(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
May 14, 2004
Steve Ballenger Rim Rides to Rapid Speedway Win
By Shawn Neisteadt
(Rock Rapids, IA -May 14, 2004) Dusty Ballenger had won two straight Sprint Car features at Rapid Speedway. His streak would end, but his father would keep the Ballenger name in victory lane.
The red flag came out on the Sprint Car feature before one lap could be entered. The fifth row starters, Mike Sandvig and Rob Danielson, tangled entering the first turn and also collected Shawn Van Wyhe. The altercation put the #46 of Danielson onto its lid, but the driver was able to walk away. The other two were able to restart the event.
Jeremy Fey took the initial lead of the event when the green flag waved again. The red flag came out once again with one lap counted. Again Sandvig had troubles and had tumbled his #7 in the fourth turn. The damage was light to the car, but being in two incidents was enough for Sandvig as he went pitside. On the resulting restart, Brent Vonk, who was in fourth, challenged the restart cone, and the cone won as Vonk drew the caution and was sent to the tail.
Racing resumed once again and it was Steve Ballenger on the charge. Ballenger was on the very top of the track and went past Randy Droescher for fourth on the second lap. The lead swapped hands on the seventh lap as Jesse Drost piloted the #27 past Fey and the race had a new leader. These were the first laps Drost had ever led in sprint car competition for the former stock car and modified stand out. Drost led the field into slower traffic as the event became eight laps old.
The final red flag of the event waved on lap nine, the halfway point, when Kevin Flowers flipped wildly in turn four. The car was high in the air and came to a rest in the safety fence. The car was torn up, but Flowers walked away.
The racing action in the second half was red hot. On the restart, Steve Ballenger moved past Fey and took over second. One lap later, Butch Hanssen, the defending track champion was on the charge and took fourth from Jordan Martens. The lead was again challenged on lap eleven. Steve Ballenger was continuing to rim ride and overtook the lead from Drost who was running the center of the speedway. Hanssen took over the third spot on lap thirteen when he overran Fey.
The field was bunched up with just three trips around the speedway remaining when Fey slowed on the track to draw a caution.
Hanssen was able to move into second, but was not able to chase down Steve Ballenger as he scored his first win at Rapid Speedway for the season. Hanssen drove from twelfth to second. Drost was third with Dusty Ballenger charging from thirteenth to fourth. Jordan Martens finished fifth. Fey, Martens, and Vonk won the heat races. Bill Fredin took the top spot in the "B" feature.
A rough start to the season gave Scott Overgaard a front row starting position for the Late Model Stock Car feature. That allowed him to get out front and open a lead early, however that lead was erased near the halfway point of the 15 lap event when the third place car of Darrin Korthals slowed and the sixth place runner, Doug Brinkhous went up in smoke.
Overgaard has a stout field on his bumper, but the 2002 sportsmen champ drove on for his first win of the year. Brad Klaassen was second. Mark DeBoer drove from seventh to third. Mark Van Voorst and Darwin Klaassen rounded out the top five. Overgaard and Brad Klaassen won the Late Model Stock Car heat races.
Mel Elsberry drove into third place on the second lap of the Sportsmen feature. Elsberry then took over second on the seventh lap. One lap later, entering the first turn, Elsberry snuck past Kevin Broesder for the lead. Elsberry held strong out front for his second win of the season. Broesder crossed the line second. Anthony Mann drove to a third place finish with Chris Huismann just behind him. Nick Beyenhof took fifth place. Elsberry, Broesder and Mann won the heat races.
The 12 lap Hobby Stock feature was also an exciting event. It took only three laps for Josh Klay to drive from tenth to the lead of the event, but he soon had eighth starter, Colter Deutsch, on his back bumper. The two races tightly for the top spot for several laps. Deutsch was literally on Klay's bumper entering the first turn on the eighth lap. The result was a spinning Klay. However because of the contact, Deutsch was credited with the caution sending him to the rear of the field. Klay led from the restart to the finish for his second straight win. Dereck Van Der Brink took second with Mike Deutsch third. Kevin Joachim was fourth with Mark Vanden Top rounding out the top five. Joachim and Seth Stegenga won the heat races.
