Columbus Junction, IA (Friday, June 14, 2013) - It is very rarely to catch me at any other track on Friday nights besides the Lee County Speedway, as it is the track I work at weekly. But after heavy rain showers moved thru Donnellson, IA and forced the officials to cancel the nights activities, I decided to make the drive north to the CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction, IA. Despite the light rain showers during hot laps and the heats, the six features were completed.
The first feature up on the night was the 10 lap Mod Lites, with Gary Snyder and Michael Dominquez on the front row. But it was fifth place starter Dan Keltner who quickly moved to the front to grab the lead on lap 1. The only thing to slow down Keltner on this night was the lap 4 caution, as Brandon Skelly spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Keltner jumped back out front, with Troy Philpott, who started 6th, following in second. Keltner would go on to lead the final 6 laps to pick up his second straight win at the track. Philpott was 2nd, Evan Epperson came from 7th to finish in 3rd, Snyder held on for 4th, with Rob Guss rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 5 lap Truck feature, with two Trucks taking the green flag. Chad Milks grabbed the lead on lap 1 and never looked back, as he cruised to the win over Mick Wiele.
William Michel and Rick Hurlbut led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 10 lap IMCA Sport Compact feature. But it was fourth place starter Cory Sheetz who grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Tyler Whalen and Michel. Whalen drove his machine hard into turn 3 and pushed up the track making contact with Sheetz, and pushing Sheetz almost off the track in turn 4. This move would give Whalen the lead on lap 2, while Sheetz was able to hold on for 2nd. Whalen would then pull away over the final 8 laps to claim the win in a caution free event. Sheetz held on for 2nd, Darin Smith came from 6th to finish in 4th, with new comer Skipp Dunker coming from 8th to finish in 4th, with Michel holding on for 5th.
Doug Pratt and Johnathan Huston made up the front row for the 15 lap Modified feature. Just as the green flag was waved the yellow light would come on, as Levi Layman slowed to a stop in turn 1 with troubles. On the restart John Fellman grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Huston and Nick Hixson. The action was slowed for one final time after the completion of lap 1, as Brandon Banks spun in turn 2 after contact with one of the big tires. Fellman again moved out front on the restart, with Hixson working to hold back Steve Stewart, who started 8th. You could throw a blanket over Fellman, Hixson and Stewart over the final 13 laps. Fellman and Hixson both worked the top side of the track, while Stewart was working the bottom. Going into turn 3 on the final lap Stewart would dive to the bottom and made the pass to go from 3rd to first by the time they reached the checkered flag. Fellman settled for 2nd, Hixson was 3rd, Wade Lee was 4th, with Huston holding on for 5th.
Up next was the 15 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with Travis Finke and Bill Faler on the front row. But just as the green flag was waved the caution would come out, as Jeremy Tompkins went off the track in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Finke jumped out front on lap 1 over John Richardson and Shane Richardson. The three car battle up front was slowed for the second time on lap 4. This time Lane Kauffman and Nathan Wood spun in turn 2 to bring out the caution. On the restart Blaine Dopler would spin his machine in turn 4 to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Shane Richardson slip under Finke to grab the top spot on lap 5. Just as the lap was complete the yellow light would come on, as John Richardson, Kirk Kinsley and Kauffman collided in turn 2 to bring out the caution. On the restart Shane Richardson moved back out front, with Brandon Jay, who started 8th, holding back Cole Simmons in the battle for 2nd. Shane continued to hold back the field until the red flag came out on lap 8. Les Blakley went off the track in turn 1 and ended up rolling his machine to bring out the red, he would walk away ok. The final restart saw Shane jump back out front, with Jay working to hold back Jason Cook, who started 11th. Just like the Modified feature, Richardson and Jay worked the top of the track, while Cook worked the bottom. Coming out of trun 4 to take the white flag, Cook was able to clear both Richardson and Jay to take over the top spot. Cook then held on over the final lap to pick up the win. Jay would come home in 2nd, Wood recovered from his lap 4 spin to come back up to finish in 3rd by inches, with Shane Richardson coming home in 4th, and Finke holding on for 5th.
The final feature on the night was the 20 lap IMCA Late Model feature, with Sam Halstead and Tommy Elston leading the field to the drop of the green. The only caution of the event came after the drop of the green, as the start was called back. The following restart saw Elston jump out front on lap 1 over Colby Springsteen and Jason Utter, who started 5th. Elston and Springsteen would run the top side of the track, leaving Utter to work the bottom. Utter then used the bottom of the track to work his way to the front on lap 6. He would pull away to lead the final 14 laps and claimed the $1,000 top prize. Elston came home in 2nd, Tom Goble was 3rd, Springsteen was 4th, with Jay Johnson rounding out the top 5.
Notes from CJ: 21 Stock Cars, 11 Modifieds, 11 Sport Compacts, 10 Late Models, 10 Mod Lites and 2 Trucks made up the 65 cars signed in on the night......Ron Kibbe started the Sport Compact feature in 9th and took home a 6th place finish......Rod Staats came from 10th in the Modified feature and passed 4 cars to take home a 6th place finish....Clayton Jensen came from 11th to finish in 8th....Todd Hansen was back up to 4th by lap 12, after pitting under the lap 1 caution. But mechanical troubles forced him to the pits on lap 13 to end his night in 9th......Blaine Dopler recovered from his lap 4 spin in the Stock Car feature to come back up to finish in 6th....Ryan Cook once again drove Corey Strothman's #c4 machine. He would start the feature in 14th and passed 7 cars to come home in 7th....John Hemsted came from 13th to finish in 8th....Shane Paris started 21st after having a left front flat in his heat. He would pass 12 cars to take home a 9th place finish....Darrin Ealey passed 5 cars from his 15th place starting spot to come home in 10th....Alex Buffington came home in 11th after starting in 18th....Jeremy Tompkins recovered from his lap 1 spin off the track in turn 2 to come back up to finish in 11th......Jay Chenoweth came from 10th in the Late Model feature and passed 4 cars to come home in 6th.
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