(Racing Every Friday Night)
Race Results
May 6, 2005
Droescher Strikes for Rapid Speedway Win
By Shawn Neisteadt
(May 6, 2005—Rock Rapids, IA) One week after the temperature was at the freezing point, the weather warmed up, but it was “The Iceman” taking the win.
At the start of the Sprint Car feature, young Casey Heser took the lead with Ryan Bickett following. On the second lap, Gordy Vogelaar was charging and moved into the top five as he passed Jesse Drost. Heser, in only his second race at Rapid Speedway led the pack for the first seven full laps. On lap eight, Bickett mounted a charge at the lead in turn one, but Heser closed the door on Bickett. The closing of the door was the opening needed for Randy Droescher to slice under the top two cars and drive into the lead on the exit of turn two. Droescher was lurking in the third place since the start of the race and stalked down the two young guns.
On the following lap, Vogelaar continued his charge as he took the third place from Bickett. On the tenth lap, Vogelaar gained another position as he passed Heser for second. Bickett reclaimed the third place on lap eleven when he took it over from Heser entering turn one. Brent Vonk was turning the heat up on lap twelve as he rocketed past Heser and Bickett and drove his #21V into third. Mike Sandvig soon made his way into the top five and Bickett and Sandvig swapped fourth place several times on laps 13 and 14.
The caution flag waved for the first time in the 18 lap event on lap 14 when Heser looped his #75C and came to a stop on the track. On the resulting restart, Butch Hanssen, the defending champion, made a very uncharacteristic mistake and clipped the cone. That send Hanssen from the sixth position to the tail of the field. Trouble set in for another veteran on the next restart when mechanical troubles send Vogelaar off the speedway and to the infield.
The field bunched up on the tail of Droescher, but he was too strong as he took the win. Vonk finished second with Sandvig third. Drost crossed the line fourth with Johnn Cressman driving from fourteenth to fifth.
A Don Grems spin one lap into the Late Model Stock Car feature handed the lead to Mark DeBoer. DeBoer led the next lap, but the caution was out again on lap two when Colter Deutch spun his #5. On the restart, several cars tangled entering the first turn. Amongst the mangled mess of machinery was and upside-down #6 car of Rick VanderWeide. VanderWeide was unharmed, and several of the cars involved made it back to the speedway for the restart. In an odd moment during the caution flag, Jesse Akkerman had his throttle stick as he idled off turn four. Akkerman took the car off the track and shut the engine down. The throttle unhinged and Akkerman rejoined the field.
One the racing resumed, is was well worth the wait. Darrin Korthals went on the attack and disposed of Brad Klaassen moving Korthals to second. On lap five of the 15 lap race, Korthals pulled door to door with the race leader, DeBoer. For the next five laps, the two drivers that have dominated the stock cars in recent years battle side by side.
With the crowd on its feet, the side by side racing ended on lap ten when Korthals used the rim of the track to momentum his way by DeBoer and into the lead. That was the winning move as Korthals led the final five laps to take his second win in a row. DeBoer was second with Scott Overgaard third. Fourth went to Chad Overgaard and Klaassen rounded out the top five.
Greg Roeman has established himself as the man to beat in the Sportsmen class as he come from fifth to take his second in as many weeks. Mel Elsberry made a strong run at the top spot, but settled for second. Billy Sprock, Kevin Broesder and Jamie Tieszen rounded out the top five.
There were no problems in the post race scaling of Justin Arends car this time around as he took the win in the Hobby Stock feature. Lane Brenden was second with third going to Marlo DeJager. Jason DeBoer took fourth with Dereck VanDerBrink in fifth.
Ty Hanten took the win in the Super Modifieds with Derrick Nordstrom victorious in the Factory Stocks.
Rapid Speedway will race again this Friday night at 8 PM.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. Brent Vonk, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Robert Danielson, Harrisburg, S.D.; 3. Shawn VanWyhe, Rock Rapids; 4. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 5. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 6. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 7. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D..
