![M Kolton Osborn VL](https://www.imca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/M-Kolton-Osborn-VL-678x381.jpg)
By Jerry Mackey
COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Aug. 2, 2024) – Troy and Keaton Mitchell of Mitchell Farm Bureau and Mitchell Arms and Ammo hosted the racing action on Friday night with a strong car count and a great crowd in attendance on a beautiful early August evening.
It is always very special to see a driver score their first ever feature win and that happened on Friday night in the very tough Friesen Performance IMCA Modified division.
With a stellar field of 18 drivers taking the initial green flag it was the young Kolton Osborn setting sail and shooting into the lead from his third row start. Osborn, who has been knocking on the door of victory lane all year at CJ Speedway, finally saw his hard work come to fruition but the win was anything but easy.
As the laps wound down, Osborn’s lead evaporated and local hot shoe Jarrett Brown closed in as lapped traffic came into play.
On the final lap, the front pair split as both shot by a lapped car and the two entered turn four side-by-side, setting up a dash to the finish line.
The near-photo finish had Osborn scoring the win by mere inches over Brown. Kyle Madden turned in another strong run in taking third ahead of Zach Dockter.
Following suit with another close finish, the IMCA Sunoo Stock Cars saw a last-lap pass secure the win for John Oliver Jr.
Austin Kemper took the lead from the pole position start and appeared to be on his way to his second feature win of the season. As the white flag was displayed it was Kemper out front with Oliver, who had started 10th, right on the rear bumper of Kemper.
As the leaders raced into turn two, Kemper slipped up on the top side of turn two allowing the veteran Oliver to come off turn two with the lead. Kemper recovered to cross under the checkers in second behind Oliver. Jason Cook ran up front all race long before settling for third ahead of a strong running Bronson Spaw, who recorded his best finish of the season in his rookie season at CJ.
Kyle Harwood led the majority of the Friese Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature before losing the lead very late to one of the area’s hottest SportMod drivers in Logan Anderson.
Harwood, in search of his first CJ Speedway win, led all but the final two laps before Anderson was able to slip by and go on to record the feature win. Harwood ran second ahead of Oliver and Curtis VanDerWal, who made his first appearance of the season at the CJ Speedway.
Tucker Richardson has raced a very limited schedule in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock division in 2024. Richardson proved on Friday night that he has not lost a beat by winning an entertaining feature event.
The race was red flagged with seven laps completed as Sheldon Hunter jumped the levee in turn two causing a lengthy delay as his car was pulled back to the top of the track.
Richardson held the point position the final five circuits en route to the win. Shane Richardson crossed under the checkers in second.
The will be no racing Aug. 9 and the final race of 2024 at CJ Speedway will be Friday, Aug. 16 as Midwest Frame & Axle of Iowa City will host season championship racing in all four IMCA racing divisions. Hot laps will get underway at 7 p.m. with racing to follow.
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