boonecountyraceway Archives

Grabouski checks Tanner Pelster Memorial off must-win list

ALBION, Neb. (July 8, 2024) – The one that got away last year didn’t get away Monday night. Jordan Grabouski led the last 11 laps of Boone County Raceway’s fourth annual Tanner Pelster Memorial, earning an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career-best $6,111 payday for his efforts. “This race has been on my mind for about a year,” said Grabouski, runner-up last July after losing the lead and the big payday to Mike Nichols on the final circuit. “This race was one that I’ve had on my list that I’ve really wanted to win and I finally got it done.” Forty-plus Stock Cars from across the Midwest were entered at Albion after inclement weather forced postponement of the event from Sunday to Monday. Jacob Anson and Grabouski drew front row starts with Anson setting the fast pace before giving way to Dallon Murty on lap four. Grabouski lurked in third, with Tyler Iverson fourth on the lower line, before catching Anson on lap eight. Murty held onto the front spot through the first of what would [Read More]

Nichols scores IMCA Stock Car career best payday at Pelster Memorial

ALBION, Neb. (July 9, 2023) – A couple laps in and Mike Nichols knew he had a pretty good car. At the end of 30 laps, that pretty good car took Nichols to the highest paying victory in his remarkable IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career, Sunday’s Tanner Pelster Memorial at Boone County Raceway. Nichols raced from 12th starting, passing Tyler Iverson for second and then Jordan Grabouski for the lead in the waning laps of the $6,111 to win main event. The checkers, Nichols’ IMCA best 617th, were accompanied by an automatic starting spot in the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. “We’ve been out to Albion a dozen times over the years and they always have a good track. They did a great job, with how many cars and races there were. The track was phenomenal. You could run anywhere,” said Nichols, from Harlan, Iowa. “We changed our setup after the heat race for more drive in the feature and everything worked like we wanted it to. We knew in the first couple laps [Read More]

Boone County’s Tanner Pelster Memorial boasts $5,111 IMCA Stock Car payday

ALBION, Neb. (June 14, 2023) – The Class Too Tough to Tame returns to Boone County Raceway July 9 for the Tanner Pelster Memorial, and the driver who can tame the Sunday night IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event will take home $5,111. A guaranteed starting spot in the upcoming B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational is at stake as well at the third annual special, sponsored by Sudbeck Underground Inc., Nebraska Owners Insurance and 94 Rock. The runner-up earns $3,111 with $2,111 paid for third, $1,111 for fourth and $911 for fifth. A minimum of $311 will be paid to start the 24 car main event. Tow money is $211 and Albion Locker antes up $300 for the Stock Car driver making the longest tow to Albion. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks are also on the card and run for $1,511 to win, $1,111 for second and $1,011 for third. Minimum start money and tow for the Hobbies is $111. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing national, EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and Big Daddy [Read More]

Boone County, Junction hosts next Sunoco bonus nights for IMCA Late Models

ALBION, Neb. (June 8, 2023) – A pair of Sunoco Race Fuels bonuses are at stake this weekend in Nebraska. Division title sponsor Sunoco awards $250 bonuses to IMCA Late Model feature winners on Friday, June 9 at Boone County Raceway in Albion and Saturday, June 10 at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 6 p.m. for Boone County’s Firemen Appreciation Night show. Hot laps are at 7:30 p.m. and racing is at 8 p.m. And at Junction, gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Driver check-in closes at 6 p.m. and racing is at 7 p.m. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern NorthMods are on both race night cards. Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites also run on Friday, Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts on Saturday. Pit passes are $30 each night. Drivers can get the bonus one time in a season; the $250 will be awarded to the top finishing non-winning [Read More]

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]