By Ben Deatherage
VINTON, Iowa (Jun. 27, 2025) — One of IMCA’s most meaningful racing traditions returns for 2025 as the Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans Tour powered by Performance Bodies & Parts makes its way through three Iowa tracks this July.
Now in its fifth year visiting multiple venues and originally launched in 2017, this year’s tour heads to Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer on Wednesday, July 23; Kossuth County Speedway in Algona on Thursday, July 24; and Boone Speedway on Saturday, July 26. Each night will showcase Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern Sport Mods, and Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Twelve cars—three in each division—will be wrapped in tribute themes that range from honoring military branches to highlighting specific conflicts and events. All 12 wraps will be unveiled through on the Hunting with Heroes Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/huntingwithheroes) on Wednesday, July 23rd, and can be seen before each night’s program in the fan zones where fans can interact with drivers and Veterans alike.
“We are always hyper focused on creating unique and incredible wraps in conjunction with Sybesma Graphics, and this year we have some next level designs we are excited to unveil. We’ve got three especially impactful wraps that feature servicemen that were killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, and their families are going to be in attendance for all of the races, so that’s pretty special,” said tour organizer Jason Becker.
Of particular note in the Modified division, Cody Knecht will carry a design honoring two military veterans that offered a lifetime of service through the Marine Corps who later perished during the September 11 attacks as New York first responders. Nick Meyer and Tripp Gaylord will also compete in tribute-themed Modifieds. Stock Car entries include Ryan Roath, who will sport a U.S. Coast Guard design. He’ll be joined by Shelby Williams and Troy Jerovetz.
Sport Mod wrapped drivers include Justin Klynsma, Payce Herrera, and Matt Avila, while the Hobby Stock class returns with themed entries for the second straight year, including a National Guard wrap driven by former Iowa National Guard member Skylar Pruitt. Josh Sidles and multi-time Salute to Veterans feature winner Dylan Nelson will also represent the division.
Each event goes far beyond racing. Fan zones open at each track at 3:30 p.m. with live bands, interactive displays, a driver meet and greet, and a wide array of giveaways. All veterans and active-duty personnel in attendance will receive gift cards valued at $40, and each track will provide race entry, and free food and drinks to all Veterans and Active Duty.
Another special event leading up to the event is a fund raiser for the event, Toryn’s Salute to Veterans Lemonade Stand. Toryn Kleen, a 12-year-old girl from Algona, has been raising funds for the Hunting with Heroes organization since 2022 by selling lemonade for 50 cents or for a freewill donation. She raised $2,300 in her first year, $3,000 in 2023, and topped $4,000 last year. She will be selling at the ABATE rally as well as during Ragbrai!
Toryn Kleen (center), alongside her stepdad Colby Fett and mom Skye, has raised thousands of dollars for the Hunting with Heroes Salute through her lemonade stand. (Courtesy Photo)
Another tour favorite for Veterans and Drivers alike are when Veterans are paired with drivers prior to each night’s feature events. After each feature, the top three finishers personally present commemorative gifts to their paired veterans: the winner gives a ceremonial rifle, second place awards a DeWalt tool set, and third place presents a high-quality custom knife.
“We’re always trying to host more veterans to these events. Really, the cars and the events are all intended to reach a wider audience to connect with Veterans,” Becker explained. “We find that once people tie themselves to a car, driver and the event, it makes a big difference in building a community.”
A Race of Champions, introduced in 2024, will return for a second year and has been expanded to include all four IMCA divisions. Drivers are eligible if they’ve competed with a tribute-themed wrap or won a Salute to Veterans feature in prior seasons.
The Race of Champions pays $1,000 to win, $300 for second and $200 for third and features one of the tour’s most iconic honors—a hand-carved wooden eagle trophy that will surely be the centerpiece of any driver’s collection.
“All of the veteran-carved trophies are over the top,” Becker said. “The Race of Champions trophy is a carved wooden eagle that weighs about 50 to 70 pounds.”
That trophy, like all on the tour, are created by veteran woodcarver Anthony Martin. Martin discovered chainsaw carving as a therapeutic tool while transitioning out of the military and has crafted over 100 trophies for the tour, each a work of art and service.
Hand-carved wooden trophies by veteran chainsaw artist Anthony Martin include a bald eagle and ceremonial pistol, for this year’s Salute to Veterans Tour events. (Courtesy Photo)
This year’s event purses continue the tradition of strong payouts. Hobby Stocks will race for $1,000 to win each night. Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern Sport Mods will run for $1,000 at Spencer and Boone, and $1,500 at Algona. Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars will compete for $2,000 at Spencer and Boone and $3,500 at Algona. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds will race for $2,000 to win at Spencer, $3,000 at Boone, and $3,500 at Algona.
The Stock Car features at Algona and Boone are B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Stock Car Invitational qualifiers. The Modified features at those same tracks serve as Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational qualifiers.
Hot lap and start times vary by track. Clay County Fair Speedway will begin hot laps at 6:30 p.m. with racing at 7. Kossuth County Speedway also begins hot laps at 6:30, with racing to follow at 7:15. Boone Speedway will start hot laps earlier, at 5:30 p.m., and racing will begin at 7.
“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: the camaraderie and the community,” Becker shared. “Our goal has been to tie veterans and racing together. There’s a community here—grassroots, patriotic, and welcoming.”
Information about the Hunting with Heroes Charity and the Salute to Veterans Tour can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/huntingwithheroes
