Otterbein: Auto Racing Heroes From Out of the Past - Six Decades Later

Recently, during a case of insomnia, I got up and exercised an option that many avid racing enthusiasts might do – I turned on my internet and pulled up the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame (MMSHOF) webpage and starting to explore some of the past Inductees.  

It wasn’t long before I noticed an asterisk next to one of my all-time favorite driver’s names. The MMSHOF places an asterisk next to Inductees names when they pass away, so this was not good news.

Maybe ten years ago or so, while attending the annual MMSHOF awards banquet held every November in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, it was during the end of the ceremonies and we were all preparing to leave when I heard a name from the past of one of my favorite drivers broadcast over the PA system.  I asked someone to point him out to me so I could introduce myself and reminisce with him a bit. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find him. I was disappointed! 

My disappointment did not go unnoticed by MMSHOF President, Dave Dehem who was standing nearby. 

The following year at the annual MMSHOF banquet, surprisingly, our designated seating put us at a table of about ten attendees which included Dave DeHem and his wife Julie. 

As informal introductions were being made around the table, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself seated at the same table (thanks to Dave) as my racing hero – Russ Jacobson, whose name elusively vanished into the late afternoon air just one year ago at the MMSHOF Banquet. 

Russ was great to talk with as we discussed some of the old days (late fifties and early sixties) when he and his dad Jake would visit the Grand Rapids Speedrome’s paved quarter - mile track a couple of times every racing season.

The midget racecars, in the early days of Russ’ racing career, only had a roll hoop behind the driver’s seat and no full cage until later in his career.

Some of the other midget drivers who raced at the Speedrome during that era included names like: Bob Zomerhuis of Grand Rapids, John Tenny (MMSHOF Inductee 2004) of Battle Creek, Smokey Joe Wells of Indiana, the Lovett’s of Grand Rapids, and other very capable drivers. 

Both Russ and his dad Jake are Inductees of the MMSHOF. 

When Russ’s midget group were scheduled to race at the Speedrome, the Grand Rapids paper would do an article advancing their group’s approaching visit which would invariably feature a head-shot photo of Jake Jacobson in the cockpit of his midget racecar smoking a big cigar, looking like he had the world by the tail, and providing racing fans with another signature of those fabled and very special racing days!

Russ was an engineer for both Ford Motor Company and General Motors. He was a Koren War Veteran serving in the United States Army. 

Russ passed away August 25, 2026, at age of 94.  Russ was a true gentleman!

God Bless Russ, his family and friends, and may he rest in peace!