Heat #2: 1. Casey Heser, Jackson, Minn.; 2. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 3. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 4. Eric Lutz, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 5. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 6. Troy Vink, Tea, S.D.; 7. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D..
Heat #3: 1. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 2. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 3. Jesse Drost, Worthington, Minn.; 4. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 5. Justin Jacobsma, Hull; 6. Jordan Martens, Harrisburg, S.D.; 7. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Randy Droescher, Larchwood; 2. Brent Vonk, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 3. Mike Sandvig, Spencer; 4. Jesse Drost, Worthington, Minn.; 5. Johnn Cressman, Hartford, S.D.; 6. Ryan Bickett, Ramona, S.D.; 7. Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D.; 8. Robert Danielson, Harrisburg, S.D.; 9. Shawn VanWyhe, Rock Rapids; 10. Randy Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 11. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids; 12. Troy Vink, Tea, S.D.; 13. Eric Lutz, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 14. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 15. Justin Jacobsma, Hull; 16. Jordan Martens, Harrisburg, S.D.; 17. Gordy Vogelaar, Worthington, Minn.; 18. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 19. Casey Heser, Jackson, Minn.; 20. Casey Abbas, Parker, S.D.; 21. Steve Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D..
NMRA Late Model Stock Cars
Heat #1: 1. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 3. Don Grems, Lester; 4. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 5. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn..
Heat #2: 1. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 2. Scott Overgaard, LuVerne, Minn.; 3. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 4. Jesse Akkerman, Luverne, Minn.; 5. Brad Klaassen, Adrian, Minn.; 6. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids.
A Feature: 1. Darrin Korthals, Rock Rapids; 2. Mark DeBoer, Adrian, Minn.; 3. Scott Overgaard, LuVerne, Minn.; 4. Chad Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.; 5. Brad Klaassen, Adrian, Minn.; 6. Jesse Akkerman, Luverne, Minn.; 7. Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 8. Donald Gerritsen Jr, Rock Rapids; 9. Don Grems, Lester; 10. Doug Brinkhous, Rock Rapids; 11. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls, S.D..
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. Jamie Tieszen, Marion, S.D.; 2. Kevin Broesder, George; 3. Greg Roemen, Ellsworth, Minn.; 4. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock.
Heat #2: 1. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 2. Billy Sprock, George; 3. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 4. Bob Dafoe, Sioux Falls, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Greg Roemen, Ellsworth, Minn.; 2. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 3. Billy Sprock, George; 4. Kevin Broesder, George; 5. Jamie Tieszen, Marion, S.D.; 6. Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids; 7. Jon DeBoer, Little Rock; 8. Bob Dafoe, Sioux Falls, S.D..
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Lane Brenden, Mitchell, S.D.; 2. Marlo De Jager, Doon; 3. Kevin Joachim, Larchwood; 4. Colin Sprock, George; 5. Alicia Ahrendt, Inwood.
Heat #2: 1. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 2. Justin Arends, Little Rock; 3. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 4. Joe Bergheim, Madison, S.D.; 5. Amanda Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 6. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center.
A Feature: 1. Justin Arends, Little Rock; 2. Lane Brenden, Mitchell, S.D.; 3. Marlo De Jager, Doon; 4. Jason De Boer, Sioux Center; 5. Dereck VanDerBrink, Rock Rapids; 6. Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids; 7. Colin Sprock, George; 8. Kevin Joachim, Larchwood; 9. Amanda Deutsch, Kanaranzi, Minn.; 10. Joe Bergheim, Madison, S.D.; 11. Alicia Ahrendt, Inwood.
Factory Stocks
Heat #1: 1. Derrick Nordstrom, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Adam Jenniges, Ellsworth, Minn.; 3. Jared Nytroe, Brandon, S.D..
A Feature: 1. Derrick Nordstrom, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 2. Jared Nytroe, Brandon, S.D.; 3. Adam Jenniges, Ellsworth, Minn..