Sports : Brian's View from the Grandstand: Week 1 of 2012 season at Vinton

Stock car winner Damon Murty

Sports Mod winner, April 1: Danny Dvorak

Scott Pippert, Hobby Stock

Nate Chandler, Sports Compact winner, celebrates with family in Victory Lane.

Richie Gustin earned a trip to Victory Lane in the Modifieds feature.

Welcome to another views from the grandstands. The first racing event of the season took place tonight at the Benton County Speedway. Dvorak Construction sponsored the night’s activities and before I start, I want to tip my hat to Janice with the Lil Racer Car Club. For those of you that do not know, the Lil Racer Car Club was founded a few years ago by Mitch Swinton of Lone Tree, and was formed to help get the kids involved in racing. This year the club has expanded to the Benton County Speedway. Onto tonight’s show:

Today’s events got underway around 4:30. The first feature on the docket was the IMCA Sport Compacts. 11 cars were on-hand for the show with Nathan Chandler and Jake McVey leading the field on the start of the race. McVey took the early lead, but was passed by Chandler on lap 2. Chandler would go on the take the first feature event of 2012 with Merv Chandler, Brad Chandler, McVey, and Steve Meidke the top 5. Heat races were won by Merv and Nathan Chandler.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks were up next. 12 cars were on-hand to do battle on the tight ¼-mile bullring. Justin Stander took the early lead, but was passed by eventual race winner, Scottie Pippert on lap 3. Stander, who was the early leader brought out the race’s first and only caution after losing a driveshaft. Vince Buchholz had motor problems while running in third with two laps to go. Following Pippert across the line was Nathan Ballard, Doug Laughridge, Cale Peterson, and Justin Lichty. Heat races were won by Pippert and Laughridge.

Twelve of the fourteen cars that checked in, started the IMCA Sportmod feature. Austin Kaplan took the early race lead from the pole position. The second of two cautions would be the demise or Kaplan as on the restart Kaplan lost power on the backstretch handing the lead to Danny Dvorak. Dvorak would go on to win the race followed by Kyle Olsen, Jim Buhlman, Dave McCalla, and Dave Schulze. Due to attrition only 7 of the original 12 cars that started the event finished. Heat races were won by Dvorak and Olson.

The next event on the docket was the IMCA Stock Cars. Eight cars were on hand tonight with Scooter Dulin the early leader, but he gave way to Damon Murty on around the third lap. Murty would go on the win with Austin Evans, Jason DeShaw, Dulin, and Tommy Thompson the top 5. The heat race was won by Evans.

The final event tonight was the IMCA Modifieds. 19 cars were on hand with 16 of those drivers able to start the feature. Troy Cordes took the early lead from the pole. Many of the front runners had problems through the course of the feature. Joe Docekal pulled off the track while running in 4th with suspension problems. Mike Burbridge while running in 3rd spun out between turns 1 and 2. On the ensuing restart, Mark Schulte, who was running in 3rd also spun in about the same spot between turns 1 and 2. After the next restart, race leader Troy Cordes was overheating and was forced to shut down his car. This handed the lead over to Richie Gustin, who was having his own problems with his window net. Gustin took the checkers followed by Adam Johnson, Jerry King, Scott Hogan, and Burbridge. Heat races were won by Gustin, Schulte, and Johnson.