As he had done eight times in 14 previous seasons, IMCA Stock Car driver Damon Murty took home the checkers on opening night at Benton County Speedway on April 12, 2015.

(Story Courtesy of Ryan Clark)

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 the 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 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 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 IMCA Northern SportMod feature. Olson led Duane Van Deest by a half straightaway at the checkers. Hilmer ran third.

Don Erger took the lead following a late restart to earn the opening night win in the BCS Micro Mod division. It was Erger’s seventh win in 16 events in the division’s history at the track.

Racing action resumes next Sunday in all five divisions. Early start times will continue throughout the month of April with the first green flag set to fly at 5: PM.

BENTON COUNTY SPEEDWAY
WEEKLY RACING RESULTS - Opening Night
SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

IMCA MODIFIED
Feature: 1. Kyle Brown, Kellogg; 2. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 3. Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 4. Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 5. Scott Hogan, Vinton; 6. Zach Less, Manchester; 7. Ryan Maitland, Denver; 8. Cole Ferguson, Dexter; 9. Joe Docekal, Dysart; 10. Coty Albers, Wellsburg; 11. Dennis Betzer, Central City; 12. Brennen Chipp, Waterloo; 13. Austin Bishop, Manchester; 14. Jerry Dedrick, Vinton; 15. Tom Hanson, Vinton.

First heat: 1. Maitland; 2. Ferguson; 3. Less; 4. Rust; 5. Brown; 6. Bishop; 7. Dedrick; 8. Betzer.

Second heat: 1. Cordes; 2. Hogan; 3. Docekal; 4. Albers; 5. Chipp; 6. Flannagan; 7. Hanson.

 

IMCA STOCK CAR
Feature:
1. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 2. Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 3. Scott Pippert, Elberon; 4. Michael Peterson, Montezuma; 5. Justin Stander, Shellsburg; 6. Scooter Dulin, Cedar Rapids; 7. Mike Galli, Urbana; 8. Curtis Roster, Vinton; 9. Scott Beauregard, Brandon; 10. Lon Mercer, Urbana; 11. Jared Daggett, Marshalltown; 12. Mitchell Evens, Independence.

First heat: 1. Chesmore; 2. Daggett; 3. Peterson; 4. Mercer; 5. Evens; 6. Pippert.

Second heat: 2. Murty; 2. Roster; 3. Dulin; 4. Stander; 5. Galli; 6. Beauregard.

 

IMCA HOBBY STOCK
Feature: 1. Nathan Ballard, Marengo; 2. Matt Pohlman, Keystone; 3. Justin Wacha, Vinton; 4. Brett Vanous, Quasqueton; 5. Adam Petrzelka, Norway; 6. Leah Wroten, Independence; 7. Zach Swanson, Waterloo; 8. Jacob Floyd, Cedar Rapids; 9. Matt Brown, Dysart; 10. Gabe Phelps, Vinton; 11. Riley Songer, Ankeny; 12. Kyle Dulin, Brandon.

First heat: 1. Wacha; 2. Ballard; 3. Vanous; 4. Songer; 5. Phelps; 6. Dulin.

Second heat: 1. Swanson; 2. Pohlman; 3. Petrzelka; 4. Brown; 5. Floyd; 6. Wroten.

 

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD
Feature: 1. Kyle Olson, Cedar Rapids; 2. Duane Van Deest, Grundy Center; 3. Curt Hilmer, Dysart; 4. Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 5. Matt Petrzelka, Norway; 6. Mike McDonald, Cedar Rapids; 7. Dawn Krall, Evansdale; 8. Dave McCalla, Cedar Rapids; 9. Dave Burrell, Dysart; 10. Ryan King, Montour; 11. Dave Schulze, Keystone; 12. Siraj Thomason, Montezuma; 13. Colby Heishman, Brooklyn; 14. Tony Olson, Cedar Rapids.

First heat: 1. Schulze; 2. Dvorak; 3. Burrell; 4. Thomason; 5. McCalla; 6. McDonald; 7. T. Olson.

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