By Ben Deatherage
VINTON, Iowa (June 29, 2026) — One of IMCA racing’s most meaningful traditions reaches a major milestone in 2026 as the Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans Tour powered by Performance Bodies & Parts celebrates its 10th anniversary with three stops across Iowa in July.
The tour, organized by the 501(c)(3) charity, Hunting with Heroes, aims to connect veterans with their local dirt track communities and will visit Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer on Wednesday, July 22; Kossuth County Speedway in Algona on Thursday, July 23; and Boone Speedway on Saturday, July 25.
Each night will feature Karl Kustoms IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMods, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks competing in front of veterans, active-duty military personnel, and race fans from across the Midwest. This tour has become a crown jewel of IMCA Racing and promises to deliver the most patriotic and exciting three nights of dirt track racing this year.
More than $100,000 in giveaways for Veterans and Widows of Veterans will be distributed during the tour. Veterans and widows of veterans attending the events will each receive a $50 gift card, a free meal, free drinks, race admission, and opportunities to win a variety of grand prizes, including firearms, tool sets, coolers, and other items donated by supporters of the program.
“This is our 10th year, and each year seems to get bigger and better. This year, we’ve amped up our efforts to do more and give back to our veterans more than ever before,” Becker said. “Annually, we host between 800 and 1,000 veterans during the tour, with some traveling hours to take part in the pageantry.”
While the racing action, purses, and wrapped cars are highlights, the Salute to Veterans Tour is about far more than racing. Gary Myers and Family Fan Zones will open at 3:45 p.m. each day and feature live bands, interactive displays, 12 Patriotic-themed/wrapped cars, best-looking car contests, driver meet-and-greets, and free food and gifts for veterans and widows of veterans.
Another tradition associated with the tour is Toryn’s Salute to Veterans Lemonade Stand. Algona native Toryn Kleen has raised thousands of dollars for Hunting with Heroes since 2022 through her fundraising efforts and will once again be supporting the organization throughout the summer.
Another crowd-favorite tradition returns as veterans are paired with drivers before each night’s feature events. Following the races, the top finishers will personally present commemorative gifts to their paired veterans consisting of firearms, tools, flags, and coolers.
The Race of Champions returns for its third season and will again feature all four IMCA divisions. Eligibility is open to previous Salute to Veterans feature winners and drivers who have previously competed with tribute-themed wraps. The special event pays $1,000 to win, $300 for second, and $200 for third.
The tour’s signature trophies, handcrafted by veteran woodcarver Anthony Martin, will once again be awarded throughout the week. Among them is the Race of Champions trophy, which features a soldier’s cross in 2026 and is expected to be one of the most coveted awards presented anywhere in IMCA racing this season.
“For many years, we’ve had veteran-carved trophies, and we keep hearing over and over again that the drivers covet those trophies, and the vets think those grand prizes are a big deal,” Becker said. “When a driver can hand over a gun or a tool set to a veteran, that’s become a really big deal.”
Twelve race cars, three in each division, will once again carry tribute-themed wraps honoring military branches, conflicts, and individual service members. The wraps, which will be unveiled through the Hunting with Heroes social media channels leading up to the tour, will be displayed in the fan zones before each night’s racing program. Several accomplished racers have been selected to pilot the special tribute-themed entries.
The IMCA Hobby Stock wrapped drivers include three-time reigning national champion Cory Probst, two-time defending Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion Dylan Nelson, and Nathan DeRagon, a Navy veteran from Peoria, Arizona, the 2024 B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region champion and two-time Arizona State champion.
Among the IMCA Northern SportMod-wrapped cars are three-time reigning South Dakota State champion Willy Kirk, 2019 Salute to Veterans winner at Kossuth County Speedway Josh Appel, and Mike Smith, the 2025 National Rookie of the Year, reigning Boone Speedway champion, and 2026 IMCA TV Clash On The Coast title winner.
The IMCA Stock Car division boasts an impressive lineup led by Justin Luinenburg, the 2015 national Hobby Stock champion and two-time defending Worthington Speedway Stock Car champion. He’ll be joined by three-time reigning Iowa State champion and 12-time defending 34 Raceway track champion John Oliver Jr., along with two-time Iowa State champion Mike “Wahoo” Albertsen.
IMCA Modified competitors include two-time national champion Chaz Baca Jr., Clash at the Creek winner Cole Czarneski, and three-time Florida State champion Owen Barnhill.
Both the IMCA Modified and IMCA Stock Car features will be All-Star qualifying events. Modified winners will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for the 2026 Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational, while Stock Car winners will earn eligibility to attempt to qualify for the 2026 B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in September.
Hot laps at Clay County Fair Speedway begin at 6:30 p.m. with racing at 7. Kossuth County Speedway also starts hot laps at 6:30, with racing at 7:15. Boone Speedway will begin hot laps at 5:30 before a 7 p.m. start.
“The bottom line for the whole thing is we’ve found a connection between people who are in the service and what they love and miss about it — which can be found at our local dirt tracks.” Becker said. “Our goal has been to tie veterans and racing together. There’s a community here — grassroots, patriotic, and welcoming- and that is what has made this tour so successful.”
Fans unable to attend can watch all three nights live on IMCA TV, Where America Comes to Watch Racing.
More information on the tour and the Hunting with Heroes organization can be found on the Hunting with Heroes Facebook page.
