Boone Speedway was host to the third and final night of this year's Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans night on Saturday with the first two nights running at Spencer and Algona. It's one of our favorite races of the year and very moving. Veterans and their widows were admitted free, given a meal and drink, a goodie bag, gift card, and more. The stands were packed to watch the 201 race cars on hand for the special night of racing.
A moving pre-race ceremony in front of the grandstand honored all veterans in attendance, special recognition and awards given to some of those on hand, and the specially wrapped Salute to Veterans race cars were showcased. First responders from law, fire, and ambulance were also on hand. There was also a four vintage planes flight over during the National Anthem that was very special.
Ten drivers had special wraps on their cars to honor veterans in someway. The overall best car winner voted on by the veterans went to Stock Car driver, Jim Horejsi, Marshall, Minnesota with his Pearl Harbor salute. The other Salute to Veterans wraps were Modified drivers Joel Rust with his Air Force Air Superiority - The F15E Strike Eagles, (his uncle who was a pilot and flew those missions, was on hand) Cody Thompson's US Army wrap, and Jerry Flippo with "The American Dream is Worth the Fight" wrap. Joining the over all winner Horejsi in the Stock Car class were Kevin Opheim's "A Flying Family" honoring two from his family who had served, and Donovan Smith saluted the American Sacrifice of the Fighting Sullivan Brothers. It was special to have one of the Sullivan's granddaughters on hand last evening. She helps keep the Sullivan Museum located in Waterloo, Iowa going. SportMod wraps were Taylor Kuehl, with her Rosie the Riveter Revisited, and Shelby Alves honored pilot Jackie Cochran, the "Speed Queen". You couldn't miss Brandon Nielsen's bright blue hobby stock and its US Navy Blue Angels theme, and Mike Smith's Hobby Stock honored the US Marine Corps.
Before the features were run, the IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds had their Inaugural Race of Champions that featured previous year's winners from a Salute to Veterans race. The winner was Nick Meyer, Whittemore, Iowa who had just completed his race car recently for his return to racing in 2024.
The first feature of the evening was the 15 lap main event for the IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lites, presented by Carquest Auto, Truck, & Farm.
Austin Gray started on the pole of the race and despite some late challenges by Charlie Brown, hung on tight to the lead and took the checkers. Following second place Brown was Bryan Zehm in third, Ben George took fourth, and Josh May completed the top five. This was Gray's first trip to Victory Lane at Boone this season.
The IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMods ran 20 laps for their feature, presented by Elmquist Towing.
Matt Avila started on the pole, and despite four cautions, led the entire race to prevail and take the win. It was a close race behind him for second and third with Cole Fenske holding off thirteenth place starter Cam Reimers at the line. Fourth went to Sloan, Iowa's Willy Kirk, and Colby Fett, Algona, Iowa raced from eleventh starting spot to round out the top five. This marked Avila's fourth trip to the winner's circle at Boone this season. The first race of the 3 race series for 2024 held in Spencer, Iowa at the Clay County Fairgrounds was won by Matt Looft and night 2 at Algona went to Alec Fett.
The IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds went 30 laps for their feature, presented by D & E Outside Services.
Hometown racer Jake McBirnie took advantage of his pole starting position, shot off to the lead when the race went green, and never looked back. He smoothly navigated the track lap after lap, pulling away in the latter part of the race and took the convincing win by a lengthy margin. Tripp Gaylord and Zachary Madrid gave the crowd a good entertaining battle for second and third, with Gaylord winning out in that contest. Ethan Braaksma, raced his way from starting eleventh to take fourth place, and Jerry Flippo finished in fifth place. This was McBirnie's fifth time to visit Victory Lane at the Boone Speedway this season. The Modified winner on night one at Spencer was won by Ethan Braaksma, and night 2 went to Jeremy Mills.
The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars were up to do battle next, for their 25 lap feature, presented by Boone Moose Lodge.
Kelly Shryock had a chance to be the first ever three time winner in a year for the Salute to Veterans Series and seemed to be on a mission as he and early leader Jay Schmidt duked it out through the first fifteen laps of the event. Both of those drivers were knocked out, and out of the race with mishaps by lap seventeen, and it was third place starter Troy Jerovetz now in command as Tyler Pickett and Jake McBirnie began to make their quest to overtake the leader. A late race caution at lap 22 was no issue for Jerovetz as he went home to the flying checkers and captured his first win of the year at the track. Pickett and McBirnie finished second and third respectively, Devin Smith came from eleventh starting spot to take fourth, and David Brandies hard charged his way from twentieth to finish in fifth place. This was the first visit to Victory Lane this season for Jerovetz. Shryock had won the first two Stock Car Salute to Veterans this year.
The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks put a nightcap on the night's racing with a 20 lap feature, presented by Pickett Salvage. The race went green to checkers.
Solomon Bennett started fourth and had the lead on lap one with young Will Smith tagging on to run second. There was a big gaggle of cars behind the leaders, as they jostled for position. By lap nine, Adel, Iowa's Dylan Nelson, who started tenth, had made the topside of the track work to his advantage and had taken over the lead. A few laps later, Mike Smith and Brandon Nielsen in his Blue Angels wrapped car had thrown their hat into the ring and charging hard on the leader. Smith dove to the underside coming out of turn two and got under Nelson to take the lead when lap seventeen was scored, and Nielsen followed suite to take over second. In the final run to the checkers out of turn four, Brandon Nielsen made it a close contest at the finish line, but Mike Smith prevailed to take the win, Nielsen taking a close second place. Dylan Nelson took third, fourth went to Emmetsburg, Iowa's Josh Sidles, and early leader Solomon Bennett rounded out the top five. This was Smith's fourth regular season win after also taking the Frostbuster special. Night one of the Salute to Veterans feature for the Hobby Stocks was won by Michael Wade, and night 2 went to Dylan Nelson.
Next Saturday night, August 3, will be another night of regular series racing with the IMCA Sport Compacts joining the other five regular weekly classes. Pits open at 4:30, grandstands at 5:30, with hot laps at 6, and racing at 7.
It was a late night for these two old folks, but well worth it to see this very special night of racing, and the veterans and fans sure came out in droves! Thanks to all who put together this very special race series every year.
Find a race track to support, and help keep the sport we all love....dirt track racing....alive and well!
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