SOUDAN— Terry Wagoner is riding noisily into retirement. As reported in this week’s Timberjay, Wagoner has sold his gas station/convenience store in Tower, but he’s also sold his fuel oil business, Vermilion Wilderness Fuel, to Superior Fuel, which is based out the Twin Ports but maintains offices in Virginia and Ely.
“I had talked to Terry over the years about when he was ready to retire,” said Ryan Gunderson of Superior Fuel. “Terry said he was tired of driving a delivery truck.”
Wagoner was glad to see the business stay locally owned. But the two had another common interest, in dirt bike racing, which is a sport that Wagoner now hopes to have more time to pursue.
Gunderson said when he first met with Wagoner in Tower, he saw all his dirt bike racing memorabilia.
“I told him, ‘I hope I will be also racing dirt bikes when I am in my 70s like you,’” he said. “I’m happy to help him on his way to retirement.”
Gunderson said they have sent out letters to existing customers to let them know of the added services offered by Superior Fuel, including HVAC services, propane sales and service, fuel oil to propane conversions, and other service options. He said they are hoping to add a propane storage tank to the fuel oil tank site off Hoodoo Point Road.
Wagoner will still be operating the Soudan Store, where he and his wife, Jill, live on the upstairs level. Jill is a retired social worker.
“I plan on hanging on to this store for a while,” he said. “It’s my little hobby store. It stays open for the community and our loyal customers.”
Wagoner opened F & F back in mid-1980s.
“The building was the old Burgess Chevrolet building,” he said. “I bought it to have a shop for my excavating business. Then I decided to put the store in the front.”
Now that he is almost retired, Wagoner is planning on doing more dirt bike racing. He has taken state championships in Minnesota in the 60-plus category the last six years. And while he is now eligible to race in the 70-plus category, he said, he likes being able to beat out the younger riders in the 60-plus bracket.
He rides a KTM, a technical racing dirt bike.
With more free time on his hands, he wants to expand his racing horizons nationally, either to the east, with the Grand National Cross Country racing series, or to the west, with the National Enduro racing series.
“Jill is okay with it,” he said. “This is something I have wanted to do for a long time.”