boonespeedway Archives

Driver intro, shaking hands with Speedy Bill among Saathoff’s Super Nationals highlights

BEATRICE, Neb. – He has four national championships, 24 track championships and 354 feature wins on his IMCA Modified resume. The accomplishment Johnny Saathoff ranks right with those feats is walking across the infield stage during the driver introductions preceding the Saturday night Modified main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “It’s pretty cool when you’re walking across the stage and shaking the hand of Speedy Bill Smith,” said Saathoff, a 15-time main event qualifier and runner-up in the 2010 Big Dance. “Your step is a lot lighter when you’re walking through the pits at Boone Speedway after you’ve done that.” From Beatrice, Neb., Saathoff is in his 42nd season on the track. A first-time qualifier at Boone in the 1995 Late Model main event, he won the Race of Champions at Super Nationals in 1997 and 1998 and has experienced highs and lows in Modified qualifying and the main event since. “It’s always cool to make the show,” said Saathoff, owner of Jet Racing, “From the business side, when I [Read More]

Colorado rookie hunts for Hobby Stock success at first IMCA Super Nationals

BRUSH, Colo. – Hunter Smith’s first IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock season has already taken him to nine tracks in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Track number 10 will be Boone Speedway, where the 14-year-old rookie charger will test his skills against the best of the best at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “Our goal is to make the Saturday night feature. If we can do that, I’ll be happy,” the national rookie of the year point leader said. “The best of the best race at Super Nationals so I think making the main event would be amazing.” While the freshman-to-be at hometown Brush Colo., is a third-generation driver, the 2021 season is also his first racing anything, two wheels or four. His grandfather Rich raced on pavement while father and now crew chief/tow rig driver Zach raced a Stock Car. “I’d always been around racing. We saw a good car (a 2020 Charger Chassis) for sale, bought that and are doing better than we expected,” Smith said. “Our first goal was to [Read More]

77 IMCA Stock Car drivers eligible to qualify for inaugural B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational

BOONE, Iowa – Cameron Wilkinson is the latest addition to the list of IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers eligible to qualify for the B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational field. Wilkinson won Sunday’s Thayer County Fair special. Time trial qualifying is Sept. 8 with the inaugural invitational to be held Thursday, Sept. 9 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway. Drivers winning sanctioned events paying $750 or more held through the first weekend of September become eligible to qualify. They must be pre-registered for Super Nationals to attempt to qualify for the All-Star race. “We have been pleasantly surprised by the number of qualifying races and the number of drivers from so many different tracks all across the country eligible to qualify for the B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational,” IMCA President Brett Root said. “We anticipate having 80-90 different drivers eligible to qualify for the inaugural event.” Additions to the following list of 77 B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible drivers as of Aug. 12 should [Read More]

Nominations sought for honorary starters on Sept. 11

BOONE, Iowa – The three honorary starters for Sept. 11 Modified last-chance races during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s will be chosen to represent the many American heroes who put their own lives on the line. IMCA fans and drivers are asked to submit nominations of military and law enforcement personnel, firefighters and First Responders to wave the green flag for the start of those Saturday afternoon events at Boone Speedway. Letters or emails of nomination should be 500 words or less and tell about the nominee and their service to country and community. Nominations should be directed to IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder at kyoder@imca.com. “9/11 also marks the 15th anniversary of the founding of Hope For The Warriors and officials from that organization will be on hand that day,” Yoder said. “The honorary starter program has been super popular since it was started and remains one of the highlights of the week.” For the ninth consecutive year, Super Nationals presenting sponsor Casey’s General Store gives $10 and IMCA matches that donation [Read More]

Utah Boys’ Trip bringing Lawrence to Boone for America’s Racin’ Vacation

SANDY, Utah – The next great adventure in what’s already been a great season takes Dillion Lawrence to the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The 39th annual running of America’s Racin’ Vacation will do double duty as a Utah Boys’ Trip for Lawrence and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car cohorts Levi Card and Beau Hutchison. “When registration opened, my wife Sonja told me to just do it. She’s the one who encouraged me and we’re excited to go. Five minutes after I registered I got a call from IMCA asking me if I had any questions about Super Nationals and that was pretty cool to me,” said Lawrence, from Sandy. “I talked Levi and Beau into coming with me. We’re taking a stacker trailer and making it a Utah Boys’ Trip.” Already eligible to qualify for the B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational, Lawrence has his eye on making the Sunoco Race Fuels Race of Champions and Saturday night main event grids as well. “I can’t wait to go. Boone is a track we want to [Read More]

