MID-AMERICAN'S FIRST LADY

Topics:  Julie Strasburg

Matt Panure
Mid American Stock Car Series
February 21, 2012

Julie Strasburg of Fort Atkinson, WI is Co-owner of the Mid-American Stock Car Series. She enjoys travelling with her husband Doug, reading, Sudoku and crossword puzzles. They attend Willerup Methodist Church in Cambridge, WI. (the oldest Scandinavian Methodist Church on the world).

Julie was raised on a small dairy farm near Helenville in south central Wisconsin with two sisters and one brother.

She started driving school bus at 18 to pay for college. Now in her 26th year, she says this is her favorite job! Her main employment is office manager at J-N-L Wrought Iron – creator of hand crafted wrought iron work. She also teaches piano and is church pianist. Every year in July she helps her family make Georgia Snow cones at the Jefferson Co. Fair. This has been a family tradition for 25 years.

Julie met Doug in 1988 at Jefferson Bus Service when they hired him as a technician. At that time she knew absolutely nothing about racing. Doug and Julie married on May 26th 1990, the week Doug was to start his new flagging position at Jefferson Speedway. (Proof that Julie knew nothing about getting married during racing season!!) Realizing that racing ran through Doug’s veins and not wanting to be a short track racing widow, she started her own racing connection by sitting in the stands every Saturday night. In the mid-90's she worked for Madison International Speedway, first as the wristband lady then moved on to selling the pit passes.

In 1994, Doug began working for Gary Vercauteren and the Mid-American Stock car Series. Julie also helped by booking motel rooms, doing payouts, keeping track of the point standings and directing the 4-wide parade lap. As the years progressed she became more involved and now owns the Series with Doug.

In 1999 Doug worked as General Manager for I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, MO and Speedway USA in Bolivar, MO. Julie worked in the office during the week and sold pit passes on Friday and Saturday nights. One evening she even drove in the powder puff race. In 2002 she worked at Golden Sands Speedway, Plover, WI scoring races and Doug worked as flagman. While there she and Doug participated in the school bus racing. Oh what fun!!

Julie’s favorite part is interacting with the various people within the Mid-American Series and traveling with Doug to the many different racetracks and meeting new people. Her most shocking experience was watching Troy Shear Jr. crash in turn 3 at Rockford Speedway and end up hanging on the fence about 8’ from where she was standing on the pit tower deck.

Twice Julie was able to drive Lyle Nowak's #32 on the Milwaukee Mile, during the Drive the Mile Media Day with benefit going to the Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee. Thanks Lyle!!

To celebrate her 40th birthday Julie went tandem skydiving. 52 people came to see if she bounced (and she did) including Ron Blood and Scott & Laurie Null, who brought a net to catch her.

Since 2007 Julie has been participating in the American Cancer Society Walk/Run at Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI. She has been working to best her 4 mile walking time since starting this event. 2011 was the best yet at 1 hour 4 minutes. Pretty soon she will need to start jogging!!

RECIPIES

Streusel Coffee Cake

Filling / Topping:
1 c brown sugar 4 T flour
4 t cinnamon 4 T melted butter
Mix together with fork.
Cake:
3 c (sifted) flour ½ c butter not softened (or shortening)
6 t baking powder 2 beaten eggs
½ t salt 1 c milk
1 ½ c sugar
Stir dry ingredients. Cut in butter or shortening and blend in well beaten egg mixed with milk. Batter will have lumps. Spread half of batter in greased and floured pan, 9 x 13.
Sprinkle with half of streusel mixture. Add remainder of batter. Sprinkle rest of streusel on top. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes, until just starting to brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Heath Bars

Grease jelly roll pan. Lay single layer of whole soda crackers on bottom. Combine
1 c brown sugar and 1 c butter. Boil 3 minutes; stirring constantly. Pour over crackers.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle a 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips on top. Spread as they melt. Cool and cut into bars.

I “cut” them before they cool. Then when it cools it is easier to tell where the crackers are. After cooling, for bars to set better, I refrigerate for at no more than 30 minutes.

Egg Bake

9 x 13 pan, greased 350 oven Bake uncovered 60 – 75 min.
1 lb pork sausage chopped or 1 lb bacon cut small - fry and drain
Optional - when sausage is almost done add a small chopped onion just to soften
16 – 18 eggs beaten
1 tsp dry or salad mustard
16 oz shredded cheese - save some for top
1/3 to 1/2 loaf bread (broken)
Salt & Pepper to taste ( I don’t use any)
Milk, not skim ( 2% is best)
Optional - mushrooms and sesame seeds
Break up bead into pan, sprinkle on sausage or bacon and mushrooms
Beat eggs, add mustard (if desired), 2/3 of the cheese - pour over bread and meat
Add enough milk until pan is about 2/3 full, Sprinkle remaining cheese and sesame seeds on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.