By John Rittenhouse
All signs indicate there will be a big field for the Rock County Fair's Enduro Race Saturday.
A mainstay in the fair's grandstand lineup for a number of years, the Enduro Race always turns into one of the festival's top attractions.
Local participation in the race seems to draw a lot of families, friends and neighbors of the drivers to the track, and that should be the case on Saturday.
According to Burdette Braun, who had compiled 40 entries as of Tuesday, more than one-half of the pre-registered cars belong to Rock County drivers.
With more entries expected before Saturday's race, Braun believes the field will be expanded.
"There's still time to get more entries this week, and if drivers bring a car before the gates close at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and the car passes our specs, we'll take them," he said.
As of Monday, the 2001 Enduro Race champion had not registered a car for Saturday's competition. Luverne's Nick Mann completed 200 laps before the race's two-hour time limit elapsed last summer, giving him his first Rock County Fair title.
Rock Rapids, Iowa, driver Terry Dieren, who finished second to Mann last season, will be back on the track.
Two Rock County drivers and another from nearby Edgerton who placed in the top-10 last season have pre-registered for Saturday's race.
Luverne's Travis Van Santen and Magnolia's Jason DeBeer, who placed fourth and seventh respectively in 2001, are back in the field. So is Edgerton's Owen Tinklenberg, who placed fifth in last year's event.
Other Luverne drivers who have pre-registered for Saturday’s race include Brian Remme, Perry Schneekloth, Chad Oye, Josh Sandbulte, Josh DeKam, Brian Boll, Greg Vande Velde, Adam Kinsinger, Brent Schepel, Brian Schneekloth and Shane Hoya.
Hills will be represented by Matt Hoffenkamp, Beaver Creek by Matt Sandbulte and Hardwick's Mark Brockberg has thrown his hat into the ring.
The 2002 version of the event is sponsored by the Rock County Corn and Soybean Growers Association, and Agri-Energy. Race time is 7 p.m.