanWyk, Sioux Center.