89 Ruthies present

Free eggs with bacon purchase

      We were so used to meeting and visiting with friendly walkers on the beach that we were easy prey for a bicycle riding travel club sales lady.  When we declined she overstayed her welcome and invaded our bubble, it wasn't long before Minnesota "nice" wasn't anymore. 

  We rode across the intercostal waterway to check on locations for Bandana's by Michelle's vendors stand for Bike week.  Inquiring about places to eat they told us about a place with a great hot dog, easy to find.   (should have wrote it down)  We drove to the area and started asking and looking.  No one seemed to know about it.   We stumbled on a chocolate factory giving tours. (don't see how you can turn that down.)

What could they be looking at?

.    Angelo & Phelps has been making chocolates since 1925 and gives free tours and better yet samples, today was dark chocolate covered potato chips.   Ruthie made sure I included a picture of the dark chocolate covered bacon.  After seeing a maplelean bar (long john) with bacon on it at Bloedows Bakery in Winona Minnesota nothing with bacon on shocks me.    We try and stop when we are in the area, I used to work their while going to

vocational school.  (nothings better than a grilled hamburger between two day old raised doughnuts)  Everyone talks about Bloedows and rumor has it that a nationally known chain couldn't compete and pulled out of Winona. (just a hint, don't let the locals hear you pronounce it Whynona, they told a very young Ruthie working at Ted Meyer Drug it is Winona like you are going to win something.  Little sensitive on that. 

     We continued to walk along looking for the hot dog location while looking in the shops.  If you don't know Ruthie yet I should mention that if she is interested in something she is going to share it with you.  In this case she was making sure everyone that went by this window looked inside. 

     We continued to look for the hot dog stand, getting hungrier now.  I stopped in an antique store to inquire about the famous hot dog, when I came out Ruthie had stopped to help a man trying to hang a restaurant sign by himself.  Soon we were seated inside.  We found out later it was Mr Zappi himself, later he took our picture.  Turns out beside great Italian food they have shops and vacation villas.   While doing the blog I contacted their website and Paul Zappitelli (see I never would have got that right) replied, it seems the family in Daytona consists of Paul, Jennifer and son Jackson.  The Zappitelli family has been very involved in the lodging and restaurant business since 1970's.  They had relocated here from Canada.  Great food and people, check out their website, Zappi's Italian Garden and Villa's

Friday Dec 17, 2014.

     This was the day Ruthie had been waiting for since our trip to Charlotte.  Her Christmas present was a NASCAR ride along, suited and strapped in a race car with a professional driver.  Three laps guaranteed at 165 miles per hour.  I'm very lucky I don't know many men that could get by with a gift like this.  Not the first time, the windshield on our bike was an anniversary present, the heel toe shifter was a gift also and one year I tell everyone she wanted something round and shiny so I gave her a chrome front wheel for the trike.  Yup, I'm a prince.     We made our way down International Speed Way Blvd to the racetrack responsible for its name.   A two and one half mile tri-oval, the corners have a 31 degree bank.  They say it is almost impossible to walk up an incline like that.   As we walked on the beach we had seen plaques honoring the auto and motorcycle racers that had competed there.  It started as early as 1903 with several land speed records recorded on the beach straight away.  Then in 1936 they created the Daytona Beach and Road Course, they raced down the very street we have been traveling up and down to our time shares, then they crossed over to the beach and made the stretch back to the North turn and back to the street.  Originally it was 3.2 miles and in 1940 increased to 4.2 miles.   It closed in 1958.  Why all this information?  I have a close connection to Daytona, and not because of the young lady getting on her fire suit.  My brother-in-law Bud Kutina, (my sister Jessie's husband) raced when I was quite young.  I used to ride in the race car being towed to the track.  I was so little I have no clue where we went, all I remember is he and his pit mechanic Ernie bought me a burger and orange pop.  (Didn't take much to be my friend) I was pretty sure he had came  to Daytona because one time when he was helping me with one of my cars I remember him mentioning a motel down here that catered to race car drivers, he said you could run them wide open in the parking lot in front of your  room while you adjusted the carburetors.  I did some research today and here it is.  Bud Kutina is a former NASCAR driver from Rochester, MN. He competed in one  Nextel Cup event in his career. That came in 1955, when Kutina raced at Daytona Beach Road Course.  Starting 18th in the field of forty-eight, Kutina fell just one lap down and ended up with a solid 11th place showing.  He had no sponsor and won $140.   I imagine he towed his car from

