Holladay Scores $3,000 Win As Late Models Visit CJ Speedway
Super Late Model driver Chad Holladay. Photo by Mike Ruefer
Columbus Junction, Iowa: Friday night was a very special night of racing a the CJ Speedway as the 4/10 mile dirt track located on the Louisa County Fairgrounds hosted the Haulin with Hoker East Series Late Models for the Tony Stewart tribute race. Mother nature provided a perfect night for racing as both the drivers and the fans responded by packing the infield with race cars and the fans packed the grandstand.
The Super Late Model portion of the race program saw 28 divers battle it out for the 22 starting positions. Chad Holladay set fast time and ran third in his qualifying heat which earned him enough points to start the 25 lap SLMRA feature on the outside front row. Holladay was credited with leading every lap but the score sheets didn’t tell the true story as Holladay was pressured the entire event by Webster City, Iowa’s Jason Hahne. Hahne closed in on Holladay as the laps wound down and lapped traffic came into play. Coming to the checkers the two leaders split lines on the super smooth track as they moved around a lapped car. Holladay took the win by less than a car length over Hahne.
The main event was only slowed by one caution that saw a group of cars getting together in turn one. Luke Goedert ran third on Friday night ahead of Justin Kay.
In support division racing, Jarrett Brown scored the feature win in the Stewart & Son Fuel IMCA Modifieds. Brown chased down race leader Kurt Kile making the pass at the midway point of the feature and went to score the win ahead of Matt Werner and Kile.
Johnny Spaw has made three visits to the CJ Speedway in 2022 and has scored the win every time he has raced in the very tough Mincer Ford IMCA Stock Car class. Spaw took the lead early from Kenny O’Donnell and went on to score an impressive win ahead of Matt Picray, who advanced from the third row and scored his best finish of the season.
The Huston Brothers Trucking IMCA Sportmods saw 24 drivers take the initial green flag. The main event belonged to Logan Anderson who started up front due to the redraw lineup. Anderson easily out distanced Logan Veloz for the win.
Jake Benischek scored two feature wins on Friday night, the CJ Auto Parts NAPA Store feature saw Benischek take off from his front row outside start and race to the win ahead of a very impressive Jacob Floyd, who scored his best finish of the season in running second ahead of Cody Staley.
Benischek also topped the Midwest Towing IMCA Sport Compacts. Benischek took the checkers ahead of Darin Smith and Alex Hayes.
Friday, June 24th the CJ Speedway will hold weekly racing with five classes in action, hot laps will get underway at 7 pm. On July 1st the CJ Speedway will host the second and final Late Model race of the season as the Midwest late Model Racing Association will be in action. The Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models will be racing for $7,500 to win.
Friday, June 17 CJ Speedway Feature Results (top five)
Haulin With Hoker SLMRA Late Models
- 32 C Chad Holladay-Muscatine-$3,000
- 76H Jason Hahne-Webster City
- 44 Luke Goedert-Guttenberg
- 15 Justin Kay-Wheatland
- 22 Charlie McKenna-Ames
Stewart & Son Fuel IMCA Modifieds
- 88 Jarrett Brown-Ainsworth
- 93 Matt Werner-Geneseo, IL
- 77 Kurt Kile-Nichols
- 22 Brandon Banks-Washington
- 30M Maguire DeJong-Montezuma
Mincer Ford IMCA Stock Cars
- 00 Johnny Spaw-Cedar Rapids
- 27 Matt Picray-West Liberty
- 32 Tom Cannon-West Branch
- 08S Rod Staats-Columbus Junction
- 14C Leah Wroten-Independence
Huston Brothers Trucking IMCA Sportmods
- 53 Logan Anderson-Eddyville
- 43LV Logan Veloz-Colona, IL
- 17C Shane Paris-Muscatine
- 7T Trey Rock-New Boston, IL
- 00 Shaun Slaughter-Iowa City
CJ Auto Parts/NAPA Store IMCA Hobby Stocks
- 3 Jake Benischek-Durant
- 14J Jacob Floyd-Cedar Rapids
- 55 Cody Staley-Muscatine
- 33 Luke Phillips-Wapello
- 33T Trevor Tanner-Knoxville
Midwest Towing IMCA Sport Compacts
- 3 Jake Benischek-Durant
- 17 Darin Smith-Wapello
- 23H Alex Hayes-Lone Tree
- 26 Shane Barnes-Washington
- 69JX William Michel-Columbus Junction
Category: Iowa
