February 8, 2025
Franklin, TN — 2024 proved to be a turbulent year for Tennessee racer Jackson Boone. Despite the setbacks that the year presented, Boone is still hopeful for what 2025 and beyond may hold in store.
Boone sat down with Liberty Racing Review on Episode 15 of the “Hot Laps of Liberty” live stream to discuss the changes that the past year presented. Boone, who recalled the string of events, called to mind a particular incident that acted as a catalyst going into 2024.
A rather violent wreck at the 2023 Snowball Derby saw Boone briefly hospitalized and diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms. The incident did more than set Boone and crew back monetarily heading into 2024, as the head injury he sustained brought along several symptoms which affected Boone’s physical and mental health.
“We came off a really bad wreck at Five Flags in 2023. It took a deep impact on my health. There were a lot of bad things that happened after that,” said Boone. “After that race, we lost a lot of funding, and we had to put a lot of money towards basically rebuilding a full race car. That took four or five races worth of funding.”
“I’ve had a couple concussions, but this was the first time I’ve ever been knocked out in my life. It was really a wake up call. When I went back to work the next week, I took a couple wrenches that I had and went to the bathroom to set them down. I don’t why I did it, but it scared me. I was forgetting things that I normally would know.”
“The wreck just amplified everything. I turned into a completely different person, not someone that anyone would want to be around. That year and a half really beat me up. I’d like to go back one day and do something to benefit people with head injuries and raise awareness for it. You recover physically, but it’s incredible what your persona and characteristics become after something like that. It’s scary.”
Boone would go on to run a few more races with FatHead Racing in 2024 on the Super Late Model side, before the deal eventually fell through due to funding. Still trying to be competitive and racing at a similar level, Boone went on to compete with Dylan Fetcho Racing in a Pro Late Model towards the conclusion of 2024, achieving some respectable results in that time span.
Despite solid runs with DFR, Boone would end 2024 with no victories, a stat that he believes to be disheartening and unusual.
“I don’t want this to come off arrogant, but it was an uncharacteristic year for me,” said Boone. “I hold myself to a high standard of winning, and to not pick up any wins in 2024 was really disheartening. It takes a toll on your mental health and confidence.”
With the conclusion of the 2024 season, Boone now finds himself, candidly, without anything in place behind the wheel for 2025. Despite circumstances being uncertain for Boone’s short-term racing future, he remains confident that something will fall into place.
“I don’t have a dime to race, but we’re actively pursuing stuff and I’m optimistic about finding funding. When it’s going to happen, I don’t know, but it’s whatever is in God’s will for me. At the end of the day, I have not counted out some kind of driver development or coaching. I’m too immersed in racing and obsessed with it to give it up.”
The topic of driver development and coaching is not an unfamiliar one for Boone. Recently, Boone has worked in a mentoring role for Pro Late Model racer Steven Chunn, a regular at Montgomery Motor Speedway. Boone has even agreed to continue assisting Chunn going into the 2025 season.
This driver coaching role being pursued by Boone has not deterred his search for opportunities behind the wheel in 2025. Boone has even acknowledged certain series and disciplines that have been putting forth programs to help financially support racers. These programs could hold enough weight to possibly influence Boone’s direction going forward.
“What it costs to even get to the race track is astronomical, and it’s a problem. We have a really bad problem in short track racing, but there are people actively doing things to fix it. Look at Cordele, they’re an example of people trying to give back to the racers with their purses this year for the SuperFest series. Look at dirt, they seem to be on top of the world when it comes to payouts and people racing full-time. You can’t really do that in pavement right now unless you’re winning almost every weekend. I think when the Southern Super Series, ASA, UARA, when they’re doing things to incentivize these teams, stuff like that matters.”
In conclusion, Jackson Boone’s 2024 season was a testament to the resilience needed by a racer, especially in this day and age of the sport where nothing is certain. Boone’s willingness to adapt and remain dedicated to the sport in various roles shows good reason why he’ll likely be around for years to come, in one way or another.
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Photo: Reid Scott
Liberty Racing Review 