cjspeedway Archives

$750 top prize, All-Star eligibility are at stake for IMCA Stock Cars Friday at CJ Speedway

COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (May 9, 2024) – Both a $750 top check and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility are on the line for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars Friday night at CJ Speedway. Race night sponsor Superior Steering Wheels and Graphics has added to purses for each sanctioned class running May 10 at the Louisa County Fairgrounds venue. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature now pays $900 to win – that amount will be bumped up and the race would be a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational event if additional sponsors kick in another $100 – and both IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod features pay $700 to win. Runner-up in the Hobby Stock feature earns $425. Pit gates at Columbus Junction open at 5:30 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 6 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow. Spectator admission is $10. Pit passes are $30.

Spaw celebrates birthday with CJ Speedway win

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (May 3, 2024) – The 2024 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season got underway on Friday night at the CJ Speedway on a nice night for racing. The headliner of the night was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event with a stellar field of drivers set for the 16-lap feature. Kirk Kinsley led in the early going before sixth starting Johnny Spaw was able to put his no. 00 out front. With Spaw out front, Corey Strothman and Dustin Griffiths joined in a three-car breakaway battling for the lead. Spaw took the win and Strothman crossed under the checkers in second but failed post-race inspection giving second to Griffiths. John Oliver Jr. came on strong in the late going to take third. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature saw Washington driver Brandon Banks score the win. Banks shot into the lead from the outside front row start but was quickly challenged by CJ Speedway hot shoes Kurt Kile and Jarrett Brown. The three put on quite a race [Read More]

CJ Speedway season opener falls to weather

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (April 26, 2024) – The 2024 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season opener scheduled for Friday at CJ Speedway fell victim to the wet grounds and the prediction of severe storms to hit the Louisa County Fairgrounds. The season opener has now been reset for Friday, May 3 and the opening nights race program will be sponsored by our friends from Bosch Pest Control. Four classes of sanctioned race cars will be in competition as Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks highlight the race program that gets underway at 7 p.m. with warmups, racing will follow. Oveson Refuge & Recycling Night at the Races has been rescheduled for Friday, July 5.

CJ Speedway season opener set for April 26

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (April 18, 2024) – The 2024 racing season at CJ Speedway, located on the Louisa County Fairgrounds in Columbus Junction is about to see the first official green flag of the season. Friday, April 26 will be the first night of the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season at the popular 4/10-mile dirt track. Racing that evening is sponsored by Oveson Refuse & Recycling and will see classes of IMCA sanctioned race cars in competition. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds headline the program and will be joined by IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. All drivers will be racing for valuable, track, state, regional and national points. The Louisa County Fair Board has hired Dan Keltner to be the track manager for the 2024 season. He brings a lengthy background in racing not only as a driver but also as a track official to the post. “I would like to thank the Louisa County Fair Board for this opportunity and I would [Read More]

Keltner returns to CJ Speedway as new promoter

COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Jan. 30, 2024) – The track where Dan Keltner started his IMCA racing career is the same track he’ll start his promotional career. Keltner takes charge at CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction, where Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods will run on Friday nights. “Columbus Junction is my home track,” said Keltner, from nearby Grandview. “It’s where I went to my first race and it’s where I started racing. It went through an incredible transformation under (former promoter) Larry Richardson. He’ll be a tough act to follow but I want to continue what Larry accomplished here.” Opening night at the 4/10-mile dirt oval is April 26. Season championship night is Aug. 23. “IMCA has been around for so long and I like the consistency. I’ve raced in other classes that didn’t have the sanction and wished they did,” Keltner said. “There are not a lot of changes on our schedule from last year because we want to take care of [Read More]

CJ Speedway to host 2023 awards banquet

By Jerry Mackey CJ Speedway set to host 2023 awards banquet By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Nov. 14, 2023) – The annual CJ Speedway awards banquet will be held Saturday, Nov. 18 on the Louisa County Fairgrounds in the Youth Center Building located in the center of the fairgrounds in Columbus Junction. Drivers earning top ten in points who are eligible for awards will be honored and recognized for their outstanding achievements. The evening will kick off with a social hour getting underway at 5 p.m. followed by the meal being served at 6 p.m. The awards presentation will get underway at 7 p.m. Following the awards portion of the evening, banquet attendees will be treated to a show presented by hypnotist/comedian Cheryl Shagen. Tickets for the CJ Speedway Banquet can be obtained by contacting the CJ Speedway through the Facebook page.

