2018 Fall Meeting
Montana Cross Country Model T Association Annual Meeting October 14, 2018.
St. Regis Community Center, St Regis, Montana 11:00 a.m. MST
Present: Tony Cerovski, Russell Hana, Chris Hana [guest], Maggie Hansen [guest], Janice Hutchinson, Mark Hutchinson, Sharon Mullins [guest], Martha [guest], Ralph Brevik, Montana Barnard, Bill Mullins, Tom Carnegie, Brook Johnson, Rose Hodges, Charles Hodges, Nan Robison, Char Bonebright [guest], Rick Bonebright, Mike Stormo, Rick Carnegie, Mike Cuffe, Matt Hansen, Doug Langel and Janet Cerovski. Denley Loge arrived near the end as a guest.
Meeting Called to Order. President Bill Mullins called the meeting to order at 11:01 am. Janet volunteered to record the meeting minutes.
2017 Meeting Minutes. Russell made the motion to accept the minutes as printed in the newsletter. Tony second. Motion passed.
President Nomination. Bill opened nominations for the President position. Mike S nominated Matt Hansen. Tom second. Tom motioned that nominations be closed and we cast a unanimous ballot. Someone seconded the motion. Motion passed. Matt Hansen is the 2019-2020 President and a director until Fall 2021. Matt took control of the meeting.
The members, gave a big thank you to Bill Mullins for his years as president. He thanked the club membership for all their support and help.
Nominations for Vice-President. Tony nominated Rick Bonebright. Tom second. Nan nominated Mike Robison. Russell second. Rick C moved to close nominations. Vote was taken by paper ballot. Rick Bonebright was elected Vice-President for the 2019-2020 years and will be a director through Fall of 2021.
Nomination for Treasurer. Janet Cerovski was nominated as Treasurer. Nominations closed. Motion to elect Janet by unanimous ballot. Motion passed. Janet will be Treasurer for the 2019-2020 years and will be a director through Fall of 2021.
Nomination for the one remaining Director. Matt opened nomination for the one director position open. Brandon Langel, Garrett Green and Mike Robison were nominated. Rick C motion that nominations cease. Vote was taken by paper ballot. Mike Robison was elected as the new director, term beginning in 2019 serving through Fall of 2021.
Introduction of People Present. – Each person above stated their name and hometown.
Treasurer’s Report. Janet presented the treasurer report for 2018 to date. Starting balance was $4,479.90, profit to date is $439.35 with the ending balance at $4,919.25. Report was passed around to review. Treasurers report was accepted as presented.
New Business: Matt called for new rules. Matt announced there are three new rule topics:
1. Tire size
2. Spark plugs
3. Gasoline source.
He asked if there are other topics to add to the list. None being suggested Matt started with the spark plug topic.
Spark Plug Adaptors. Tom C said on two or three cars, the directors had the drivers pull out their spark plug adaptors and screw in ½” pipe threaded spark plugs. Tom is proposing a new rule that states using ½” un-adaptor plugs. Much discussion followed. Rick B asked if using adaptors and 14 mm sparkplugs were an advantage. Tom thinks there is a bigger challenge to running ½” pipe thread plugs. Agreed there is no advantage to the 14mm plugs, but they do come in a variety of heat ranges. Tom C made a motion that ½” NPT spark plugs required. Use of spark plug adapters not allowed. Rick C second. Mike Cuffe called for question. Hand vote was taken. Motion passed. All cars must use ½” NPT spark plugs. 14mm spark plugs and or adaptors not allowed.
Use of Pump Gas Clarification. Matt opened discussion on fuel source. Concerns that at least 2 drivers carried and used their own hauled gas instead of filling up from gas station pumps along the race route. Matt asked to clean up this issue because most drivers thought hauled gas was something like un-sportsman like. Tom discussed fuel detection meters, fuel tanker truck, and the like. Rick B said why not state use of carried gas cans is not permitted. Tony C read current Rule B1 last line, “Cars must use straight automotive pump gas as fuel during the race time, starting with inspection and continuing until the end of the race.” Discussion about all T’s filling up at the first gas station in the designated town. Not all comfortable with that as there may be more than one station in town, one station can get really crowded, and the other station may carry different grades of gasoline. Matt re-read the current rule. More discussion by many. Janet mentioned the importance of supporting the town stations. Bill said he got bad gas from a station in Dillon. Most feel it was an issue at the race, but don’t want a new rule. Rick C says “sheep happens”. Rick B motioned to leave the rule as written. Motioned passed. All cars to fill up from local gas stations at each designated stop.
