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MONTANA CROSS COUNTRY ‘T’ ASSOCIATION
1004 Sioux Road Helena, MT 59602
Simon Nickol, Pres. 406-627-2402        Tony Cerovski, Sec.-Tres.  406-458-9450
cerovski.helena.mt@in-tch.com

August 24, 1999

Dear Model T Pals,

This year’s Endurance run was full of fun, weather changes, and unsolved mysteries.  We enjoyed watching and coaxing the Model T’s just as fast as they could go without breaking Montana’s new speed limit!

Attached to this letter are the 1999 Endurance Run commentary, the time summary sheets and a financial statement for the month ending of July, 1999.  But first we will introduce the Y2K Endurance Run route.

Y2K Endurance Run (40th)  At the final Drivers-Timers meeting on the last day of this year’s race, the members discussed and chose the year 2000 race routes and dates.  It will be based out of Great Falls and we  will have a special event following its conclusion.  The dates are June 19th through June 23rd, 2000. Below is a tentative break down on how it looks so far.

Saturday,  June 17  Out of State T’ers arrive in Great Falls

Sunday,    June 18     Model T inspection 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday,    June 19     Great Falls - Havre - Great Falls

Tuesday,   June 20     Great Falls v89 Valier I-90 Great Falls

Wednesday, June 21     Great Falls - Shelby for finish

Thursday,  June 22     Tour the “Going to the Sun”  Highway through the heart of Glacier Park.

The tour day is not mandatory and anyone who wishes to drive only on the tour through Glacier Park may do so, but they must pay a $10.00 membership fee and a $25.00 tour fee.  Bonnie and George Nickol might set up a picnic up at their farm East of Ledger.

The Motel reservation news, route news, and other itinerary material will be coming to you and to anyone you wish within the next 5 months.

Hopefully everybody can show up and bring a buddy to the y2K Endurance Run.  It’s going to be special.  Until then, happy trails to you.  Endurance Runners come with a legal T.

Sincerely Yours,

Tony Cerovski, S-T

The 1999 Endurance Run Report

This year we entertained 8 members in the timed event and 5 members in the tour-along. 

Two other members came with cars and one of these had a break down on Sunday before inspection.  That was Ed and Lois Ulrey, of Jamestown, California.  Something punched a hole in Ed’s oil pan in the transmission area and boy did we miss Ed in the running. 

The other one arriving but not driving was Max Danskin who wasn’t feeling perky enough to drive Sally around in his ‘26 pickup.  However next year we expect that both of these guys will be ready and raring to go.

Inspection Day, Monday June 14, 1999.

Bernard Long was laying under his 26 Roadster when I arrived at the motel on Monday.  He was pulling out bailing wire and installing cotter pins under the advisement of his good friend, Jack Tossetti.  They may have been tightening up the tie rods and the front wishbone.  Margaret, Bernard’s wife drove the T during the Run with only a few hours of instruction!  She was awarded the most courteous driver award and she drove the T wonderfully.  Good going Margaret!!

Inspection, plating and sealing the cars began around 1:30 p.m. and most things went well.  Directors Scott Stubbert and Tony Cerovski took on the chores of Inspection.  Most of the cars were ready to go, but we did spend some extra time with a few cars when it came to the headlights, taillights, brake light switches and horn wiring.  We also wonder if we plated all Endurance cars.

While Sam Nickol was trailering his T down to Missoula, he noticed something unusual about his T.  The lower curved windshield glass on his ‘26 Roadster looked very clean.  So clean in fact that he pulled the pickup over to check it out.  The bottom glass was gone.  So when Sam arrived in Missoula, President Simon Nickol called around for a automotive glass cutter at about 6:00 p.m.., found a guy in Lolo and presto, Sam had a new lower glass in his T for $25.00!  (And the meeting was started about an hour late, thanks to all who patiently waited, these things just happen.)  We inspected Sam’s T later in the evening.

Rick Bonebright and Ted Ballard were on hand to visit us.  Rick joined the Association back in the 1980’s and Ted joined this year.  We have sent them a set of rules and an application.

Endurance Run  Day 1,  Tuesday June 15, 1999

Missoula - Lookout Pass - Missoula 183 Miles 

Day 1, leg 1, Missoula - St. Regis

The Endurance Run starting order and car numbers were 1-Scott Stubbert, 2-Dave Huson, 3-Sam Nickol, 4-Tony Cerovski, 5-Nick Nicholas, 6-Simon Nickol and 7-Rick Carnegie.

