cjspeedway Archives

Louisa County Fair Races see Murty, Brown score wins

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION Iowa (July 30) – With the 129th Louisa County Fair providing the backdrop, CJ Speedway thrilled fairgoers with an action-packed night of racing. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars saw a great field of drivers take the green and the father and son team of Damon and Dallon Murty always provide strong competition for the locals when they pull into the track. David Brandies took control of the feature in the early going before the elder Murty, Damon was able to catch Brandies and take over the top spot. Following a restart, fourth row starter Dallon Murty was able to catch his father and race side by side for a few laps before taking over the lead. The younger Murty went on to capture the $1,000 win over Brandies and Damon Murty. The IMCA Modifieds were also running for a greatly enhanced purse thanks to several local sponsors. The winner’s share would be $1,100 and the check went to Jarrett Brown who started inside row two. Brown used the low line of [Read More]

See, Kile top winners at CJ Speedway

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (July 23) – After two weeks of no racing due to the heavy rains in the Columbus Junction area the CJ Speedway returned to racing action on Friday night. The night featured Bike night for the kids which saw well over 40 kids leave the track with new bikes or scooters thanks to a long list of donors to the CJ Kids Fan Club. The racing action was highlighted by the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Scott Jordan led before eighth starting Jason See was able to take the point position. See was challenged late by David Brandies, who had started 10th. The two raced several laps with See holding off he constant challenges of Brandies. The final lap saw Brett Lowry shoot by Brandies for second as See took the win. A post-race incident saw Brandies DQ’d and relegated to the final position on the lead lap. Tad Payne was scored third ahead of Pat Rachels. The IMCA Modified feature win went to Kurt Kile. Kile took to the [Read More]

Out of the field, Strothman wins on the track at CJ

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (June 18) – On a warm sultry night, racing action went on at the CJ Speedway with a quick racing program being run just before rains moved in at the Louisa County Fairgrounds. The headliner of the night was the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature and on Friday night it belonged to Corey Strothman. The C4 of Strothman started on the front row and was never seriously challenged as he raced to the win. The action behind Strothman was hot and heavy as several drivers took their turns racing in the second position. When the checkers flew it was Adam Bell crossing under the checkers in second ahead of Kirk Kinsley and Shane Richardson. Strothman stated in victory lane, “We are finally caught up on the farm so it is now time to start racing.” Brandon Banks chased down early leader Kyle Madden and took the lead in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature and went on to score his second feature win in a row at CJ Speedway. [Read More]

Banks breaks dry spell At CJ Speedway

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (June 11) – Friday night racing action at CJ Speedway saw one of the track’s most popular drivers break a long dry spell as Brandon Banks made his way to victory lane in the IMCA Modified feature. Banks debuted a new car a week ago and the first night out was spent working the kinks out. Banks has now sent notice to the rest of the Modified drivers that he will be in contention for the win the rest of the 2021 season. He shot out front early from a second row start and appeared to be on cruise control. That was certainly not the case as Jarrett Brown and Derrick Stewart worked through the field and pressured Banks in the late going. Brown was able to pull alongside Banks late in the race but Banks held off Brown and Stewart for the win. Defending IMCA Sunoco Stock Car track champion Adam Bell raced to his first win of the 21 season. Bell used the entire track on his [Read More]

Griffiths scores first win of season at CJ

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (June 4) – After a three-week hiatus due to wet weather, racing finally resumed at CJ Speedway. The headliner of the night was the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature, which saw 18 drivers take the initial green flag. The race was paced early by Stan O’Brian, who held the field at bay until three laps to go when Dustin Griffiths was able to make a move in turn three for the lead using the high line. Griffiths raced to the checkers ahead of O’Brian and defending track champion Adam Bell. The IMCA Modified feature produced a very popular win for CJ regular Dan “Stumpy” Brockert. Last year, Brockert raced in the SportMod class and the season produced one win. The move up into the Modified class has been a good one for Brockert as he has a win under his belt in the early part of the season. Brockert ran out front the entire race but was pressured late in the race by Jarrett Brown. Brown had actually [Read More]

