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2005 Huset's Speedway Hall of Fame Inductees:
2005 HUSET'S SPEEDWAY HALL OF FAME ALL PHOTOS, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ARE FROM THE INDUCTEES OR THEIR FAMILIES.
LARRY CHASE Larry Chase began his career at Huset's in 1960 as a crew member on a car driven by Harlan Ter Wee and owned by Harlan's brother, Harry. After Harlan's death in a plane crash in 1963, the car was driven for a year by Hall of Fame member Marv DeWall. The following season, Chase took his turn behind the wheel, driving the Ter Wee "Deuce" for the next four years. After his stint as a driver, Chase became a spectator for several years before promoter Fred Buckmiller asked him to be the head flagman. Chase obliged, flagging the races for the next 10 years before eventually stepping down and giving control over the race track to current flagman Doug Clark.
BOB KLOSTERBUER Bob Klosterbuer wasted little time in becoming a successful sprint car driver. In 1989, his first year in a sprinter, Klosterbuer won the Huset's 360 sprint car championship. He was a successful racer prior to then, dominating area mini-sprint races. In 1988, he won 38 of 50 feature events he started. Klosterbuer finished in the top 10 in points at Huset's, Lake County and Rapid Speedways numerous times. Although suffering a broken back in a racing accident in 1991, he returned to race three more years and was named Sportsman of the Year at Huset's in 1992.
VERDEEN RATH Verdeen Rath won the first race ever held at Huset's Speedway, winning the first heat at the track's inaugural program on May 23, 1954. Two weeks later, the Pipestone, Minn. driver pulled off a rare double win at two tracks on the same day, winning the feature at Huset's on Sunday afternoon and the main event at Soo Speedway that evening. Rath was somewhat ahead of his time with his professional appearance at the track. He was the first local racer to wear a driver's uniform and also the first to paint his car in the colors and logo of his sponsor, Sunbeam Bread.
ED STUTZMAN Ed Stutzman's career at Huset's began in 1970. He raced in the sportsman class for several years before eventually moving up to the modifieds. He later became a pit crew member for the Bargain Barn cars owned by Ben Nothdurft that dominated area racing for a number of years. He helped former champion Ray Feltman build his first race car and was a mentor to him and other young drivers. Stutzman was diagnosed with A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in 1995 and given 2-5 years to live. Although now totally physically disabled, he still is a regular in the grandstand at Huset's thanks to the help of his two sons.
TOM WINTER Tom Winters drove race cars at Huset's for 21 years, starting in modifieds in 1967 and finishing in sprint cars in 1987. Although a fierce competitor, Winters also had a clean driving style which made him one of the most respected at Huset's. Winters had the honor of winning the first official World of Outlaws race at the track, taking the win in the opening heat race in 1983. He won the last feature he competed in at the track on Aug. 2, 1987. The following Saturday, Winters suffered a broken hip in a racing accident at Jackson, Minn., that ended his racing career.
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