Just about 10 miles away from the Polson Interchange, Sam pulled over with a dead ignition and replaced a broken brush holder in his New Day timer.  It appears that he may have lost about 20 minutes here.

About 6 miles out of St. Regis, Scott noticed water spraying through his floorboards and he pulled over to check it out.  He found a blown head gasket, so he put his brand-new two-tone orange Roadster on the trouble trailer and was hauled into St. Regis. 

When the trouble trailer arrived, we climbed onto the trailer and removed Scott’s T head.  Simon noticed that the head gasket was burned through the rear corner and that the gasket had been put on upside down.  Tony had his pride hurt a bit since he assembled the freshly rebuilt power unit for Scott. 

Rocky Rachuy, of Ontario California, and his son were the two gentleman who took the new head gasket to a shop in St. Regis for Permatexing.  Thanks Rocky, we needed that!  Rick Carnegie did the honors of torquing the head bolts while the engine warmed up. Scott promptly returned to the competition.  Thanks everyone!

Day 1, leg 2, St. Regis - Lookout Pass

We knew (via map) that the elevation was 2500 feet at St. Regis and 4700 feet at Lookout Pass.  We could tell by looking at the St. Regis River that we were going up steep grades, but the T’s ran in the 45 MPH zone (really fast).  When we crossed over the Lookout Pass bridge we realized we had a strong tailwind.

The timing records show that we were averaging 20 MPH on this leg and that reflects a malfunction occurring in the leaving time clock.  In order to keep the Run moving, we just reset that clock to zero o’clock and started.  We used a 10:00 a.m. base on the time sheets even though the true time was closer to 11:00 a.m.

Endurance Run Day 1,  Tuesday June 15, 1999

Missoula - Lookout Pass - Missoula 183 Miles 

Day 1, Leg 3, Lookout Pass - Superior

We planned to drive continuously from Lookout Pass to Superior under time but the “off” timers stopped us at St. Regis Interchange.  From St. Regis, we cranked up and motored into Superior where a grand luncheon was awaiting us.

We had made arrangements with Mary Jo Berry, of the Superior Hospital, to eat lunch with the hospital’s elderly and give all of them rides in our T’s.  Keith Painter, of Bountiful Utah, gave the most rides with his ‘17 Touring.  Sam Nickol, Scott Stubbert, Tony Cerovski, Dave Huson and maybe other drivers gave rides in their Roadsters.  This experience was warming to the hearts of some neat old timers and us. Just before we left Superior, we stopped in to visit Jody and Tom Bird at the Lively Stone curio store.  They gave us coupons for a 15% discount on the items there.  Outside of the store two mannequins were topped with our Endurance Run hats!

Day 1, leg 4, Superior - Missoula

We left Superior just before 4 p.m. with a temperature in the low 90’s and headed for Missoula.  Along the way, Tony’s exhaust pack nut came off and the Model T roared terribly.  He pulled over to access the possibility of the exhaust burning the floor boards and decided to chance the remaining 20 miles to Missoula.  He couldn’t hear a word anyone had to say!  Most of the guys and Tony’s wife think that this is normal.  Rick Carnegie put the finishing touches to the cold exhaust nut (by hand!) and the nut stayed put. 

Did you know that “Rattler” Reed Olson has a T speedster with lots of linkages on it.  I am thinking that it had a Warford, maybe six forward gears and a wolf whistle!  We are hoping that Rattler and his navigator can return next year in one of his T’s.   

At the end of day 1, Nick Nickolas had a 4-minute lead on the second place Model T (Simon) and an 8-minute lead on the third place Model T (Dave).  Nick was on a record-breaking pace, duplicating his ultra-energetics show like in the 1998 race. 

Endurance Run Day 2, Wednesday, June 16, 1999

Missoula - Port of Montana - Phillipsburg - Missoula 181 Miles 

Leg 1, day 2, Clinton - Drummond

George Nickol arrived in the morning just before we headed to Bonner.  He said he was “killing time” on Monday and Tuesday, referring to the weeds he needed to kill on his farm at Ledger.

This day tested some of us endurancely!  We met at Bonner for gas and drove out to Clinton to begin timing.  Driving on milled pavement in a T is ok with speeds of less than 45 MPH.  Anything faster and the T would start to follow the squiggly groves.  All things went will to Drummond where we pit stopped for gas.  It was a beautiful day in the making.