Murty tops star-studded field at CJ Speedway

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (May 7) – Friday provided another thrilling night of racing at CJ Speedway. The headliner of the night was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature which had the fans on the edge of their seats as the non-stop feature saw a pack of 10 drivers in the early going trying to all battle to the front. Dallon Murty made a rare appearance at CJ, started 12th and joined the gaggle of drivers in the charge to the front. Murty broke out of the pack by overtaking early leader Dustin Griffiths as the 20 lap main event passed the midway point. Murty stretched the lead as the battle for second was waged again involving several drivers. At the checkers it was Johnny Spaw taking second just ahead of David Brandies and Griffiths held on for fourth. Murty stated in victory lane “ I just love coming to CJ, because you know the track is always going to be very racy and if you have the right setup you can race to [Read More]

Benischek is best twice at CJ Speedway

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (April 30) – Jake Benischek took home a couple trophies Friday night after winning IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Mach-1 Sport Compact main events. Benischek raced to the Hobby Stock checkers just ahead of Rick VanDusseldorp and Aaron Martin. He completed the two division sweep as he advanced from ninth to score the Sport Compact win over Christian Grady and Cody VanDusen. The IMCA Modified feature belonged to Kurt Kile, who took advantage of a front row start and led the main event flag to flag. Jarrett Brown advanced from the fifth row and battled Kile late in the race but settled for second at the checkers. Derrick Stewart advanced from the 10th starting position to take third ahead of Kyle Madden. The Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods saw 19 drivers take the green flag for their main event. Shane Paris raced to the front from a sixth row start and took the lead from Todd Hansen, who just recently got behind the wheel after a several-year hiatus from racing. Hansen showed no signs [Read More]

Staats breaks through with hometown feature win

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (April 23) – Night number two of the racing season at the CJ Speedway was held Friday with another great field of competitors on hand for an exciting night of racing which featured several close finishes. The headliner of the night was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. The 20-lap feature was paced early by pole sitter John Hemsted, who was hounded by several of the best in the division. Hometowner Rod Staats broke out of the pack and took over the top spot as the race passed the midway point. Staats went on to score the hard fought victory ahead of ninth starting David Brandies. Opening night winner Jason See advanced from 12th to take third ahead of the hard charger of the race Nathan Wood who battled to a fourth place finish after starting 21st. Staats was elated to finally score a win at his hometown track as the win broke a dry spell of at least five years. Derrick Stewart scored his second consecutive feature win in [Read More]

CJ Speedway hosts Friday night finale of 2020

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Aug. 28) – The weekly Friday night racing season at CJ Speedway came to a close with a great night of racing on the perfectly prepared multi-groove race track on the Louisa County Fairgrounds. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars put on their usual side-by-side thrilling racing with the winner in doubt until the checkers waved in the 20 lap main event. David Brandies scored a hard-fought win over track champion, Adam Bell. Brandies led the entire race but was hounded by Jason See and Bell and all three drivers had a shot at the win as they took the white flag in tightly bunched pack. Bell took to the outside in turn four coming to the checkers but came up less than half a car length short at the checkers with See in third right on Brandies bumper. Cody Staley had a season for the record books in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts. Staley took the win on Friday night, which was his eighth in a row at the [Read More]

Big crowd enjoys season championship night at CJ

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Aug. 21) – The largest crowd of the year came out on Friday night to cheer on their favorite drivers on a near perfect weather night at the CJ Speedway. Mincer Ford of Columbus Junction sponsored the season championship races. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature took the green with Howard Gordon Jr. setting sail from his outside front row starting position. Gordon led the first half of the race while a fierce battle was waged by a pack of contenders for second. Tenth starting Damon Murty broke out of the pack just past the midway point to take control of second. A lap 13 caution bunched the field on the restart the battle was on for the lead. Murty used both the high side and the bottom before shooting past Gordon and into the lead on lap 16. Adam Bell, who has been a late race charger all year finished strong by taking second and stamped his name in the record books by becoming the track champion. Cody [Read More]