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by Tana Robinson
Ransomville Speedway Marketing & PR Director
With nearly a dozen family race teams in the Ransomville Speedway pit area, you can add another to the list when the facility opens for its 55th year of operation in May of 2012.
Darrell Borkenhagen, who has competed in the Ransomville Speedway Thursday night go-kart program, will join his brother Derrick, a two-time track Street Stock champion. It will be the first time that Darrell will be in a stock car on a competitive basis.
Darrell recently purchased the Billy Coleman Street Stock, which finished second in 2011 Street Stock points behind Derrick. Both Derrick and Darrell have their cars inside the family garage with preparations being made for the upcoming season. Their father Rick, who has overseen the maintenance of Derrick's car, will work on Darrell's car as well.
Derrick, the 2009 and 2011 Street Stock champion likes the idea of Darrell entering the stock car ranks.
"It should be fun," said Derrick in a telephone interview. "I think that he'll have a little learning curve, but he'll do well. He just needs to get the feel of the car."
Darrell has been in a Street Stock on one occasion - a Wednesday night 2011 practice session using Derrick's car to get a little seat time.
"I'm really looking forward to this," said Darrell. "I'm looking to get on the track and running competitively."
For now, Darrell's work schedule won't allow him to be at the track every Friday night. He did say, however, that he might be able to do some switching of work schedules to enable him to hit more Ransomville Speedway events.
For Derrick, he's looking for his third Street Stock title in four years. He was very close to getting three in a row as he lost the points race on the final night of 2010.
Derrick also will be running an eight cylinder on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, at the 12th annual Hangover 150. It's also possible that he will be competing in the four-cylinder division as well.
It was actually the Hangover that got Derrick into the Friday night program.
"In 2007, I bought a Hangover car for $100. I was never the same after that. I got hooked. I went out and bought a Street Stock for that summer."
Derrick was 15th in points after the first season.
"That year, I learned how to drive the car and to fix the car. Once we started to drive better and we didn't have to fix the car as much, it was a lot more fun."
Sponsoring Derrick's ride in 2012 will be Investor's Service, Ray's Tavern, Kilgour's Corner, Four Seasons Landscaping and Monahan Farms.