Day 2, leg 2, Drummond - Rocker

The lower radiator hose? sprang a leak on Margaret Longs’s T near Galen.  Tony backed up to see if she needed anything and Margaret wave him on!  What a gal!  Tom Bass and Max Danskin helped her out from the trouble trailer vehicle.

As we arrived at the Port of Montana for gas, Tony pulled in to a “chicken coup” (a truck scale house) and had his ‘26 Model T Roadster weighed.  “2000 pounds on the nose” is what the scaleman said.  Did Tony forget to check for concrete in his trunk again?

Day 2, leg 3, Rocker - Opportunity

We probably should not mention this, but Scott took an exit at Fairmont Hot Springs and lost a bit of time maneuvering through the interchange’s ramps and do loops. 

Day 2, leg 4, Opportunity - Anaconda

A short 5-minute drive under time and hungry bellies!

Day 2, leg 5, Anaconda - Phillipsburg

We ate lunch in Anaconda and changed the route for a drive through the Pintlar Scenic Area.  We started time a few miles out of Anaconda heading into cloudy skies.  The scenery was beautiful but there is a nasty twisty downhilly “hellhole” part to that road between Southern Cross and Porters Corner. 

Right at the crest of the road heading into the “hellhole” Tony had a flat tire.  Connie, Shirley, Tom and Max stopped and found out long it takes to change a wheel under time. After putting away the lifting toys he followed a UPS truck down into the “hellhole”.  Imagine this, the UPS truck was going slower through there than what Tony wanted to go!  Connie was ahead of the UPS truck and when the opportunity arrived, she pulled over and the UPS truck disappeared, leaving Tony all alone.

Time was stopped near Maxville for road construction.  I mean ROAD CONSTRUCTION!  The entire pavement was gone in places and the T’s were driven on wet boney gravel, boulders and the like.  Some of those boulders off the shoulder were bigger than the T’s we were driving!  Well maybe we didn’t drive on those boulders, but they were there.  We did not turn time back on again until Drummond.    

Day 2, leg 6, Drummond - Clinton

By this time, those of us who knew that we weren’t going to be in contention for the winner’s plaque, picked up passengers made up of spare time keepers and drivers. 

Tony had Megan Carnegie in the T and they were busy talking about the wonderful Model T’s, when they spotted Scott’s T on the shoulder of the road. 

Scott had picked up Keith Painter and near Bearmouth, Scott gave Keith the experience of a genuine quick tire change under time too.  Tony stopped to see if they needed anything and Scott gladly borrowed a star lug wrench. 

Between Clinton and Milltown, the tail end of the Endurance Runners were caught in a late afternoon thunder storm.  Lightning was striking and the cool rain turned to steam when it hit the freshly placed hot mixed pavement.  The visibility at times was maybe 100 feet and you could get no wetter showering! 

At the end of day 2, Nick Nicholas had a ten (10) minute lead on the second place Model T (Simon) and a 24-minute lead on the third place Model T (Dave).  The directors had a discussion and showed the time spreads to the drivers on Thursday morning.

Endurance Run Day 3, Thursday June 17, 1999

Bonner - Lincoln - Bonner 134 Miles 

Day 3, leg 1 Bonner to Lincoln.

The starting order for day 3 was, 1-Nick Nicholas, 2-Simon Nickol, 3-Dave Huson, 4-Rick Carnegie, 5-Tony Cerovski, 6-Sam Nickol, 7-Scott Stubbert and 8-George Nickol.

Shirley decided to relax on the timing chores and rode with Tony to Lincoln. 

Within the first 20 miles out of Bonner, Nick Nicholas pulled his T over to the side of the road and was standing next to it as we went by. 

Along the way, George hooked up with Scott and Sam hooked up with Tony.  Before Potomac we were a foursome having fun and driving in light rain. The foursome caught up with Rick just north of Potomac.  The five-some crossed the flags at Lincoln within seconds of each other.  Shirley enjoyed the exciting ride even when we drove through a 15-minute patch of cool rainy air.  What a good navigator she makes. 

When Nick Nicholas arrived in Lincoln, he said that the brush spring broke in his New Day timer.  It is estimated that Nick was out of the car for 20 minutes.

