My impressions of the 2005 Montana 500
By Tom Carnegie
The trip to Lewistown was uneventful. When we arrived several
T's were there before us. Eventually 20 T's showed up, including
us. Nineteen entered the trophy class, one, a speedster driven by
Lee Burgess entered the touring class. The most exciting entry
from my perspective was a Purple (that is purple with a capital P)
car entered by Janet Cerovski! With Jillian in her Pink car (yes,
that's pink with a capital P too) we had a true powderpuff division.
The pre-run inspection was coordinated by Mark Hutchinson and
went very smoothly. Dave Huson had a non-script cylinder head,
but the directors voted to allow him to use it subject to the final
decision to be made at teardown, if he were in the top three. Ron
"Coilman" Patterson was there with his coil tester and generously
donated his time to rebuilding coils of anyone who desired to have
their coils rebuilt. Many drivers took advantage of this. We had
the evening meeting where the next day's events were lined out.
Most of us then joined for dinner down the road a piece.
Next morning we went to the edge of town and formed up. At one
point we had a string of twelve non-black T's in a row. That's got
to be close to a world's record. The first leg was a rather long
(about 70 miles) leg to Raynesford. Raynesford ain't much. Basically
a gas station. We waited and waited. Tony Cerovski showed
up on a trailer. He had a sight gauge made of plastic tubing between
his two petcocks on the oil pan. The tube came off and he
lost all and I mean all of his oil. He put a rod right through the side
of his block. Next in on a trailer was Dave Huson. He was having
timer or coil problems, I believe. Finally Janet arrived, under
power, with her purple car. It was not running well. The top five
cars on this leg, in order, were:
1. Dennis Dakan
2. Steve Coniff
3. Tom Carnegie
4. Rick Carnegie
5. Mike Robison
The next leg was the big pull over King's Hill. King's is more than a
hill. At 7400 feet it is one of the highest mountain passes around.
Jillian had some trouble and put her car on the trailer. Dave Huson
continued to have problems, but drove the whole leg. Dave Warhank's car
began to knock on this leg. He decided to pack it in. Stan Howe was
plagued with radiator problems throughout the day. No one else had
any problems otherwise on this leg to my knowledge. The top five
cars in order for this leg:
1. Dennis Dakan
2. Mike Robison
3. Tom Carnegie
4. Steve Coniff
5. Ron Miller
Leg three was from White Sulphur Springs to Harlowton. Jillian broke
a timer flapper and Garrett Green had rod troubles.
I believe that Garrett also lost a plastic tube sight gauge.
The top five cars for this leg:
1. Steve Coniff
2. Dennis Dakan
3. Tom Carnegie
4. Mike Robison
5. Mark Hutchinson
The last leg of the day was Harlowton back to Lewistown.
The top five cars:
1. Steve Coniff
2. Dennis Dakan
3. Mike Robison
4. Mark Hutchinson
5. Ron Miller
Next morning we formed up north of town for the first leg to Denton,
about 40 miles. Mike Wendland and Dave Warhank decided to head
for home, as Dave's car had lost a rod. I had coil problems, which
continued throughout the rest of the run. Jillian broke another flapper
and had her timer rod become disconnected. BJ Miller had mag troubles.
Janet Cerovski kept plugging along. I felt bad for her
having to drive so slowly in an ill-tuned car. I hope she isn't
discouraged and will come back in a car that has been better
prepared. Both she and Stan Howe had just recently gotten
their cars and neither had time to get them into tip-top shape.
Top five cars for this leg:
1. Dennis Dakan
2. Mike Robison
3. Steve Coniff
4. Mark Hutchinson
5. Gary Ebbert
Leg two, day two, Denton to Fort Benton, about sixty miles. I
had to stop for water this leg. Janet continued on, although
slowly. The timers somehow missed her when she got into
town, so Janet phoned in her time! Very resourceful, Janet.
Top five cars:
1. Dennis Dakan
2. BJ Miller
3. Steve Coniff
4. Rick Carnegie
5. Mike Robison
We formed up on edge of Fort Benton to flag out to Stanford,
another leg of about sixty miles. Mike Robison was complaining
that his car had been running poorly (he was clear down to
being the fifth fastest car). We took out a spark plug and
looked into his cylinder. The valve seat ring had popped
completely out of its hole on the exhaust valve. I got a punch and
hammer and pounded it back down into its hole. I knew it
wouldn't stay as his block was cracked. Continued to be
plagued by radiator troubles, Stan Howe packed it in on this
leg. Top five cars:
1. Dennis Dakan
2. Steve Coniff
3. Ron Miller
4. Tom Carnegie
5. Mike Robison
Last leg of the day, Stanford to Lewistown. Everybody ran
fine this leg. Top five cars:
1. Steve Coniff
2. Tom Carnegie
3. Mark Hutchinson
4. Dennis Dakan
5. Gary Ebbert
Last day we formed up at the Pamida east of town and began
our mad dash to Winnett and back, about fifty miles each
way. Gary Ebbert had a little trouble on this leg. Coils I
think it was. The top five cars:
1. Dennis Dakan
2. Steve Coniff
3. Tom Carnegie
4. Mike Robison
5. Mark Hutchinson
On the way back from Winnett, we lost another T. Jim
Heaton blew a head gasket just a few miles from the finish.
Top five cars:
1. Dennis Dakan
2. Steve Coniff
3. Tom Carnegie
4. Mark Hutchinson
5. Mike Robison
After the times were compiled it was found that Dennis
Dakan had the best overall time. Dennis and Steve Coniff
were subsequently torn down. There was a good deal of
discussion on the issue of "porting" of Dennis Dakan's motor.
Dennis acknowledged that he had smoothed up his ports, but
did not know that it was illegal. A vote was put to the
drivers and Dennis's car was declared legal. Rick Carnegie
then announced that there would likely be a clarification of
this rule at the fall meeting.