bentoncountyspeedway Archives

VanWyk victorious in Urbana 5 Memorial at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (July 10, 2022) – Dylan VanWyk won the battle in lapped traffic and then survived a late restart to top the Urbana 5 Memorial Sunday night at Benton County Speedway. The eighth annual event, held to honor the memory of five area youth who lost their lives in a traffic accident in 2015, boasted increased prize money in all divisions and was headlined by the $2,300-to-win Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. Braden Richards held the early lead in the SportMod 20-lapper while Logan Anderson gave chase on the top side of the fast quarter-mile. From his third row start, Anderson pressured the race leader and assumed command prior to the midway point. As Anderson built a one second advantage, VanWyk was racing the low side from the sixth row. He worked his way into second just past midway, then started reeling in Anderson. Lapped traffic assisted VanWyk as he closed in on Anderson. He reeled in the leader as they battled side-by-side behind lapped traffic that ran three-wide in front of them. VanWyk [Read More]

Benton County Speedway hosts Urbana 5 Memorial this Sunday

VINTON, Iowa (July 5, 2022) – Five young race fans will be remembered this Sunday, July 10 when Benton County Speedway hosts the Urbana 5 Memorial. “We work very hard each year to forever keep the memory of Nikki, Quentin, Triston, Hunter and Zoey alive. They passed away on April 9, 2015 in a car accident. What better way to honor them than organizing something they would love, a dirt track race,” said race committee member Brittany Usher. “This race is also to raise awareness for the Iowa Donor Network. All five families of the Urbana 5, chose for them to be donors and they have helped hundreds of people with their gifts. We honor many other people who have given the ultimate gift as well.” Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods are the headline division at the eighth annual special, running for $2,300 to win. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds run for $1,300 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $1,750 and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star qualifying [Read More]

Schulte returns to Benton County Speedway victory lane

VINTON, Iowa (July 3, 2022) – In his most recent trip to Benton County Speedway, Mark Schulte ended his night upside down and with a car needing major repair. His return to The Bullring Sunday night resulted in a trip to victory lane. From his front row start, Schulte assumed command at the drop of the green in the 20-lapper for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Schulte paced the field while his pursuers jockeyed for position behind him. Nicholas Carpenter challenged early and Ryan Maitland pressured late following a couple cautions, however Schulte drove away over the final laps to secure his first win of the year. Maitland ran second at the line ahead of a charging Dylan Thornton. Chris Zogg ran fourth. Dylan VanWyk and San Wieben battled through the early stages of the 15-lapper for Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. The lead pair exchanged sliders and the top spot before VanWyk escaped to victory. Ben Chapman raced his way past Wieben to finish second and Tony Olson came home fourth. Bradly Graham raced the [Read More]

Lopez locks in first victory during Benton County Fair

VINTON, Iowa (June 23, 2022) – The Benton County Fair will always be special to Kaylin Lopez. Especially this year’s. The 18-year-old from Chowchilla, Calif., who has spent the last two summers racing in central Iowa, earned his career first Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win when county fair entertainment opened Thursday night with a night of IMCA weekly racing. Lopez chased pole-sitter Justin Wacha for a handful of laps before working around the leader just shy of midway. He held the point for the duration of the 15-lapper to score the memorable win at The Bullring. Kyle Olson made a late charge from a fourth row start to earn runner-up honors, one second behind Lopez. Tony Olson and Wacha completed the top four. Dallon Murty earned his second straight win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Murty took the lead a few laps into that 20-lapper and then survived a late restart and pressure from Joel Rust to seal the victory. Troy Cordes and Ryan Maitland rounded out the top four. Ryan Havel [Read More]

Olson drives borrowed car to victory at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (June 19, 2022) – One driver didn’t think he’d be able to race while another wasn’t sure he’d even make it to the track. Both ended up in victory lane in an unlikely turn of events Sunday at Benton County Speedway. After suffering extensive damage to his own ride Saturday night, Kyle Olson wasn’t planning on racing Sunday. That all changed when Brandon Tharp asked him to drive his car. Tharp, who underwent an emergency appendectomy early Sunday morning and was sidelined for the evening, offered his ride to Olson for Sunday’s racing program at The Bullring. By night’s end, both drivers were posing for victory lane photos after Olson raced Tharp’s #B21 to the winner’s circle in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. From his third row start, Olson made his way into the top three by the time caution slowed action a handful of laps into the 15-lapper. He worked around the outside of Justin Wacha a short time after racing resumed to secure the lead. Olson maintained the top spot [Read More]

