RICHARD BOOE, 71
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana (July 22, 2024)………Richard Booe, a six-time winner as a car owner in USAC National Sprint Car competition between 1998-2000, passed away on July 17, 2024. He was 71 years old.
Booe, of Clay City, Ind., fielded cars for numerous drivers in USAC competition across six seasons, spanning 1996-2001: Eric Burns, Kevin Thomas, Jeff O’Banion, Wil Newlin, Brian Tyler, Casey Shuman, Eric Gordon, Donnie Beechler, Jimmy Sills, Jay Drake, Bill Rose, Tony Elliott, Hud Cone, Tracy Hines, Jonathan Vennard, Andy Hurtubise, John Heydenreich, Derek Scheffel and Justin Marvel.
Richard’s son, Matt Booe, was also a frequent competitor with USAC as a driver in his father’s cars. Even Richard himself made a few USAC driving appearances from 1997-1999.
Booe’s highwater mark as a USAC car owner came in 1998 when Brian Tyler scored four victories for the team in its brand-new Stealth pavement car at Arizona’s Phoenix International Raceway, Kansas’ Lakeside Speedway, an ESPN televised event at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway and again at Salem (Ind.) Speedway. Under the Booe Brothers banner, the No. 21 team finished third in USAC National Sprint Car entrant points for the season.
In 1999, Tracy Hines drove the R. Booe & Son Hardwoods No. 73 to a victory in the USAC National Sprint Car season finale, the 33-lap Sammy Sessions Memorial on the high banks of Winchester. Meanwhile, Booe’s team car, the 21, finished fifth in the standings with Eric Gordon as the wheelman.
For 2000, Tyler and Booe reunited to win once more on the pavement at Iowa’s Hawkeye Downs, another event of which was also televised by ESPN.
Booe earned his Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degree in physics from Indiana State University and was a teacher at Cloverdale High School, Linton High School and Clay City High School. Like his father, Richard was also heavily involved in the lumber business. In 1978, he established Clay City Sawmill, and later, R. Booe & Son Hardwoods.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, July 28, at 3pm in the Idle Creek Banquet Center in Terre Haute, Ind. The family requests that donations be made to the Clay County or Vigo County Humane Shelters.