Day 3, Leg 2, Lincoln - Bonner

On the way back to Bonner, Tony’s coil box developed a broken tang similar to last year.  It wasn’t readily apparent when it first occurred so a coil swap was tried.  After driving about a mile further, the swapped coil came out and he spotted both pieces of one tang in the bottom of the coil box.  He found a sunvisor clip and placed it over the wood backing and the juice ran from the upper coil contact to the spark terminal.  He placed the coil box lid on the seat and kept coming.

The drivers assembled in a parking area North of Bonner after the last checkered flag.  Some discussion took place but a tear down vote was not conducted.  We adjourned and headed into Missoula for a picnic. 

At the picnic we thanked everyone who toured with us, namely, Margaret & Bernard Long, Rattler Olson & (Ted Ballard ?), Keith & Marie Painter, and Jack & Geneieve Tossetti.  We also gave our appreciation to the Timers and Flaggers, Connie Nicholas, Shirley Bass, Megan, Kyle & Carla Carnegie, Jim and Faith Ryffle, Ed & Lois Ulrey, Marilyn Huson, Max Danskin, Sally, Bonnie Nickol and Janet Cerovski.  Trouble trailer thank yous’ went to Tom Bass and Max Danskin.  If I have not thanked everyone, please let me know.

Special appreciation was given to Grant and Mary Lundin.  Grant was probably born in a T, and has been doing T’s for maybe 60 years.  Mary’s heart is in the running of the T’s.  Thank you Carla for bringing your parents. 

Here is the order of finish and the corresponding times:

                        183 miles   181 miles  134 miles  498 miles

Final       Name              Day 1 Time  Day 2 Time Day 3 Time Total Time

Place                         hh:mm:ss      hh:mm:ss    hh:mm:ss    hh:mm:ss

                        p*                p*          p*          p#

1st   Simon Nickol     2     04:30:23    2 03:31:23  3 02:49:18  1 10:51:04

2nd   Nick Nicolas     1     04:26:30    1 03:25:23  8 03:06:56  2 10:58:49

3rd   Dave Huson       3     04:34:28    5 03:41:28  5 02:53:28  3 11:09:24

     

4th   Rick Carnegie    5     04:48:45    6 03:42:10  6 02:56:07  4 11:27:02

5th   Sam Nickol       6     05:04:14    4 03:39:12  4 02:50:18  5 11:29:44

6th   Tony Cerovski    4     04:37:53    8 03:58:13  7 02:57:25  6 11:33:31

7th   Scott Stubbert   7     06:01:50    7 03:54:12  2 02:47:55  7 12:43:57

8th  George Nickol           no time     3 03:33:26  1 02:47:04  8 13:22:20

Tour Cars

      Max Danskin       no time

      Margaret Long    no time

      Rattler Olsen    no time

      Keith Painter    no time

      Jack Tossetti    no time

      Ed Ulrey          no time

p*=position at end of day; p#=position with total Endurance time.

Correspondence Worth Sharing:

I received a letter post marked July 19, 1999 from an anonymous someone and I would like to reiterate that person’s message and provide a response from myself as a representative of the Association.  That anonymous letter stated:

“Montana 500 Mile Endurance Run - 1999

Many participants in the 1999 Endurance Run felt your program was very poorly planned/organized.  As a help in the future, maybe the enclosed information will be beneficial.  Also better planning would no doubt increase your attendance.  We were extremely disappointed in this event.”

 

I believe that I speak for and with the concurrence of the Association’s membership as I now offer our sincere apology to the anonymous letter writer and to anyone who agrees that the above statement might represent their feelings at any time. 

I apologize to you for making changes to the meeting schedules, the eating schedules, the driving route and the like. Those changes were made “spur-of-the-moment” by Directors for the Association’s needs. 

The longtime regular participants are perhaps “quiet” or immune to these kinds of delays, which are usually related helping a fellow Model T’er who could use a spare set of good hands and the knowledge of Model T’s that comes with them.  We understand that we owe them apologies too, but they read facial expressions and respond with a head nod or a shrug and we motor on when we can.

We apologize for being errant when our actions cause a delay with the spreading the news of changes sooner than we do, but we will strive to improve in this area.  Please politely remind us of our errors, but please don’t expect everything tied to an Endurance Run events to be perfectly executed and wonderful.  Believe me, we do try.  Someday you or one of your children may ask for our hands and knowledge too, and then you might be glad that we held up the parade so that you too, could play your hand through.

Your Model T Pal in Montana,

Tony Cerovski
Sec-Tres. MCCTA