IMCA Logo SmallVINTON, Iowa (April 30) – Opening night takes the Karl Performance Hawkeye Dirt Tour to Benton County Speedway for the third consecutive year next Tuesday, May 7.

The feature event for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds at Vinton will pay $1,000 to win and a minimum of $150 to start, and is a qualifying event for this fall’s Fast Shafts All-star Invitational ballot.

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Belleville Motorsports North Central Region and Allstar Performance State points, as well as special series points, will be awarded.

Pit gates open at 5 p.m. and hot laps are set for 6:45 p.m., with racing to follow. Grandstand admis­sion is $12 with a coupon or $15 without; pit passes are $25.

More information Is available from promoter Mick Trier at 515 201-5526, or at the www.jjamracing.net website.

More than 150 different drivers competed over the course of the 2012 series and Jay Note­boom of Hinton made a late charge to capture the tour championship.

After back-to-back feature wins at Farley and Marshalltown launched him back into contention, Note­boom clinched the crown with a second-place showing in the finale, also at Marshalltown. He’ll return to defend his title and plans to debut a new ride early in the series.

Jeff Waterman of Quincy, Ill., was the opening night tour winner when 37 cars were entered at Vinton last May. Three-time defending track champion Scott Hogan of Vinton will be among Waterman’s challengers this time around.

IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts are also on the mid-week card at Vinton, vying for national and state points. Hobby Stock drivers also earn Stephenville Starter Northern Region points.

All 2013 HDT tour events will be broadcast on internet-based network XSAN, the series presentation sponsor.