Heaven on Earth?
If you're a supercar nut, quite possibly.


I'll just start at the beginning.....In May Alois Ruf married Estonia Duncan in Germany. Obviously all their USA friends could not attend, so Frank Beddor (founder of World of RUF), organized a reception for them in the United States. Not only a reception, but a 2-day autocross open to all those invited who wanted to drive.

The site? Nisswa, Minnesota, a few miles from Brainerd International Raceway. Sunday night involved a get-together at the Grand View Lodge where everyone saw old friends as well as met new ones. The guests of honor arrived, and we had a nice dinner and so forth with the Rufs.

Then came Monday morning.... A cool, calm morning, about 60 degrees F, a slight misty haze hanging over the dew covered grass. The red sun was just appearing over the horizon as the birds were chirping over the silent daylight...Then, in a glorious wail of exploding race fuel, all stillness was broken with the roar of a brand new RUF CTR-2 cranking to life and settling into a 1000 rpm idle. What an ALARM clock! But before you got a chance to realize what was happening, another CTR-2 cranks, and then ANOTHER! 3 CTR-2s crouched there in plain view, fender flares and intake vents abound! Two are 'Yellow Bird' Yellow, belonging to Steve and David Beddor. The third 'Big Black' CTR-2 is Frank Beddor's (their father). It is a brand new 1998 Sport version.

World of RUF tent with 3 CTR-2s


You try to put it in perspective, that is, the fact that not only are you standing in front of a real, live RUF CTR-2, but there are THREE of them!!

Before you even begin to rationalize, another RUF car appears---a 1994 RCT. Black, of course. Then another---a 1986 BTR. Yes, black on black. But this is still just the beginning. A Ferrari F40 in full armor rolls around the corner. Then an F355, then a 308. And to top it all off, a DINO GT! Is that all? Please.....Then comes a new blue Hennessey Venom 550 Viper. Then a Viper GTS painted Ferrari red.

The 3 CTR-2s from the rear, showing their audacious wings


Still just the beginning----a pristine Acura NSX, a handful of NICE race-ready 911 Turbos, many ever-so slightly modified street 911s, a beautiful Mercedes 500E, numerous 944s and Turbos, a couple of 968s, a red 928, a 914, a few 924s, an RX-7, a SWARM of Audi Quattros both old and new, a VW Corrado, a 1955 Kurtis, a '59 Bugeye Spriter, a Porsche Devin D, AND 2 American 'stock' GT cars.

Do you think this is going to be fun??

World of RUF 1998, Page 2