JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour opens May 8 at Benton County
VINTON, Iowa (April 27) – The JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour returns to Benton County Speedway for opening night action on Tuesday, May 8.
Top prize in the IMCA Modified lidlifter is $1,000 and fans will also see the 12 drivers to be featured in Fuel The Thunder documentaries in series action for the first time in 2012.
Pit gates open at 5 p.m. and hot laps are at 6:45 p.m., with racing to follow. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $4 for kids ages 6-12 and free for youngsters five and under. Pit passes are $25.
Defending champion Mark Elliott of Webster City heads the elite group of tour drivers who will be profiled in the upcoming Fuel The Thunder documentaries; segments will be compiled on DVD and a movie theater showing held after the season.
Other Fuel The Thunder regulars to be featured will be Ray Cox Jr. of Maquoketa, Darin Duffy of Hazleton, Jimmy Gustin of Marshalltown, Richie Gustin of Gilman, Ronn Lauritzen of Jesup, Jay Noteboom of Hinton, Jason Schoenberger of Gorham, Kan., Mark Schulte of Delhi, Rich Smith of Davenport, Mike Van Genderen of Newton and Jeff Waterman of Quincy, Ill.
All are expected to compete at the Benton County HDT event.
“The exposure Barry Braun will give the series through Fuel The Thunder is very exciting to have happen,” IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root said. “I’m confident race fans will want to come out and be part of the season-opening event.”
The Modified feature pays a minimum of $150 to start and is a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying event. Rounding out the race program are Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Mach-1 Sport Compacts.
IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing national, regional and Allstar Performance state points will be awarded.
The ¼-mile dirt oval at Vinton was also host to the JR Motorsports Hawkeye Dirt Tour opener last season.
While IMCA has a more active administrative role in the series this season, Bucky Doren returns as tour director, Jen Turner as official scorer and Ray Hill as tech inspector. All three will attend each series event.
The second of 13 events on this year’s series schedule is on Memorial Day Monday, May 28 at I-35 Speedway in Mason City. That feature also pays $1,000 to win and a minimum of $150 to start.
