2009 Minnesota State Fair
By Jim Heiland
Again Gary Stein out did himself this year. He has benn setting up the Old Timers display
since 1989. There was a great display of 12 or more vintage cars at Heritage Square.
They ranges from a Mike Wall 37 Ford Coupe, Paul Dolphy’s 69 Ford Torino,
that his Dad raced at the 1969 State Fair, several Sprint Cars and a
Bill Hanson racing 2009 ARCA race car. What a trip looking at the
37 Ford and the 2009 ARCA car side by side. WOW has this sport evolved.
This year we are proud to have the Jeff Rucks Memorial Sportsman
#29 Camero. In the early 80’s Jeff raced this car at Arlington, MN.
He later move in the modified division. He died in a racing
Accident in the late 80’s. A few years ago some of his friends found his old sportsman
in a pasture ready to be scrapped. They saved the car got some old pictures,
and with a lot of volunteer help and donations restore the car. Every year in September ,
Arlington Raceway has a Jeff Rucks Memorial race and they us the Camero as
the Pace Car. I was at the Fair 3 different time and spent some time at the display.
Is that ever fun talking to people coming through the display. I can't tell you how many kids
, moms and dads we had sitting in different race cars. There were a lot of big smiles.
We all had a chance to answer a lot of racing questions. There were sure a lot of people who remembered the # 4 Orange Nova driven by Bob Jusola. Gary and Mike Stein said there
were thousands, yes thousands of people each day at the display.
From what I have heard, the people have really enjoyed the display this year.
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IMCA OLD TIMERS DISPLAY AT
THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR, 2008
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS A SUCCESS. ACCORDING TO GARY STEIN, THIS IS THE BEST DISPLAY...EVER!
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Jim Heiland Finds An Old Bob Jusola Car
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In 2004 I had heard about this 70 Chev Nova, that was built and driven by Bob Jusola in the early 70's, from and old racer friend Craig Peterson in Miltown WI. At that time the owner was not ready to sell it. Every once in awhile I would call him to see if he changed his mind. Well in October of 2007, I called Dennis McKinnley again, met with him and finally bought the car, what was left of it. It had been sitting for almost 30 years.
I loaded my prize brought it to my shop and started the restoration.
Why a Bob Jusola Car? Well Bob made a big mark in stock car racing in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. One website I found said he won over 400 races.
I first met Bob in the late 50’s when I was about 15. We started a car club, “Road Runners Of Lake Minnetonka”, in Excelsior MN. Bob Jusola and Dave Bull were our sponsors. Bob was good enough to let us work on his race car, or maybe get in the way is more like it.
I do remember we did have fun and learned a lot. Over the years I did a lot of cheering for him at different tracks. In the late 60’s I had a chance to race with him at Raceway Park, Elko, and Minnesota State Fair.
My favorite Bob Jusola Story. Maybe 69 or 70 at the Minnesota State Fair we were racing together. As I remember, it was like a 50 or 75 lap race. After many laps I noticed I was gaining on Bob, which usually never happened. Out of turn two I was on his bumper, just couldn’t believe my car was that fast. Then on the back stretch, I passed him, WOW . As I went by I glanced over, there was Bob, lighting a cigarette with both hands, steering with his knees at 95 mph on the back stretch. I almost drove off the track. After his smoke break, he passed me again. Lots of good racing memories. Bob died of a heart attack September 1, 1980 while racing at the Minnesota State Fair, he was only 48.
My goal has been to restore the Nova to look like it did in 1972, bright orange and a big number 4 on it. Bob Jusola, the Flying Finn.
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