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Chris Martin Continues Hot Start with Sprint Invaders Victory at CJ Speedway!

Chris Martin Continues Hot Start with Sprint Invaders Victory at CJ Speedway!
by Bill Wright

Columbus Junction, IA, May 1, 2026 – Chris Martin continued his strong early season string of wins Friday night at the CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction, Iowa by capturing the 25-lap main event for the Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders. The Ankeny, Iowa native used every inch of the high-bank 4/10-mile oval to take his second Sprint Invaders win of the season, and the eleventh of his career. He also won with the Sprint Invaders in Stuart, Iowa on April 19, and took down an ASCS National win in Salina, Oklahoma on April 11. It was the Sprint Invaders first visit to CJ since 2010.

Veteran Terry McCarl was looking for a clean sweep from the pole position in the 25-lap feature after winning his heat and the Agriland FS Dash. McCarl was making a rare first appearance at an Iowa dirt track, have only visited Columbus Junction as a child watching his father Lenard race there. Martin chased him early, ahead of ASCS National racer Cole Schroeder, Tanner Gebhardt and Jack Thomas.

McCarl was entering lapped traffic on the fifth lap, when a seventh running Tasker Phillips got over the top of turns three and four to bring caution. McCain Richards exited at the same time. McCarl was back in lapped traffic by the ninth circuit. He hesitated behind a pair of cars, and it was the opportunity Martin needed.

Martin had fans on their feet when he split two lapped cars then slid under McCarl in turn three on lap eleven to take the point. Martin got high into the turns one and two banking that is built into a levee, sometimes getting in the grass above.

The lead five was cruising through traffic with seven laps to go, when Thomas, who was still running a strong fifth, got over the top of turn four and slammed headfirst into a tire barrier. He walked away from the incident, but was done for the night.

Martin led McCarl, Schroeder, Gebhardt and Wehrle back to green, and that’s the way the top five would finish. Alex Vande Voort, Sawyer Phillips, Josh Schneiderman, Tasker Phillips and Trey Meredith rounded out the top ten. Schroeder and Chris Martin joined McCarl as heat winners. Brett Yeager (hot laps), Ryan Jamison (heat) and Cam Martin (Dash) all suffered motor issues that caused them to sit out of the main event.

“I was kind of skeptical (of the track) when I first showed up, but it turned out to be a ton of fun,” said Martin in Victory Lane beside his #44 machine. “We got to use a lot of the racetrack. I got to race at a place in Milton, Florida a little bit like this but smaller, built into an embankment like this. When I was making laps around here in the 4-wheeler, I was thinking about what I was wanting to do with the car tonight. I had a little bit of tunnel vision, just looking ahead (when splitting the lapped cars before his pass for the lead). I wanted to see where the clear lane was and there was no time to waste. I knew I was getting into turn three a little harder than (McCarl). I knew I had to close the gap, so I needed to do something special in one and two to come down the hill. Once we got to lapped traffic I was able to get a good run off of two and just squeeze it in there.”

“We felt good,” said McCarl. “I don’t feel like we made any mistakes, I just got caught up in traffic, and there was nothing I could do. Two guys side by side and I was trying to split them. I knew Chris would be right there. It got me slowed up in three and four, and with a track like this with so much momentum…you lose your momentum, and I knew he’d be coming. We’re not like NASCAR with spotters and radios. We felt really good there. He pulled away at the end, but we got a little conservative too. I knew there was no way I was going to get him, so I didn’t want to do anything stupid, just come away with a second place finish. We haven’t raced a lot this year, so I feel pretty good with my new mechanic, Ken Hutchins. We’re growing as a team, and heck, I think this motor is ten or eleven years old now.

“This is a very cool track,” said Schroeder of CJ Speedway in his first appearance with the Sprint Invaders. “It would be one I’d like to come back to, especially one that hasn’t had sprint cars in a long time. We’ve been on the road this year, and it’s kind of been a kicker, but we’re starting to make progress. We’re making speed. We’re running with some fast cars, and we’re trying to go where there’s a good car count and good competition and make a name for ourselves. It helps to go against the competition. We’re here for a few weeks, so we’ll try to make some progress.”

The Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders will join the ASCS-Midwest Series at the Eldon Raceway in Eldon, Iowa, Friday, May 8. For more information on the Sprint Invaders, visit www.SprintInvaders.net or visit us on Facebook.

Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders Results

Collision Center of West Burlington A main (started), 25 laps: 1. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (2) 2. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (1) 3. 3, Cole Schroeder, Bozeman, MT (3) 4. 81, Tanner Gebhardt, Burlington, IA (4) 5. 40, Cody Wehrle, Burlington, IA (10) 6. 5A, Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville, IA (11) 7. 7s, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (8) 8. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (9) 9. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (7) 10. 11T, Trey Meredith, Dade City, FL (14) 11. 7, Tyler Lee, Cedar Rapids, IA (13) 12. 88, Riley Scott, Quincy, IL (18) 13. 15JR, Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA (16) 14. 11x, Jade Alexander, Knoxville, IA (19) 15. 9L, Lincoln Martin, Monmouth, IL (17) 16. 71, Nathan Murders, Burlington, IA (15) 17. 63, Jack Thomas, Bates City, MO (6) 18. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (12) 19. 7B, Nick Guernsey, West Burlington, IA (20) 20. 17, Nate Parks, Burlington, IA (21) 21. 31, McCain Richards, Burlington, IA (5) DNS – 4, Cam Martin, Ankeny, IA; 51J, Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, IA; 25Y, Brett Yeager, Coal Valley, IL. Lap Leaders: McCarl 1-10, Chris Martin 11-25. $75 in Christine Wahl-Levitt/KSE Hard-charger: Riley Scott.

Heat one (started), 8 laps: 1. Cole Schroeder (1) 2. McCain Richards (4) 3. Tanner Gebhardt (6) 4. Jack Thomas (8) 5. Nathan Murders (2) 6. Lincoln Martin (3) 7. Riley Scott (5) 8. Nick Guernsey (7)

Dennis Woodworth, Attorney at Law Heat two (started), 8 laps: 1. Chris Martin (1) 2. Sawyer Phillips (2) 3. Josh Schneiderman (3) 4. Tasker Phillips (8) 5. Alex Vande Voort (6) 6. Trey Meredith (7) 7. Jaden Alexander (4) 8. Ryan Jamison (5)

Morning Sun Farm Implement Heat three (started), 8 laps: 1. Terry McCarl (2) 2. Cam Martin (4) 3. Cody Wehrle (3) 4. Tyler Lee (1) 5. Dustin Clark (6) 6. Cole Mincer (5) 7. Nate Parks (7) DNS – Brett Yeager

Agriland FS Dash (started), 5 laps: 1. Terry McCarl (1) 2. Chris Martin (2) 3. Cole Schroeder (3) 4. Tanner Gebhardt (6) 5. McCain Richards (4) 6. Cam Martin (5)

Contingencies

DMI: McCain Richards
King Racing: Cole Mincer
BR Motorsports: Lincoln Martin
BMRS: Terry McCarl
Rod End Supply: Nathan Murders, Cam Martin, Alex Vande Voort

(Ashley Zimmerman Photo)

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