(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
September 19, 2003
Korthals takes feature, championship at Rapid Speedway
By Shawn Neisteadt
(September 19, 2003-Rock Rapids, IA) The championship for the Late Model Stock Car class come down to the final night of the season at Rapid Speedway. Two multiple time champions, Mark DeBoer and Darrin Korthals, squared off for the final time of the year with more than the night's race on the line, the whole season came down to who finished better in the 15 lap feature. The driver that topped the other in the feature would leave crowned the champion.
Scott Overgaard took the lead as the green dropped on the race. With only one lap counted Mark DeBoer took the third position. On the second lap, DeBoer passed Doug Brinkhous for second place. On the third lap of the race Darrin Korthals charged into fourth. DeBoer took the lead on the sixth lap as he overtook Overgaard. On the following lap it was Korthals making a move as he took third from Brinkhous as they raced into the third turn. Korthals then took second on lap eight from Overgaard.
The two battling for the championship were now both out front as they settled the year. On the eighth lap Korthals pulled door to door with DeBoer and they raced as even as their points were entering the race. On the ninth lap Korthals slipped into the lead entering the first turn. DeBoer battled back and again they raced side by side on the tenth lap. On lap 11, the yellow came out for a stalled car on the backstretch. Korthals held the lead with only four laps to go. With the white flag in the air, Korthals was just ahead of DeBoer. As they came off the final turn, DeBoer charged to the inside of Korthals and they drag raced to the championship. At the finish line it was Korthals ahead of DeBoer by four feet. Korthals picked up his thirty fourth career win and defended his 2002 championship. DeBoer took second in the feature and in the championship. Scott Overgaard was third in the race with Brinkhous fourth. Chad Overgaard finished fifth.
Brent Vonk took the initial lead of the Sprint Car feature. Butch Hanssen took second with one lap counted on a restart after Shawn Van Wyhe and Brad Buysse tangled. Jody Rosenboom was third on the third lap as he took over the spot from Steve Ballenger. Vonk led the top runners into lap traffic on lap seven. One lap later Hanssen drove past Vonk in turn two and Hanssen was the new leader.
Hanssen, the 2003 champion, went on to take the feature win. Rosenboom was second and Vonk finished third. Ballenger took fourth and fifth went to Brian Baker.
In the Sportsmen feature there was a great battle between a rookie and a veteran. The rookie, Nick Beyenhof took the lead at the start of the race but had to hold off the veteran, Rick Vander Weide. Vander Weide grabbed the lead with five laps to go. Vander Weide led until the white flag came out. Beyenhof drove back into the top spot, but Vander Weide raced back in turn three. They raced off the final turn with Vander Weide on the inside of Beyenhof. Vander Weide crossed the line for his second win of the year with Beyenhof a close second. Vander Weide also claimed the season championship. Mel Elsberry took third and fourth went to Anthony Mann. Evan DeHaan was fifth.
The finish of the Hobby Stock feature would officially be nothing like it appeared. The top four cars across the finish line were found to be illegal. That gave his first ever win to Jeff Deighton. Mark VandenTop claimed his second straight championship in the Hobby Stock class.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 2. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 3. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 4. Brock Dump, Lennox, S.D.; 5. Brad Vitek, Garretson, S.D.; 6. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 3. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 4. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 5. Eric Lutz, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 6. Brad Buysse, Luverne, Minn..
Heat #3: 1. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 2. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 3. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 4. Chuck McGillivray, Madison, S.D.; 5. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 6. Kevin Flowers, Hartford, S.D.; 7. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 3. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 4. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 5. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 6. Dusty Zomer, Brandon, S.D.; 7. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 8. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 9. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 10. Eric Lutz, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 11. Chuck McGillivray, Madison, S.D.; 12. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 13. Kevin Flowers, Hartford, S.D.; 14. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 15. Brock Dump, Lennox, S.D.; 16. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 17. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 18. Brad Buysse, Luverne, Minn.; 19. Brad Vitek, Garretson, S.D..
NMRA Late Model Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 2. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 3. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 4. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 5. Chad Schettler, Brandon, S.D.; 6. Justin Glaser, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 2. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 3. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 5. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 6. John De Groot, Sioux Center.
A Feature: 1. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 2. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Scott Overgaard, Ellsworth, Minn.; 4. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 5. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 6. Mark Henry, Rock Rapids; 7. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 8. David Kruger, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 9. John De Groot, Sioux Center; 10. Chad Schettler, Brandon, S.D.; 11. Justin Glaser, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 12. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center.
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 3. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 4. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 5. Pete Kracht, Steen, Minn..
Heat #2: 1. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 2. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 3. Kevin Broesder, George; 4. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 5. Greg Roemen, Ellsworth, Minn..
A Feature: 1. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 3. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 4. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 5. Evan DeHaan, Alton; 6. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 7. Kevin Broesder, George; 8. Pete Kracht, Steen, Minn.; 9. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 10. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 11. Greg Roemen, Ellsworth, Minn..
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Kelly Doeden, Sibley; 2. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 3. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 4. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 5. Jeff Deighton, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 2. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 3. Chris Tiesler, Ellsworth, Minn.; 4. Marlo De Jager, Doon; 5. Rodney VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 6. Mike Thompson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #3: 1. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 2. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 3. Clinton Bruns, Sibley; 4. Bobbi Kracht;; 5. Jeff VanderBush, Boyden.
A Feature: 1. Jeff Deighton, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Chris Tiesler, Ellsworth, Minn.; 3. Bobbi Kracht;; 4. Mike Thompson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 6. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 7. Marlo De Jager, Doon; 8. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 9. Chris DeHaan, Alton; 10. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 11. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 12. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 13. Kelly Doeden, Sibley; 14. Rodney VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 15. Clinton Bruns, Sibley; 16. Jeff VanderBush, Boyden.