Wells Earns First Stock Car Win at CJ Speedway

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

Photo by Carroll Hoover Racing Photos

By Jerry Mackey

COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Apr. 25, 2025) – 18-year-old Dana Wells of Wilton is only in his sophomore season in a race car, but the young man has shown that he will be a strong contender in the very tough Sunoco IMCA Stock Car class. Wells advanced from a third-row start and set his sights on race leader Austin Kemper.

The two young drivers battled for several laps before Wells took control and raced on to win his career first in the division and the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. Kemper was second, and eighth-starting Dustin Vis came through the pack to finish in the third spot.

A couple of local hot shoes put on a good show in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Kurt Kile and Brandon Banks raced very hard for the win on Friday night, with Kile prevailing when the checkers flew. It was the first win of 2025 in the Razor Chassis North Central Region for the Nichols native. Banks settled for second ahead of Adam Shelman in the main event.

It is always special to see a young driver score his first-ever win, and that was the case in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA SportMods on Friday night. Cole VanDerwal proved the apple has not fallen far from the tree. Cole’s father, Curt, is a longtime proven winner in the Modifieds, and Cole raced to his first career triumph.

Cole was able to get out front early, but the win was anything but easy, as opening night feature winner Dylan VanWyk threw a late-race slider at VanDerwal. But the young VanDerwal was not rattled and held his line to pick up the win by less than a car length. Shaun Slaughter followed VanWyk across the finish line in third.

The Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks provided another thrilling main event, and the win was a popular one as Letts driver Jason Schutterle was able to get to the Larry Richardson Victory Lane for only the third time in his racing career. Schutterle raced for the lead with Austin Stalder for several laps early, and Stalder made one last charge late in the race, but Schutterle was not to be denied in scoring a hard-fought win.

The victory opened up his 2025 winning account in the B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region. Stalder was second, while Keaton Gordon ran another strong race in taking third.

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