bentoncountyspeedway Archives

Top line takes Larson to $2,000 Frostbuster checkers, first IMCA Modified win at Bullring

VINTON, Iowa (April 4) – The third time was a charm Sunday night for Jeff Larson. The Freeport, Ill., driver made the third visit of his IMCA Modified career to the Benton County Speedway and won for the first time at Vinton, taking the $2,000 checkers on Michael & Dowd Night at The Bullring. Larson stayed on the higher groove throughout the 25-lapper after passing pole starter Lucas Lamberies on the second circuit. He outran Cayden Carter following restarts on laps seven and 18. Carter, Richie Gustin, Ethan Braaksma and Joel Rust completed the top five. “I don’t like running inside so drawing the outside front row (start) helped,” said Larson, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It means a lot for me to be able to win tonight – I don’t usually beat these guys. I usually finish top five.” Larson was already pulling away from the rest of the field when the first caution flew and was a lapped car ahead of Carter when the second yellow came out. Carter tried [Read More]

Too cold, too windy at Indee: Next Frostbuster is Friday at Marshalltown

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa – Cold and wind get the blame for cancellation of Thursday’s Frostbuster at Independence Motor Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods now see their next Frostbuster action Friday, April 2 at Marshalltown Speedway. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. The draw closes at 6:15 p.m. with hot laps at 7 p.m. and racing to follow. Frostbusters follow Saturday at Boone Speedway and Sunday at Benton County Speedway.

Benton County Frostbuster rescheduled to Sunday, Stuart opens tonight

VINTON, Iowa – Wednesday’s scheduled IMCA Frostbuster at Benton County Speedway has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 4. Track officials made that announcement after determining they could not get the dirt oval at Vinton race-ready for the number of cars expected to compete on the original date. Along with IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods, Mach-1 Sport Compacts will be on the Sunday card. Racing starts at 5 p.m. and there will be Easter eggs for the kids. More information about the Benton County Frostbuster is to be announced. Frostbuster Week starts tonight (Tuesday) at Stuart Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, Stocks, SportMods and Hobbies also run at Frostbusters Thursday, April 1 at Independence Motor Speedway; Friday, April 2 at Marshalltown Speedway; and Saturday, April 3 at Boone Speedway.

100th IMCA Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights checkers fly at Benton County for Berry

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 30) – After taking the checkers, Tom Berry took time to appreciate his latest accomplishment at Benton County Speedway: Winning the Sunday night Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights tour feature. Berry, in the hunt for the IMCA Modified national championship, led all 30 laps in winning the 100th event in tour history. He became the 45th different winner in tour history by taking the 2020 finale checkers at Vinton. “It means a lot to us to win the 100th Dirt Knights event. It’s awesome to get this win tonight and our 20th win of the season.” Berry said following the convincing run to the checkers. “This is a bullring and the lapped traffic made it a little hairy, but this was a win we needed and it feels good to get it.” The $1,000 victory put Berry on the ballot for the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. He’d won five times previously this season at The Bullring. Berry had drawn the outside pole start and had Troy Cordes and Jeff Aikey in tow when he caught [Read More]

IMCA Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour makes history with 100th event Sunday at Benton County

VINTON, Iowa – Another chapter in IMCA Modified history will be written on Sunday, when the Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour comes to Benton County Speedway. The 100th event in tour history will be held at Vinton, the track where the IMCA Modified division first raced more than 40 years ago. Winner of three of the first six Dirt Knights events this season, Ethan Braaksma is poised to become the 11th different champion in as many years the tour has been held. The Aug. 30 feature pays $1,000 to win and is a qualifying event for the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and racing follows 6 p.m. hot laps. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods are also on the card, in $500 to win features. There are no entry fees for the draw/redraw show. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and ages 6-14, and free for five and under. Pit passes are $30 for adults and $15 for ages 14 [Read More]