Benjamin is all about Boone, Super Nationals

FORKSVILLE, Pa. – Aaron Benjamin has heard a lot of good things about Boone Speedway and the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. This will be the first year he gets to experience both. The Forksville, Pa., driver returned to the IMCA Modified ranks this season after an eight-year racing hiatus. A regular weekly at The Hill Speedway and in the NY-Penn Series, Benjamin didn’t need much convincing when crewman Robert Petrowski suggested they make the trip west to be part of America’s Racin’ Vacation. “He’s been going to Boone for years and talked me into going out,” Benjamin said. “Racing at Super Nationals had been a dream when I ran IMCA in 2012 and 2013. I bought another car (a 2011 BMS) last year, put it together and started racing at The Hill. I’ve always wanted to go to Super Nationals but never made it. This year we’re going to go run.” A heavy equipment operator and mechanic by trade, Benjamin raced in a local rear wheel drive 4-cylinder class for a single [Read More]

Another 10 IMCA Stock Car drivers are B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational contenders

VINTON, Iowa – Ten more IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers have raced their way into contention for B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational honors. Brandon Beckendorf, Chucky Forstner, Jeremy Gettler, Randy Klein, Johnathon Logue, Tyler McDougall, Mike Mullen, Jake O’Neil, Kenny Richards and Jason Rogers all won events paying $750 or more that made them eligible to qualify for the inaugural invitational. O’Neil later guaranteed himself a starting spot in the main event by winning the IMCA Speedweek headliner at Clay County Fair Speedway. Additions to the following list of B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible drivers through Aug. 5 should be directed to Bill Martin at the IMCA home office, 319 472-2201 x213 or bmartin@imca,com. Jeffrey Abbey Travis Barker Jason Batt J.J. Baumli Brandon Beckendorf Ryan Bjerkeset Brian Blessington Jeramey Bradley David Brandies Randy Brands Jerrett Bransom Austin Brauner Tathan Burkhart Troy Burkhart Steffan Carey Chad Clancy Blake Clark Todd Decker Zane DeVilbiss Alex Dostal Ethan Dotson Tommy Fain Race Fisher Dalton Flory Chucky Forstner Troy Foulger George Fronsman Rob Gallaher Tripp [Read More]

Eight more IMCA Modified drivers earn Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility

VINTON, Iowa – Another eight IMCA Modified drivers are eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational following recent feature wins that paid $1,000 or more. They are Mike Mullen, Jesse Williamson, Tom Smith, Marcus Yarie, Jarrett Brown, Jake McBirnie, Peyton Taylor and Timmy Current. Additions to the following list of Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible drivers through Aug. 5 should be directed to Bill Martin at the IMCA home office, 319 472-2201 x213 or bmartin@imca,com. Chris Abelson Jeff Aikey Austin Arneson Casey Arneson Chaz Baca Jared Baird Eric Barnes Brandon Beckendorf Eddie Belec Chad Bennett Hank Berry Tom Berry Jr. Tanner Black Cody Blixt Steven Bowers Jr. Ethan Braaksma Jarrett Brown John Campos Cayden Carter Chris Carter Kellen Chadwick Ty Clemens Sawyer Crigler Timmy Current Jon DeBenedetti Nick DeCarlo Jerry Dedrick Casey Delp Shane DeMey Travis Denning Zane DeVilbiss Shane DeVolder Brenten DeYoung Spencer Diercks Ethan Dotson Tommy Dove Logan Drake Justin Dunn P.J. Egbert Chris Elliott Shawn Fletcher Troy Foulger Tripp Gaylord Jesse Glenz Mike Goodson William Gould Jordan Grabouski Kevin [Read More]

McBirnie, Logue, Anderson score Salute to Veterans wins at Boone

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (July 31) – It was Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans Night at the Boone Speedway on Saturday, with 205 race cars packing the pits and running before a full grandstand. Jake McBirnie repeated his win from last week in the IMCA Modified division, as did Mike Kennedy in the IMCA STARS Mod Lites. Logan Anderson in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Dylan Nelson in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks captured their first wins of the year and Johnathon Logue saw his first career win in an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car. The Modifieds ran 25 laps for their main event. Richie Gustin started on the outside front row and shot into the lead, seeking the $3,000 payday. McBirnie started fourth and tucked in immediately to run in second. Gustin took to the top of the track while McBirnie challenged on the low side. A slight bobble by Gustin allowed McBirnie to slip by and into the lead on lap 12 and that was all he needed to take his [Read More]

Reserved tickets on sale now for Sept. 10, 11 Super Nationals programs

BOONE, Iowa – The hottest ticket in town is for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and 11 reserved main grandstand seating at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Those tickets are $75 each and will be sold based on the seating chart that accompanies this story: Reserved ticket order forms should be mailed to Super Nationals, c/o Boone Speedway, 31473 Ute Avenue in Waukee, Iowa, 50263. The form is available to download at https://www.imca.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-grandstand-reserved-ticket-form.pdf While Speedway officials will do their best to accommodate seat choices, actual seating will depend on availability. Anyone with questions is asked to call 515 987-1220 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST Monday through Thursday. Reserved tickets can be picked up at the grandstand entrance beginning Sept. 4, opening night of the Prelude at Boone Speedway. Opening night for the 39th annual Super Nationals is Labor Day with American’s Racin’ Vacation running through Sept. 11.