VINTON, Iowa (April 12) – As he had done eight times in 14 previous seasons, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver Damon Murty took home the checkers on opening night at Benton County Speedway.
Murty started inside of row two and stole the lead from pole-sitter Scooter Dulin by the completion of the first lap to drive away to victory in Sunday’s 18-lapper.
Norman Chesmore raced from the fifth row to finish second ahead of Scott Pippert.
Murty ranks as the all-time leader in weekly racing wins in speedway history. He now owns 69 Stock Car wins in Vinton.
Kyle Brown chased pole-sitter Joel Rust for the first dozen laps of the 20-lap IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event.
Brown furiously attempted to pass Rust on the low side of the quarter-mile before opting for a groove higher than Rust on the 13th circuit.
Brown swept around the outside of Rust the next time past the flagstand to drive to victory. Brown became the 23rd different opening night Modified winner in Vinton.
Troy Cordes and Rust completed the top three.
Despite a pair of miscues throughout the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature, Nathan Ballard was victorious in that 15-lapper.
Sixth starting Ballard worked into a challenge for the lead before a lap was complete, however he drifted off the top of turns three and four leaving him mired at the back of the pack.
He was again working through traffic when he spun in the same set of turns with six laps to go.
On the restart, Ballard drove the high side back into contention and stole the lead from Matt Pohlman as the white flag waved. He beat Pohlman and Justin Wacha to the checkers.
Kyle Olson worked high and then low to race past Curt Hilmer to take the lead in the 16-lap Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature. Olson led Duane Van Deest by a half straightaway at the checkers. Hilmer ran third.
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