Category: History

1965 History

1965 July 7-9th

President: Bill Walters
Vice President: John Pope
Secretary-Treasurer: June Gensemer

Directors:
John Foos
Ray Habel
Bud Peters
Dick Schuler
Raymond Warhank

Great Falls to Shelby to Cutbank to Del Bonita Canada to Lethbridge to Medicine Hat to Wild Horse back to Medicine Hat because of bad roads. Crossed the border at Willow Creek Then to Havre to Great Falls.
Winner: John Pope
I have no pictures for this year. Please e-mail me if you do. Thanx!

1964 History

1964 July 1st-3rd

President: Ray Habel
Vice President: Bill Walters
Secretary-Treasurer: Mavel Rector

Directors:
Le Roy Schelly
Ed Towe
Joe Walsh
Raymond Warhank
Russ Gensemer
John Foos Jr.

Baker to Miles City to Laurel to Red Lodge to Absarokee to Columbus to Bozeman to Helena. 535 Miles
Winner: John Frick

1964 Event Pictures

Picture from True Magazine, April 1965
Bill Walters
Rich Armstrong
Billings Gazette
Billings Gazette
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
John Foos and Ken Cook
John Foos
John Foos
Montana Citizen – June 1971
Ken Cook’s number
Newspaper article


Link to Baker newspaper article

1963 History

1963 July 8-10th

President: Ken Cook
Vice President: Ray Habel
Secretary: Marian Cook

Directors: Bill Walters
Joe Walsh
Mearle Sears
Ed Towe
Claude Sims
Bob Pollard
Le Roy Schelly

Bozeman – Quake Lake – Helena – Shelby – Malta – Lewistown – 779 Miles
Winner: Frank Schuler

1963 Event Pictures

 Dave Ratzburg and Bud Peters (in car) 
Fred Upshaw’s car Bob Hood driving. 
Lewis Rector
 Frank Hansard and Walt Mangold
 Ed Towe
Car number 7. Fred Upshaw.
Car number 7. Fred Upshaw.  Bob Hood in car.
Number 9. John Foos
John Foos c. 1963
Car number 22, Merle Sears. Car number 17, Doug Langel and Gene Hansard.  Car number 7, Fred Upshaw.
Car number 15, Russ Gensemer.  Car number 13, C.B. Halseth and Glenn Johnson.  Car number 16, Dick Schuler.
Car number 19, Raymond Warhank.  Car number 8, Ken Cook.  Car number 14, Bill Walters. Car number 11, Frank Hansard and Walt Mangold. Car number 20, Tom Fellows.
Car number 21, Ed Towe.  Car number 15, Russ Gensemer.  Car Number 16, Dick Schuler.  Car number 20, Tom Fellows.  Car number 11, Frank Hansard and Walt Mangold. 
Car number 2, George “Satch” Freswick.  Car number 18, Lawrence and John Pope.  Car number 19, Raymond Warhank.
 Car number 5. Le Roy Schelly.
Car number 5. Le Roy Schelly. Car number 9. John Foos.  No number visible in center of picture. Fred Upshaw.
 Car number 1. Ray Habel
 Car number 6, Bob Braun.  Car number 7, Fred Upshaw. Car number 21, Ed Towe. Car number 15, Russ Gensemer. Car number 16, Dick Schuler.  Car number 20, Tom Fellows.  Car number 11, Frank Hansard and Walt Mangold.

Please e-mail me if you have pictures for this year. Thanx!

1963 Final Timing Sheet

1962 History

1962 Aug. 28-30th

Acting chairman: Ed Towe

East Glacier to Helena to White Sulphur Springs to Circle.

Day one: East Glacier to Choteau to Helena
Day two: Helena to White Sulphur Springs to Roundup
Day Three: Roundup to Winnett to Jordan to Circle
Total advertised mileage 590
Winner: Leroy Schelly

Number 3. Hi-line Car Club. Behind them, number 2. Fred Upshaw
Number 3. Hi-line Car Club. Behind them, number 2. Fred Upshaw
Hi-line Car Club, Rudyard, Montana.

A meeting was held Aug. 30th 1962 for the purpose of organizing a cross-country T club.

Officers and directors were elected as follows:

President: Ken Cook
Secretary: Marian Cook

Directors:
Bill Walters
Mearle Sears
Ed Towe
Claude Sims
Bob Pollard
Le Roy Schelly

1962 Newspaper Articles

Newpaper Articles
Newspaper article one:

Newspaper article two:

Newspaper article three:

Newspaper article four:

Newspaper article five:

The Helena Independent Record 8-27-62


Newspaper article seven: The Helena Independent Record 8-29-62, front page


Newspaper article eight: The Helena Independent Record 8-29-62, page 5

1961 History

1961 Sept. 13-16th
Acting Chairman: Ed Towe
Missoula to Fairview traveling Highway 20 (now 200) the entire way.
Sept. 16th. Missoula to Lincoln to Great Falls
Sept. 17th. Great Falls to Stanford to Lewistown
Sept. 18th. Lewistown to Jordan to Circle
Sept. 19th. Circle to Fairview
Advertised mileage 575 or 552. Actual mileage (based on trip planner) 540 miles.
Winner: Evan Lingle.

1961 Newspaper Articles

1961 Poster for the Race

Letter from Ford Motor Co.

Letter from H. O. Bell, Missoula

Aug. 27th, 1961 Daily Missoulian Article

 

Sept. 10th, Billings Gazette Article

Sept. 10th, Great Falls Tribune Article page one

Sept. 10th, Great Falls Tribune Article page two

Sept. 10th, Great Falls Tribune Article two

Sept. 13th, 1961 Great Falls Tribune Article

Sept. 14th, 1961 Great Falls Tribune Article

Sept. 13th, 1961 Missoulian Article

Sept 22th,1961 Circle Banner Article
Sept 22th, 1961 Circle Banner Article
Sept. 22th, 1961 Circle Banner Article
Unknown Newspaper Article

Fred Upshaw talks about the 1961 run.

The late Fred Upshaw was known as a great story teller. Here in his own words and voice is a description of the first Montana 500. Being a story teller, there are a few historical inaccuracies in his recollection. Since this web site is for the purpose of history, I will correct some of those errors below. This is not to take anything away from Fred’s story, he still has a great style in my book.

  • The run was 540 miles, not 720.
  • Fred says that he had a 15 roadster. The flubber car, which Fred drove was a 15 touring car.
  • Fred says he drew 23 and Joe drew 22. Fred drew 13 and Joe drew 3.
  • It’s about 80 miles from Missoula to Lincoln. Rogers Pass is between Lincoln and Great Falls.
  • Kristy Towe flipped her Dad’s trailer, but they didn’t leave it in the ditch. The accident happened on the third day.
  • There were rules on this race, although they may not have been too well enforced.
  • The winner was Evan Lingle.
  • Circle was the last night, but it was the 4th night not 3rd. 3rd night was Lewistown.
  • It’s about 85 miles from Circle to Fairview.

If you have any pictures for this year, Please e-mail me. Thanx!