Nebraska Auto Racers Hall of Fame Announces Inductees

(Lincoln, Nebraska) The Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame Board of Directors has unveiled the six members of the 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Class. This year’s class is made up of six individuals that have made great impacts in Auto Racing, those individuals that will be enshrined include Ed Bowes of Lincoln, Monty Jones of Osceola, Tom Meyer, Roy McCain of Lincoln, Johnny Saathoff of Beatrice and Mike Warren of Scottsbluff.

The Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame Board of Directors also announced that the 2025 Gordie Shuck Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Doug Reidy of Grand Island. Reidy has been impactful in drag racing and circle track racing. Reidy made a name for himself as a racer on the strip in the 1950s and the dirt oval in Central Nebraska in the 1960s and 1970s. Up until the time of his passing, Reidy was instrumental in many teams racing programs with the building of ignition systems and carburetors.

The date for this year’s 27th Anniversary Induction Ceremony and banquet has beenset for Saturday, October 18th, 2025. The event will be held at Courtside Banquet Hall in Lincoln. Tickets and tables will be available for purchase in July. Tickets are not available at the door, the day of the event.

2025 Hall of Fame Inductees:
– Ed Bowes: Ed Bowes of Lincoln, Nebraska has made a lasting impact in dirt track racing in Nebraska. Bowes started his career in the stock car division but was best known for his successes in the super modified and sprint car divisions. Breaking onto the scene against some national powerhouse teams, Bowes piloted the home built car at Eagle Raceway to a feature win over the likes of Joe Saldana, Ray Lee Goodwin, Lonnie Jenson and Denny Oltman. Bows was the first driver to get a ride in the “Modified Sprints” later known as 360 sprints. Bowes achieved great success in the first year of driving the Modified Sprints. Throughout the years, Bowes has been a successful driver and team owner/driver as well.

– Monty Jones: Monty Jones of Osceola, Nebraska has been and continues to leave a footprint in drag racing in Nebraska. Jones has been a fierce competitor for decades on the drag strips across the midwest, but where he has left the biggest footprint is as an engine builder. Jones sped his way to top honors at the 1981 NHRA Division 5 points race in Denver, Colorado in the Super Stock division. Jones was the runner-up in the competition eliminator division at the Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colorado in 1995. Jones has competed and was in the thick of podium finishes at Nationals races all across the United States. As an engine builder, Jones has wrenched record  holding engines for Gene Bichlmeier, Tom Meyer, Ron Rodell, Wayne Denklau, Jami Jones Haugaard and Duance Dickens. Monty has also achieved great notoriety from his competitors as a two time winner of the NHRA Division 5 Sportsmanship award in 2008 and 2013.

-Tom Meyer: Tom Meyer of Pierce, Nebraska has achieved great success on the drag strip as well as in dirt track racing. It was in 1974 that Meyer began the need for speed that still makes his heart beat, before he even graduated from high school. He started building faster cars in the late 1970s and into the 1980s while competing at Thunder Valley and Scribner Raceways. Meyer won his first track championship in 1985 at Thunder Valley. He was able to win Scribner track crowns in 1987, 1988, 1991 and 1992. He added runner-up finishes in the points standings in 12989, 1993 and 1994. In 1992, Meyer won a pair of NHRA Division 5 points races, with that same car, the same year, Tom made it to the semifinals of a National Race in Denver. Meyer set and reset the NHRA National ET and MPH record 17 times and won 17 additional class first-place trophies at NHRA National events. Meyer then had sons that were looking to feed their need for speed, so Tom went from the drivers seat to turning wrenches for sons Ramsey and Cameron. Both sons have won IMCA National Championships in the sport compact division under his tutelage.

-Roy McCain: “Alabama” Roy McCain of Lincoln, Nebraska was a mainstay on the podium on the dirt tracks of Eastern Nebraska from the beginning of his career in 1961 at Capital Beach. McCain teamed up with Guy Hollamon and raced with great success at Capital Beach, Playland Park, Eagle Midwest, Columbus, Hastings, Belleville (KS), Beatrice, Lincoln, Denison (IA) and the famed Knoxville (IA) raceways. He also competed and had success at several South Dakota dirt tracks. McCain won the points championship in 1963 at Eagle Raceway. In 1964, Roy won eight features at Eagle Raceway. Later in his career around dirt track racing, McCain contributed to other aspects of racing as a mechanic and car owner and even stepped onto the other side of the table as a flagman and announcer. Roy has the honor of announcing several World of Outlaw feature events at Eagle Raceway.

-Johnny Saathoff: Johnny ‘Jet’ Saathoff of Beatrice, Nebraska was at the race track from birth and most likely has dirt in his blood. Saathoff’s career in dirt track racing started in 1980 and with a couple years under his belt, he was earning victories and became no stranger to the winners circle ever since. Saathoff has racked up over 457 career wins with 357 of those wins coming against IMCA competition. He has won 37 track championships and three Nebraska state titles. On an even bigger stage, Saathoff has won six regional crowns and stepped to the top of the mountain with four national championships. Saathoff continues to flourish on the dirt track as a fierce competitor
every night out.

-Mike Warren: Mike Warren of Scottsbluff, Nebraska was around and helping at a race track since being seven years old, as his father was a promoter and track owner in Scottsbluff. Warren was able to get behind the wheel of a hot rod and racing at the age of 14. He was able to win a class championship at the nearby Alliance race track in 1955. Warren also understood the importance of being a car owner and crew chief. It was at this time in Warren’s career, he became a car owner and a crew chief. In 1964, Warren was wrenching on drag cars as well as oval track race cars. It was in the late 1960s that Warren chose to concentrate on stock car racing. Warren also became the track announcer at Gering’s race track. A position he held for 22 years. Warren has also worn the track owner and promoter cap. He has also seen success as an owner of a dirt track car that was awarded for their success at Rapid City, South Dakota and Colorado National Speedway. Warren won qualifying races at the World Championships in Arizona as well.