boonecountyraceway Archives

Jaennette cashes in big with Tanner Pelster Memorial checkers

By Anthony Ainslie ALBION, Neb. (July 10, 2022) – Michael Jaennette hit all his marks following a late restart and cashed in big in the headline event at Sunday night’s Tanner Pelster Memorial. Jaennette led the distance of the 30-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature at Boone County Raceway, earning $5,211 and an automatic starting berth in the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. Fifty-seven Stock Cars representing five states vied at the second annual event. “This was career biggest payday, by far, in a Stock Car,” said Jaennette, running more than adrenaline than sleep after finishing second Saturday night at Boone Speedway and getting up early to get the car ready and on the road to Albion. “Our goal for this season was to make Paul Burger’s All-Star race and now we’ve done that.” “We started sixth and finished second in our heat,” added Jaennette, fourth in the inaugural memorial last year. “We were scrambling right before we went back out for the feature, scratching our heads looking for more speed. We changed [Read More]

Pelster Memorial payday is $5,111 for IMCA Stock Cars

ALBION, Neb. (July 5, 2022) – Another big payday is in the works for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars at Boone County Raceway’s second annual Tanner Pelster Memorial. The Sunday, July 10 main event for The Class Too Tough To Tame at Albion totes a $5,111 top check along with automatic qualifying for the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. The runner-up earns $3,111 with $2,111 paid for third, $1,111 for fourth and $911 for fifth. A minimum of $211 will be paid to start the 24 car main event. Tow money is $111. Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods race for $1,211 to win, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $1,111 to win. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing national, regional and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded at the draw/redraw special. There is no entry fee and pit passes are $35. Spectator admission is $25 for adults, $10 fort kids ages 6-12 and free for ages five and under. The pit area is open all day. The grandstand opens at 3 p.m. with hot laps at 5 [Read More]

$250 Sunoco bonus for Late Model winners in Nebraska this weekend

VINTON, Iowa – Extra money is on the line for the winner of weekend main events for IMCA Sunoco Late Models at a trio of Nebraska speedplants this weekend. The next three installments of the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels bonus will be paid to the July 15-17 Late Model winners at US 30 Speedway in Columbus, Boone County Raceway in Albion, and Off Road Speedway in Norfolk. Sunoco bonuses will be presented at IMCA Late Model sanctioned tracks in 2021. Drivers are eligible for one bonus during the racing season. Winners so far this year have been Matt Ryan at 300 Raceway in Farley, followed by Sean Johnson at Independence Motor Speedway, Andy Eckrich at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, and most recently Ron Klein at Dubuque Speedway. IMCA will announce mid-week before the dates bonuses are to be awarded at each track. Hot laps are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Columbus and Albion, and a half hour earlier at 7 pm in Norfolk.

Pace car wrapped, ready for Pelster Memorial

ALBION, Neb. – Fans and friends will cheer for Tanner Pelster one more time this Sunday, July 11. The driver from Albion passed away following a work accident in February. His number 11T IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, now displaying a new wrap featuring hundreds of pictures of his family, farm, school and of course racing, will serve as the pace vehicle for the memorial event in his honor at the Boone County Fair race. “There have been so many hits and comments on the photos of the car posted online,” said his father Delmer, promoter of the track at Albion. “It’s still hard to believe how well-liked and how well-known Tanner was. It’s just amazing.” Businesses helping build the pace car included Big Daddy Race Cars, Performance Bodes, Ernie’s Body Shop, Twisted Images LLC, Bruegman Excavating, SA D-Signs, Roth Racing and Outback Motorsports. Future plans for Tanner’s car are for it to be displayed at area car chows. Delmer said it would not be raced again. Top prize for the Stock Cars at the Pelster [Read More]

IMCA Late Models headline Friday Doc Palmer Memorial at Boone County

ALBION, Neb. – A $1,045 top check and $500 hard charger prize are at stake for IMCA Sunoco Late Models on June 4, at Boone County Raceway’s Doc Palmer Memorial. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both run for $600 to win, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $400 to win Friday night. Hot laps are at 7:30 p.m. and racing starts at 8 p.m. The event is draw/redraw in all divisions. Adult grandstand tickets purchased online are $10. Tickets at the gate are $15 for adults and $5 for students ages 12-18. Kids 11 and under get in free. More information is available on Facebook and at www.boonecountyraceway.com.

