Dan ran into some unexpected assembly problems building the body and we ended up installing the engine in his car 10 days before time to leave for Montana. The engine now had 300 miles on it and did run 62MPH downhill. A few more road tests and in June 2011 we were off to Conrad Mt.
We arrived at the Super 8 on Friday and not a T was in sight. Saturday we ran 80 miles and everything was working fine. By Sunday the parking lot was full of T’s and lots of folks we didn’t know. Nan Robison, Mike Robison, and Mike Cuffe all introduced themselves, and I met and visited a bit with Tom Carnegie who had been most encouraging about trying the 500. More test runs and the gps said 52 MPH. Is that good? We didn’t have a clue.
Sunday afternoon inspection was also a new experience. Our car passed except for a debate over the carburetor, Mike Robison saying it was legal and Garrett Green saying it was questionable.
Monday morning finally rolled around and Dan and our T went out to line up. Our plan was Dan would drive the first day and I would drive the second. Little did we know then that there was to be no second day for us. From the Sunday night driver meeting we had a route to follow. Flagged out and our car is off in its first 500. The first stop was Cut Bank. At every stop we checked the oil in the top petcock and a few drops came out. The third stop at Browning Dan said the car had a funny smell. We pulled the transmission cover and checked the bands.
Everything looked ok but it had a burnt smell. We did some band adjusting and off Dan went. The car had been running strong but that was about to end. On the way to Valier the engine was out of oil and turned to melted parts. Just not fun to have your T drive through Valier, past all the other T’s, while on the trouble trailer.
Back at the parking lot we determined that the engine was not fixable. Several members did offer to help tear it down and offered a rod if we needed it, which was appreciated.So after months of preparation our first Montana 500 ended with three legs completed on Monday, 158 miles run and an engine out of oil. Tuesday morning the amateurs headed back to Iowa. On the way home I finally asked Dan, “Are we going to do this again?” His reply; “I think we have some unfinished business in Montana. ”Chapter 2 to come. We are off to Butte in 2012 with two cars and more trouble.
2016 Trivia by Special Request
2016 Leg Leaders. Top Average Speed.
Leg # Name – MPH – From – To
1. M-Stormo 56.53 Dillon-Rocker
2. B-Mullins 56.10 Rocker-Belgrade
3. B-Mullins 56.61 Belgrade-Rocker
4. T-Carnegie 52.89 Rocker-Dillon
5. D-Powers 55.83 Dillon-DeerLodge
6. T-Carnegie 54.34 DeerLodge-Dillon
7. D-Powers 52.89 Dillon-Lima
8. N-Robison 58.12 Lima-Dillon
8.* DP and MS 57.57 2nd fastest tied