"Bud"

 Minnesota to the track.  Another one of those memories you wish you would have chronicled some where.  Not so fast, I was able to contact Ernie his pit mechanic and long time friend, he and his wife Gloria still live in Rochester MN.  He and Bud traveled to a lot of the local tracks, Northfield, Kasson Rochester and others.  The race car was stored at our family farm during the week (that's why I got to ride along.) One time Ernie painted old #11 a 1941 Buick Roadmaster green and white with a brush.   Unlike current engines it had a straight eight with the cylinders in a straight rather than a V formation.   Ernie confirmed that they filled the stock gas tank with water as a ballast and only rolled one time when Ernie

A little help here!

drove it at Kasson and forgot to fill the tank.  In 1955 Bud purchased a brand new 1955 Oldsmobile, they loaded it with everything, tools, tires, clothes and drove it, that's right drove it to Daytona.   The results you have already viewed.  Ernie added that the car survived the race without a scratch however when they drove back they stopped at a local restaurant Jim and Joes highway cafe that had been Bud's local sponsor.  While they were inside someone hit the racecar crushing the 1/4 panel and drove away.  The Oldsmobile had his favorite number eleven on it however race officials wouldn't let him use it so he added a zero and raced as #110.   Ernie said that the next year Bud purchased a new Dodge 500 and drove it down to Daytona, however race officials make the racers tear down the timing area of the engine for inspection.  On reassembly a small part perhaps a washer was left out, it would start, run and then quit.  Unable to race Bud and Ernie went to the South turn to watch the race, then returned to Rochester never to run at Daytona again.  You have to wonder what could have been.  Ernie said that 50 years later he returned to Daytona with Gloria and their daughters family.  He went to the spot where the South turn had been, memories flooded over him and he cried like a baby!   When we said our goodbyes, he mentioned how he always loved my parents and the Polzin family, and that when he says his prayers he mentions all of us.  Its nice to have people like him on your side.  A big thank you to Dave at the Motorsports archive for helping with info.  To this day Bud's son Doug carries on the racing legacy on the drag strip.

    Now back to Ruthie and her experience, everyone that knows Ruthie knows she is a little daring, she gets teased some about her speed when driving the trike.  This reminded me of last summer, August 21st I was working in the shop and I heard our trike pull up with the radio blasting 50's music.  I was about to step out and tease Ruthie about the loud tunes.  Before I could step outside I heard loud voices, (probably to hear over the music) It went something like this" Mans voice "We followed you all the way from Minneiska and couldn't keep up, "our pickup wont go that fast"   "you were going 80 and then it started to rain and you just took off"  He said "I think it is Mrs. Trykit!" Ladies voice "I didn't think she drove cycle, but then I seen the license." We almost caught you " and then " I said lets follow her and see who it is?  He said "I still think its Mrs. Trykit!" and he was right.  They stayed for a while to tease her about the way she drove and look at our current projects. I enjoyed it, now I have witness's. 

These beautiful sculptures carved out of
roots and stumps is what Ruthie was showing everyone.
They seemed to enjoy them also.    

 She was as excited as Christmas morning, a shuttle from the Petty crew picked us up and delivered us to the pit area.  After signing the necessary waivers they gave her a fire suit and helmet.  Then she was escorted to the side of the car, no door, a small stool was provided and she had some assistance climbing thru the window.  Now the straps, seat, helmet, here's your emergency release, your driver is David.  And away they went, I kept track of the car in front of them so I could take pictures as they came across in front of the stadium.   It was over in minutes, doesn't take long traveling those speeds.  We purchased a video they made that shows her and the track in a split screen.  It showed her giving her driver several thumbs up as they roared around the track, she said she didn't want to talk and distract him, had to be hard for her.  The present was a success, she starts beaming when asked about her day at the track.  

     A short, very short video as Ruthie went by the stands.