Aupperle scores first win as CJ Speedway beats the heat 

Hobby Stock, Modified, Northern SportMod, Results, Stock Car

His Friday night feature win at CJ Speedway was the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod career first for Nick Aupperle. (Photo by Carroll Hoover)

By Jerry Mackey

COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (June 21, 2024) – It was a hot one on Friday night but the racing action went on as scheduled as the CJ Speedway hosted Weikert Appliance Night at the races. Despite the heat a good crowd witnessed an action packed night of racing on the 4/10 mile dirt track. 

It is always special to see a driver score his first-ever win and that was the case as Nick Aupperle turned his love and dedication of racing into his first-ever visit to the Four Corners Victory lane following the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature.

Aupperle took the lead on the third lap of the main from early leader Joel Payne and went on to score the 16 -ap feature win. Aupperle held off the heavy hitters in the SportMod class lap after lap.

First it was Colton Livezey applying the pressure then the last half of the race John Oliver Jr. ran a strong second waiting for an opening and for Aupperle to make any kind of bobble.

Aupperle, however, held his line on the high groove to score his career first feature win. Oliver crossed under the checkers in second ahead of Livezey. 

The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature saw defending track champion Jarrett Brown flex his muscles and score the feature win. Kyle Madden led early before Brown, who had started sixth, was able to move into the lead.

Brown paced the last half of the feature and led Madden and Dakota Simmons under the checkers. 

The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars never disappoint and Friday’s main event again saw lots of two- and three-wide racing.

Oliver, Southeast Iowa’s hottest driver, added another win after advancing from the fifth row and holding on following a late restart to score the win ahead of group of cars battling for second. Jason See was able to finish second ahead of early leader Keegan Wells. 

The final race of the night was the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Despite racing from the back of the pack twice, Luke Phillips added another win to his 2024 resume.

Phillips was involved in an early mix-up and was sent to the tail but that appeared to make him even more determined as he shot back to the front taking the win ahead of Preston McDonald and Shane Richardson. 

On Friday, June 28, CJ Speedway will host Braun’s Excavating Night at the Races with all four IMCA classes in action with hot laps going under the green at 7 p.m. with racing to follow. 

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