Rapid Speedway will race again on Friday night on the Lyon County Fairgrounds in Rock Rapids, IA.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 2. Jesse Drost, Worthington, Minn.; 3. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 4. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 5. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 6. Bill Fredin, Windom, Minn.; 7. Brandon Buysse, Luverne, Minn..
Heat #2: 1. Jordan Martens, Harrisburg, S.D.; 2. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 3. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 6. Ben VanVooren, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 7. Justin Jacobsma, Hull.
Heat #3: 1. Jeremy Fey, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 3. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 4. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 5. Terry Chester, Parker, S.D.; 6. Kevin Flowers, Hartford, S.D..
B Feature: 1. Bill Fredin, Windom, Minn.; 2. Kevin Flowers, Hartford, S.D.; 3. Justin Jacobsma, Hull; 4. Ben VanVooren, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Brandon Buysse, Luverne, Minn..
A Feature: 1. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 2. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Jesse Drost, Worthington, Minn.; 4. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 5. Jordan Martens, Harrisburg, S.D.; 6. Shawn VanWyhe, Lester; 7. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 8. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids; 9. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 10. Bill Fredin, Windom, Minn.; 11. Terry Chester, Parker, S.D.; 12. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 13. Jeremy Fey, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 14. Brent Vonk, Hudson, S.D.; 15. Kevin Flowers, Hartford, S.D.; 16. Justin Jacobsma, Hull; 17. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 18. Robert Danielson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
NMRA Late Model Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. Scott Overgaard, LuVerne, Minn.; 2. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 4. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 5. Justin Glaser, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Brad Klaassen, Adrian, Minn.; 2. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 3. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 4. Darwin Klaassen, Little Rock.
A Feature: 1. Scott Overgaard, LuVerne, Minn.; 2. Brad Klaassen, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 4. Mark Van Voorst, Sioux Center; 5. Darwin Klaassen, Little Rock; 6. Heath Warntjes, Boyden; 7. Justin Glaser, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 8. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 9. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids.
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 2. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 3. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 4. Bob Dafoe, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids.
Heat #2: 1. Kevin Broesder, George; 2. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Billy Sprock, George; 4. Marty Halouska, Worthing, S.D.; 5. Greg Roemen, Ellsworth, Minn..
Heat #3: 1. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 2. Jamie Tieszen, Marion, S.D.; 3. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 4. Mike Forseth, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Travis Schueller, Primghar.
A Feature: 1. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 2. Kevin Broesder, George; 3. Anthony Mann, Brandon, S.D.; 4. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 5. Nick Beyenhof, Rock Rapids; 6. Jamie Tieszen, Marion, S.D.; 7. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 8. Mike Forseth, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 9. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 10. Jeff Hoogendoorn, Rock Rapids; 11. Billy Sprock, George; 12. Travis Schueller, Primghar; 13. Marty Halouska, Worthing, S.D.; 14. Greg Roemen, Ellsworth, Minn.; 15. Bob Dafoe, Sioux Falls, S.D..
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Seth Stegenga, LuVerne, Minn.; 2. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 3. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 4. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 5. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn.; 6. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 7. Anthony DeHaan, Alton.
Heat #2: 1. Kevin Joachim, Larchwood; 2. Mike Deutsch, Ellsworth, Minn.; 3. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 4. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 5. Thomas Doeden, Sibley; 6. Justin Arends, Little Rock; 7. Alicia Ahrendt, Inwood.
A Feature: 1. Josh Klay, Magnolia, Minn.; 2. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 3. Mike Deutsch, Ellsworth, Minn.; 4. Kevin Joachim, Larchwood; 5. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 6. Justin Arends, Little Rock; 7. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 8. Travis Jansma, Hudson, S.D.; 9. Anthony DeHaan, Alton; 10. Denton Potter, Larchwood; 11. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 12. Alicia Ahrendt, Inwood; 13. Thomas Doeden, Sibley; 14. Seth Stegenga, LuVerne, Minn..