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EUREKA, MT.--Young Mike Robison continues the family tradition with a top finish in the Montana 500 held here
this week, and his mother Nana took second with Uncle Tom Carnegie third and Uncle Rick Carnegie fourth. Garrett Green, Orange, Ca., and no relation to the first four claimed fifth place.
The final 65 mile leg of the run turned into a 100 mile leisure tour to Whitefish, Mt., due to unexpected road construction on Highway 93. Drivers opted to halt the Endurance Run at that point and use
Tuesday's results as the final since there were no break downs and the same standings were holding up at the time road construction was encountered.
Most of the drivers were involved with adjustments,
repairs and part replacements on cars in the parking lot of Ksanka Inn until 2 am Wednesday, and all trophy cars started off Wednesday except for Doug Langell, who encountered serious engine trouble near the end of
Tuesday's run. Langell was the winner in 2003.
Mike's official time for the 435 miles was 8:42:02, for an average speed of 50 mph, and his mother was two and a half minutes behind for
the full distance. Uncle-brother Tom was less than a half minute behind Nan and Uncle-brother Rick was some 11 minutes behind Mike. Green was about 20 minutes behind Mike.
Mike is a college
business student and mechanic at Uncle Tom's Antique Auto Ranch, and a very personable young man and excellent driver. He spent much of his time at rest breaks working on Model Ts driven by others. Mike
drives a 1924 Model T Roadster, with a strong engine he rebuilt this past winter.
His mother Nan in the yellow 1925 Roadster named Tweetybird was the 2004 poster girl thanks to Interbel Telephone
Coop and Matt Rumble at Northwest Digital Design provided colorful posters and eight foot long banners to promote the Montana 500. Nan began her career years ago as part of the pit crew for her brothers when
they began racing, and she can tear down and engine and rebuild it with the best. An animal lover, she is employed as a veterinarian"s assistant at a Spokane clinic.
Tom
Carnegie drove a 1927 Roadster to third place in the car's eighth Montana 500 run. He won in 2002 and also won in 1977 with Tweetybird. Rick Carnegie, a machinist by trade, drives a 1925 Roadster and is
typically a high finisher. Garrett Green, who rated the 2004 as a high 10 on a scale of 1 to 10, drove a dark green touring car, which has been called "Green's T from Orange." He is an air
conditioning repair man.
As a side note, Nan's husband Dave, although not an official driver this year, travelled the entire route as a driving coach for Molly Cuffe, S. Lake Tahoe, Ca., who
piloted a l923 Model T pickup. Molly is the daughter of Eureka Chamber host chairmen Mike and JoAn Cuffe, and it was a great Father's Day dgift to have her return home for the 500. Meanwhile, Mike Robison says
he taught his dad everything he knows about a Model T and Nan says she taught Mike everything he knows about a Model T so Dave grins and says Molly got everything third hand. But she is now a solid Model
T driver and plans to return for next year's event.
Most of the group is planning a leisurely tour of Libby Dam and pontoon boat rides on Lake Koocanusa courtesy of Dan Goff, Darryl Handy and
Andre Hofstee as the relaxing conclusion to the event.
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