By Jerry Mackey
COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (May 22, 2026) — Friday night was another special evening of racing at CJ Speedway as the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks headlined the action with a boosted $1,000-to-win feature, treating fans to outstanding wheel-to-wheel racing on the perfectly prepared 4/10-mile dirt track at the Louisa County Fairgrounds.
Daniel Wauters raced to the early lead from the outside front row and paced the field for most of the feature while constantly being pressured by Sigourney’s Brayden Wood, who charged forward from the eighth starting position.
A late caution set up a thrilling dash to the finish. Wood got an excellent run through turns one and two as the leaders raced side by side down the backstretch. The pair remained door to door coming to the white flag before Wood edged ahead on the final circuit to secure the hard-fought victory by half a car length at the checkers. The win was Wood’s second of the season in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region, with both victories coming at CJ Speedway.
Luke Phillips mounted a late-race charge from ninth to finish third ahead of Keaton Gordon and Zach McNeese.
Miles Prevails in Intense Stock Car Battle
Nathan Wood, winner of the first four CJ Speedway features in 2026, appeared poised for another victory. However, Bernard’s Jordan Miles made his second appearance of the year at the ‘Levee’ count in a big way
Miles and Wood swapped the lead numerous times in a thrilling battle up front as the laps wound down. Miles finally gained the advantage in the closing moments and held on to win by less than a car length at the finish line. Starting ninth, Miles earned his first EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region victory of the season.
Wood, who started 10th, settled for second while Kirk Kinsley rounded out the podium. Dustin Griffiths and Harold O’Brien completed the top five.
Berry Charges From Ninth for Modified Victory
The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds saw Marshalltown’s Tom Berry Jr. make his first CJ Speedway appearance of the season a memorable one.
Berry started ninth and steadily worked his way through the field before overtaking defending track champion Kurt Kile for the lead. Berry went on to score his third Razor Chassis North Central Region victory of the season, all coming at three different tracks.
Kile finished second while early leader Brandon Banks crossed the stripe in third. Kolton Osborn and Adam Shelman completed the top five.
Vanderwal Continues Strong CJ Speedway Run
The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods feature belonged to Oskaloosa’s Cole Vanderwal, who charged from seventh starting position to collect his second win of the season, with both victories coming at CJ Speedway.
Vanderwal drove to the front ahead of Justin Schroeder, who advanced from ninth to second. Tyler Heckart continued his string of strong finishes at CJ by rallying from 10th to third. Trey Rock, of Illinois, and Sheldon Herbert rounded out the top five.
