Legends of theLEGENDS OF THE RACE. THESE ARE MY PERSONAL TRIBUTES TO THOSE WHO SHAPED MY LOVE FOR RACING IN ALL FORMS.
Rick was a family friend that grew up with my uncles. If there was one thing about Rick it was speed. He persued it all his life. From owning and driving the old open modifieds at Husets speedway, owning Corbett-Middlen speed shop. An awesome shopping mall for high performance cars. Over years of my time from now and then, I had always went to him for advice and he would stop and take the time with me, show me ways of business. Rick was one of those guys that was just cool, friendly, generous to others. He also went on to create Exhaust Pros that had stores in several states. Anyone of them could get you the cool dual exhaust set up. I know I had a couple of Vettes and some other cars done by his shop right in Sioux Falls. From there he stared manufacturing mufflers of all sorts. He also had a large exhaust warehouse that provided for a regional shop customer base of all brands.Again with he speed in his heart, he broke a record in his airplane he built while flying over Husets Speedway. Rick was inducted into the Huset's Speedway Hall of Fame in 2004 along with my Uncle and his good friend, John Underberg. The following is from the page of the induction. Rick Middlen began his racing career in 1971 in the super modified class at Huset’s, earning rookie-of-the-year honors at the track. After two years of driving his own cars, Rick spent two seasons behind the wheel of Hall of Fame member Harold Krull’s machine before continuing his racing career with Dennis Mathison. A highlight of Rick’s was a racing battle with Iowan Dick Morris, one of the midwest’s top drivers. The pair raced side-by-side for 10 laps before Rick pulled out the feature win. While he was racing, Rick started a new business, Corbett-Middlen, a performance automotive and service store. Later, he also started Exhaust Pros, a successful line of automotive exhaust shops. As his businesses grew, Rick was forced from auto racing following the 1978 season due to insurance reasons and at the urging of his banker. However, he remained active in the sport selling speed parts and services to area racers. After ending his driving career, Rick transferred his appetite for speed to airplanes. He owned and piloted a high-powered plane that set speed records. In 1993, Rick was critically injured when his plane crashed near his hometown of Larchwood, Iowa. Through countless hours of therapy and with the aid and support of his wife, Mary, he was able to recover from some of his injuries. Ironically, Rick was raised on adjacent farms with fellow inductee John Underberg near Larchwood. As children, the pair would do anything possible to go to the races at Huset’s and each had dreams of someday racing there.