Tire Size. Matt opened discussion on tire size. Matt mentioned he tried motorcycle tires last year and felt it had no advantage and will not use them again. Discussion about tires that fit a 21” rim.
Rick B asked “Didn’t the rules state at one time that 4.40-4.50 tires were to be used on 21” rims?” Tom stated that 440/450 or 475/500 work fine. They are a perfectly normal tire. Rick C made a motion that radial tires not allowed. Rick B second. Motion passed. Tony stated Ford’s 21” wire wheel was designed for the 440/450 x 21 tire size. To use a wider tire or narrower tire could be a safety issue.
Rush Roller. Mike S asked what the people thought about allowing the use of a “Rush roller” in an original Ford type roller cap. Discussion brought up that they have been used in the past. Matt asked if it was available to everyone and was told yes. Mike S found his at a swap meet. After discussion, Rick B made a motion to allow Rush rollers (in an original Ford factory type roller cap). Tom second. Motion passed. Someone said Rush did not build a timer, just the roller.
Rush Roller photos provided to show an example of the one Stormo passed around at the meeting.
Domain Name. Tom said the Montana 500 domain names are up for 10-year renewal. This includes Montana500.com and Montana500.org. Tom stated he would like someone else to be the webmaster. Dwight Patten was contacted by phone and agreed to be webmaster. Later in the meeting, it was decided that Dwight would be co-webmaster with Tom C and Matt H. After much discussion, Mike S said, I move that we leave everything alone, let Tom renew it (Montana500.com and Montana500.org) just the way it is. If he (Tom) wants to give Dwight full use, he’s in charge, then so be it. It was second by several. Motion passed. After some further discussion a question was asked if Tom and Dwight are now co-webmasters, the answer was yes. The above motion was amended to Tom and Dwight are Co-Webmasters, and passed. The replacement motion was to let Tom renew the Montana500.com and Montana500.org domain names. The co-webmasters will be Dwight and Tom. Motion passed.
Host for Domain Name. Tom C said the hosting for the Montana500 domain names has been sponsored for the last x number of years by the Antique Auto Ranch. Cost has been about $12.00 per month.
Facebook Page. Matt announced that there is a Montana500 Facebook page and currently Mike R, Tom C, and Matt H are Facebook co-webmasters. If interested in adding to the Facebook page or being an additional webmaster for Facebook let Matt know. A discussion followed.
2019 Race Data. Nan made a motion that the 2019 race date to start the third Sunday of June with inspection on Sunday, June 16 and ending on Wednesday, June 19. Possible tour day Thursday, June 20. Tony second. Motioned passed. Race towns nominated were Deer Lodge, Lewistown, Glendive, Billings, Miles City and Columbus. Voting narrowed the decision to Deer Lodge and Columbus. Columbus was voted as the host town for the 2019 Endurance Run.
Tour Class Viewpoint. Charles Hodges spoke of his first-time participant experience with his tour car. Charles said he had a wonderful time at the 2018 event. He said he is proud of his Model T and his was probably the most original Model T there. He did not like all the rain or going out last in tour class. He prefers tour cars go out ahead of the race cars. Rose Hodges said it would be better if tour cars got to the gas station first and left town first. Charley said on the last day he went out first and every timed car passed his tour car when on Interstate 15, and he liked seeing everybody that day. Mike C said slower cars out first does not matter much when on the interstate. Tom said cars in the tour class usually move up to the race class the following year, and slow cars can be a hazard to faster cars on narrow hilly roads. Rick B said he would like to see everybody there, touring class or racers, draw for position. Discussion that timed cars will draft off faster speedster cars and some tour cars will hold up the race. Matt suggested starting the tour cars out 1 hour ahead. Rick C suggested two hours early. The White Sulphur Springs tour cars had a different route. It was decided that tour car positions will be determined at the race. Discussion ended.
State Representative from St. Regis, Montana. Mike Cuffe introduced Denley Loge, State Representative from House District 14, St. Regis, Montana. Denley welcomed us to St. Regis and said enjoy the area and food.
Matt adjourned the meeting at 12:40 p.m.
Respectively submitted,
Janet Cerovski, substitute Secretary
Please Note the following sources of Montana 500 information:
The Antique Auto Ranch website data is current to about 2015, and it could be updated.
http://www.antiqueautoranch.com/montana500/
Try this website if you need to review all known and current meeting minutes, newsletters, race results, rules, and photos.
https://themontana500.wordpress.com/
On Facebook, try this for video feeds and live updates.
https://www.facebook.com/Montanafivehundred/
These are the viewable websites for the MCCTA-Montana 500 currently. All have merit.