Oliver scores Stock Car win at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 9) – The Benton County Speedway hosted 114 race teams on a warm and sultry night that saw a great crowd witness a wildly entertaining night of racing. John Oliver Jr. broke the stranglehold of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car field by the Murty family. Oliver held both Dallon and Damon Murty at bay in recording the win. Oliver took the lead when the green flag waved from his outside front row start and led flag to flag in recording the win ahead of Dallon and Damon Murty. The IMCA Modifieds saw 21 drivers take the initial green flag with Austin Kuehl from Cave Creek, Ariz., leading several laps before BCS regular Troy Cordes took over the top spot. Cordes’ lead was short lived as one of Iowa’s hottest Modified drivers took over the top spot. Tom Berry Jr. advanced from a ninth position start and took the lead just past the midway point and went on to score the a hard fought win over Cordes and Kuehl. Another 21 car starting [Read More]

Cordes back in victory lane at The Bullring

By Jerry Mackey VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 2) – The Benton County Speedway Bullring was back in action Sunday night and IMCA Modified veteran Troy Cordes was back in victory lane. Cordes worked his way to the front quickly from a fourth row start and raced with early leader Mike Burbridge for a few laps before setting sail up on the high line of a super wide racing surface. Young California racer Dylan Thornton was able to wrestle second away from Burbridge late in the race. Dallon and Damon Murty continue to be the men to beat in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Kenzie Ritter and Leah Wroten started on the front row and held the top two spots for several laps before the Murtys made their way through the pack. Sunday night belonged to the younger Murty, Dallon who easily out raced his dad Damon for the win. The Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods saw another up and coming young driver take the win: 15-year-old Maguire Dejong took the 15-lap win by working all over the [Read More]

Berry scores Sunday IMCA Modified win at Benton County

By Jerry Mackey VINTON, Iowa (July 19) – A beautiful July night greeted a nice crowd at the Benton County Speedway, The Bullring Sunday night. Well over 100 cars took part in the fast-paced racing program that saw the final checkered of the night wave before 9:30 p.m. The IMCA Modifieds saw a 20-car starting field take the green flag. Ethan Braaksma took off from his pole position start and went on to lead the first half of the main event. Tom Berry Jr. worked to the front from his seventh position start and took over the point as the event passed halfway mark. Berry went on to score another Bullring win over Braaksma and Mark Schulte. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars have turned into the Murty family show on Sunday nights. This week it was Damon Murty taking advantage of a great starting position on the outside front row, leading the race flag to flag. Son Dallon Murty was battling traffic en route to a second place finish after starting shotgun on the field. The Karl [Read More]

Hibdon wins second straight at Benton County

By Jerry Mackey VINTON, Iowa (July 12) – Fisher Towing & Recovery of Garrison sponsored the mid-season championships at Benton County Speedway on Sunday night on a near perfect weather night for racing. The Bullring provided everything the race fan could ask for. The IMCA Modifieds saw Kollin Hibdon charge to the front from his third row start and take command. Hibdon scored the win over one of the hottest drivers in the Midwest in Tom Berry Jr. Berry advanced from the eighth starting position but could not catch the strong running Hibdon in settling for second. Twenty-seven Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod drivers signed in and the feature saw plenty of action. Tony Olson quickly worked to the front from his fourth row start and set up a battle with his cousin Kyle Olson. The two Olsons dominated the main before Kyle jumped the turn one cushion late in the race and fell back to a fourth place finish. Tony Olson took the win over Dylan VanWyk and Joe Docekal. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars have become [Read More]

Benton County Speedway race start time change

By Jerry Mackey VINTON, Iowa – Specialty Race Promotions, operators of Benton County Speedway, The Bullring, have made the decision to set the start time for the Sunday race programs back to 6 p.m. That change was made due to the difficulties of getting enough water into the track under the summer’s high sun, which has made for dusty conditions. The start time will be set back an hour which will not only allow better race conditions but will make for much more comfortable conditions for our loyal race fans. Effective this Sunday, July 12 the grandstands and pit gates will open at 4 p.m. with hot laps set to get underway at 6 p.m. with racing to follow.