CJ Speedway drivers earn IMCA national honors

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Nov. 3, 2023) – CJ Speedway provided great racing throughout the 2023 season and the primary reason that the racing was so good was because of the caliber of the competition each and every Friday night. Columbus Junction regular Tucker Richardson won national and Northern Region Rookie of the Year in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby division. Richardson recently turned 17 and is a junior at Winfield Mount Union High School. He raced a Hobby Stock after running two seasons in the mini hauler division (small trucks). Richardson comes from a racing family as he competes weekly with his uncle Shane Richardson and great uncles John and Chuck, who have both raced many laps at CJ Speedway. The Hobby Stock that Richardson raced was a proven car as the Dominator Chassis was raced to a national championship by Kaden Reynolds in 2021 and later raced by Ryan Havel to multiple wins before the Richardsons purchased the car and the young Richardson drove the car to a third place in points [Read More]

CJ Speedway hosts two outstanding nights of special races

By Jerry Mackey and Anthony Ainslee COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Sept. 22-23, 2023) – CJ Speedway hosted two special nights of racing on the Louisa County Fairgrounds with racers coming from great distances to delight the race fans. Friday night the 22nd of September was the Battle on the Levee. Originally scheduled to be held during the Louisa County Fair, the race was postponed due to the excessive heat during the summer and was run as the opener of the weekend which also hosted the “Governors Cup,“ special on Saturday. The Battle on the Levee featured a talented field of 86 drivers. Twenty-six Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds took the green and a stellar field battled it out for 20 laps for their main event. When the checkers flew it was Spencer Diercks scoring a hard-fought win ahead of Jarrett Brown. Drew Janssen took third ahead of Todd Shute. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win went to Damon Murty, who led flag to flag and earned the win ahead of Jason See and John Oliver Jr. The Friesen Performance IMCA [Read More]

CJ Speedway set to host two big nights of racing

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Sept. 19, 2023) – CJ Speedway, located on the Louisa County Fairgrounds in Columbus Junction, is set to host a racing doubleheader this weekend, Sept. 22 and 23. Friday night, the Battle on the Levee that was originally scheduled to be held during the Louisa County Fair will be held with all drivers gunning for a greatly expanded purse thanks to a very long list of great sponsors. This race was postponed due to the excessive heat that hit Southeast Iowa late in July. Friday night’s racing program will highlight the five divisions of race cars that compete weekly at CJ Speedway. All five classes race under the IMCA banner. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks will all be racing for the winner’s prize money of $1,000 while the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts will be gunning for the $500 top prize. Hot laps will get underway at 7 p.m. with racing to follow. And on Saturday night, CJ Speedway will [Read More]

CJ Speedway crowns season champions

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Aug. 11, 2023) – Friday night, CJ Speedway held its final Friday night race of the 2023 season as Midwest Frame & Axle of Iowa City hosted the season championship races. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds had a season high of 24 drivers. Kyle Madden led the majority of the race from his outside front row start but a late caution brought the field to his rear bumper for the restart. Madden was unable to hold off Jarrett Brown who came from a 12th position start to take the lead. The 88 team of Brown has had a terrific season at CJ and the win on Friday night earned him the 2023 season championship title. Madden ran second ahead of Brandon Banks and Kurt Kile. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars had another strong field of contenders. Norman Bean led the first couple laps before Matt Picray took over the top spot. Picray, in search of his first win of the year at CJ, drove a flawless race in scoring an [Read More]