Boone County to remember Tanner Pelster at fair special

ALBION, Neb. – A life well lived that ended too soon will be celebrated at the biggest event in Boone County Raceway history. The annual fair race on July 11 doubles as the inaugural Tanner Pelster Memorial, and will remember a young man who always had a smile, a contagious laugh and countless friends. Just 24, the fourth generation driver from Albion died as a result of a work accident early last month. The son of Boone County promoter Delmer Pelster and wife Dee grew up with four older sisters and at a race track just a few blocks from home. “We were proud of Tanner. He was special, and a lot of people thought that way,” his father said. “He could make anybody smile. Tanner had friends all over the place.” This would have been Tanner’s ninth season in IMCA. He started in a Hobby Stock, getting his first feature win at the age of 16, sweeping his heat, the dash and main event during a visit to Stuart before moving into a Stock [Read More]

$250 Sunoco bonuses highlight features at three Nebraska venues this week

VINTON, Iowa – The paydays get even better this week for a trio of IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature winners. It begins Thursday evening at U.S. 30 Speedway in Columbus as the IMCA Late Model winner pockets an extra $250 courtesy of Sunoco Race Fuels. Friday night the bonus moves to Boone County Raceway in Albion. The final bonus of the weekend will be presented Saturday night at Off Road Speedway in Norfolk. Sunoco bonuses are being presented at IMCA Late Model sanctioned weekly tracks this year. Drivers are eligible for only one bonus during the 2020 racing season. If the feature winner is a previous Sunoco winner, the bonus moves to the next eligible position. 2020 winners have been Jeff Aikey at Independence Motor Speedway, Matt Ryan at 34 Raceway, Joel Callahan at Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway, Eric Pollard at 300 Raceway, Justin Kay at Davenport Speedway and Dalton Simonsen at Marshalltown. IMCA will announce mid-week before the dates bonuses are to be awarded at each track.

IMCA Late Models return to weekly programs at Boone County Raceway

ALBION, Neb. (Feb. 6) – IMCA Late Models return to weekly programs at Boone County Raceway this season. The Friday night venue at Albion becomes the latest Nebraska venue to add the premier division in 2019. “Sanctioning Late Models was one of the best things we could do. The new sanctions will benefit all four tracks,” said promoter Mike Trollope, citing the addition of the class at Columbus, McCool Junction and Norfolk as well. “We really like the rules. Going with IMCA makes it easier for us to tech and more fair for the racer.” Boone County had run sanctioned Late Models during the 1995 and 1996 seasons. The division joins IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts on Albion’s 3/8-mile dirt oval. The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season opens on April 19 and runs through Aug. 16, with Aug. 23 designated as the rain date for season championship night. Track points will not be awarded at mid-week shows July 2, 10 and 17. [Read More]

Boone County bringing back IMCA Modifieds

ALBION, Neb. – The number of calls they got convinced Boone County Raceway track officials to bring IMCA’s premier division back to their weekly race program. IMCA Modifieds return to Albion following a two-year hiatus. They’ll be on regular Friday cards that also feature IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. “We have quite a few locals who drive IMCA Modifieds and wanted to bring them back here,” explained promoter Mike Trollope. “We called ‘em on the phone and put it out on Facebook, and they started calling us back.” “We had 15 Modified drivers who confirmed that they would race with us so we made the decision to pull the trigger and bring them back,” he continued. “I raced a Modified myself. I like the division and I’m glad to have them back at Boone County.” Opening night for the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season is April 20. Thirteen more Friday night shows are scheduled through Aug. 17. All five weekly divisions are in [Read More]