Weekly racing, Benton County Fair highlight busy week at The Bullring

VINTON, Iowa (June 14, 2022) – A full schedule is in store for race fans at Benton County Speedway. Weekly racing on Sunday, plus opening night of the Benton County Fair Thursday will offer a double-dose of oval track action. Prior to Benton County Fair festivities, IMCA weekly racing will continue on Father’s Day Sunday, June 19. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by KISS Country 96.5, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Vermedahl Logistics, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods presented by Christie Door Company, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, and INEX Legends presented by Legends.Direct will all be back in action Sunday. Weekly racing will also kick off grandstand entertainment for the Benton County Fair Thursday, June 23. Modifieds, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts are on the card Thursday night and will be joined by the American Iron Racing Series (A.I.R.S.) cars. All applicable IMCA points, including track points, will be awarded for the weekly divisions competing Thursday night. The standard invert will be used for qualifying. Stock Cars and Legends [Read More]

Chipp races to IMCA Modified checkers at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (June 12, 2022) – Brennen Chipp took the lead early and then powered away following a late restart to score his first win of the season Sunday at Benton County Speedway. From his outside front row start, Chipp led the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by KISS Country 96.5 to the green flag. He built a 1.5 second advantage by the time Troy Cordes made his way to second from the third row. Just as the lead pair entered lapped traffic and Cordes cut into the lead, caution slowed action late in the 20-lapper. Chipp pulled away when racing resumed to pick up his first win at The Bullring since 2017. Cordes chased Chipp to the checkers, followed by Joel Rust and Ryan Maitland. Jay Schmidt earned his first win of the season in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Vermedahl Logisitics. Schmidt settled into the lead at the start of that 15-lapper to race to victory. Kaden Reynolds made a late surge to finish second ahead of Leah Wroten and Miciah [Read More]

Weekly racing, candy dash on tap this Sunday at Benton Co. Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (June 7, 2022) – The weekly racing season continues this Sunday, June 12, at Benton County Speedway with a sweet treat thrown in during intermission. The annual candy dash, which established a Guinness World Record in weight of candy offered for such an event one year ago, will be held on the front stretch for the youth in attendance. All six weekly divisions will be in action at The Bullring, including Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by KISS Country 96.5, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Vermedahl Logistics, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods presented by Christie Door Company, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, and INEX Legends presented by Legends.Direct. Points battles are close atop all six divisions with no point leader holding more than a six point advantage. Leading the list of close battles are ties at the top of the standings in both the Modifieds and Hobby Stocks. Pit gates and grandstand open at 4 p.m. Sunday, with hot laps at 5:30 and the first race scheduled to go [Read More]

Weekly racing continues Sunday at The Bullring

VINTON, Iowa (June 1, 2022) – After a weekend celebrating the anniversary of the IMCA Modified division, weekly racing will resume Sunday, June 5 for all six divisions at Benton County Speedway. And the points battles remain close in all six classes. Joel Rust and Dylan Thornton are tied for the point lead heading into the second month of the season in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by KISS Country 96.5 while Leah Wroten has a three point lead at the top of the standings in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Vermedahl Logistics. Tony Olson holds a slim two point lead in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods presented by Christie Door Company. Brett Vanous and Bradly Graham are tied atop the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock standings and Blake Driscol holds a slim one point advantage in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. The six point lead Jordan Miklas holds in the INEX Legends presented by Legends.Direct is the largest advantage by any point leader at the speedway. Late models, running SLMR-type rules, [Read More]

Berry tops IMCA Modifieds, Wieben rallies for Northern SportMod win at Anniversary special

VINTON, Iowa (May 30, 2022) – Tom Berry Jr. led all the laps and Sam Wieben led the most important one in the Monday night 43rd Anniversary special at Benton County Speedway. Berry led all 43 laps in winning the star-filled Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, while Wieben lost, then got the lead back from Taylor Kuehl on the final circuit to win the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature. “It’s always pretty special to win at the home track of IMCA,” said Berry, who was checking and double checking his car while crewman and right hand man Josh Capalla got the ace in the intermission card draw that gave him the inside front row start. “I don’t get to start on the front row that often. I’m glad I was able to take advantage of it.” Fast from the drop of the green in the Memorial Day show, Berry had five lapped cars as a buffer between his back bumper and Richie Gustin when the first caution came on lap 26. Ethan Dotson and Sunday [Read More]