Briar Kriegel was one of three first-time winners during Mountain Dew Night Sunday at Benton County Speedway. Kriegel topped the main event for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks in action at The Bullring. (Spencer Emley photo)
VINTON, Iowa (July 30, 2023) – A trio of drivers set out to “Do the Dew” during Mountain Dew Night Sunday at Benton County Speedway.
By night’s end, Briar Kriegel, Nolan Tuttle and Robby Morrison celebrated their career first feature wins at The Bullring.
Kriegel took top honors in the 15-lapper for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks presented by Vermedahl Logistics.
From a second row start, Kriegel quickly worked into contention and pulled ahead of front row starters Scott Siems and Michael Kimm. He then held off repeated challenges from hard-charging Matt Brown and Justin Wacha to earn the milestone win. Brown, Wacha and Cory Vanderwilt completed the top four.
Tuttle ended the stranglehold Lukas Rick has had in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts presented by iHeart Radio.
Tuttle raced from the second row to the front early and maintained a sizable lead to score the memorable win by over a second ahead of Rick. Noah Beenken and Corey Crispin rounded out the top four.
Morrison started in row three of the INEX Legends feature and quickly challenged for the race lead in the Legends.Direct 15-lapper.
Once out front, Morrison survived a couple stoppages and pressure from Michael Weber and Griffin McGrath to score the win. Weber, McGrath and Kacey Korsmo chased Morrison to the checkers.
Tony Olson earned a share of history in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods presented by Houdek Auto Center. And he did it in thrilling fashion.
From the third row, Olson quickly worked his way to the front in the 15-lap feature and powered away from the field a handful of laps into the event.
A late caution bunched the field and allowed Joe Docekal, who raced through traffic from the fourth row, to restart on the leader’s rear bumper.
The lead pair swapped sliders and the lead numerous times over the final circuits before Olson inched ahead at the line to score the win by 15 one-thousandths of a second. Docekal, Sam Wieben and Brett Thomas rounded out the top four.
For Olson, it was his second straight win and the 60th of his career on the Vinton oval.
Kaden Reynolds won a hard-fought battle With Jeff Wollam to take top honors in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Christie Door Company.
Running the low side, Wollam raced through traffic early from a fourth row start and into the lead just prior to midway. Reynolds used the top groove to make his way through traffic before chasing Wollam around the bottom of the speedway.
The lead pair traded the point a handful of times before Reynolds escaped to victory. Kyle Olson closed late to come home third ahead of Brett Vanous.
Joel Rust earned his third win in the last four events for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by Beaty Excavating.
Rust powered from the fourth row and into the lead around the midway point of that 20-lapper, then held off pressure from Troy Cordes to secure the win. Jacob Snyder and Luke Bird ran third and fourth, respectively.
Ray Guss Jr. crossed the line first in a special appearance by the Eastern Iowa Vintage Cars.