Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-04-03
Many Noted Auto Racers
Have Driven On Montana
Tracks I'm Competition

THE Montana Motorist, official publ
cation of the Montana Automobile
association has an article by the
editor, A. j.. B~reitenstein, entitled
'Recollections of the Speed Demons
of Is Years Ago"
Followers of the sport of motor car
racing in Montana a decade and more
past recall many of the thrilling in
cidents described at races in Helena,
Billings, Deer Lodge, Whitehall, Mis-
soula, Great Falls and other Montana
cities two years ago. The article fol-
lows.
"Automotive speed is eXemplified for
the most part for Montanans by the
Indianapolis speedway, Daytona Beach,
Fla, or the courses in California but
Treasure state fans have seen some
of the greatest drivers Of all time
careen around various dirt tracks of
Montana.
Auto Race Crowd
professional auto racing was first
introduced to Montana at the State
fair in 1915, following legislation
against the pari-mutuel betting system
earlier in the year. The fair officials,
in seeking a drawing card to cope with
the previous lure of the running races,
hit upon auto races as q new and novel
feature.
Tommy Milton Seen
among drivers who appeared that
year were some of the most famous.
Tommy Milton, who later twice won
the 500-mile international classic at
Indianapolis, vas at Helena then.
Tommy also held the worlds straight
away record at Daytona Beach at one
time with a Duesenberg. Although re-
tired from active competition, Milton
is still interested in racing.
Louis LeCocq, who several years
after his competition at the capital
city, met a tragic death at Indian
apolis, also competed at Helena, as
did the popular Texan, George Clark,
Al S%treigel, Irving Hoffman and
others.
But the benzine hero of 1915 was
the famous Louis Disbrow, whose
dirt track driving skill has rarely, II
ever, been equalled. DisbroW had a
close popularity contender that year
in Eddie Hearne, for years a leading
contender at Indianapolis and other
noted speedway contests. The races
of Disbrow and Hearne will be re-
membered by many Montanans. Both
these veterans are still doing WE'LL
Disbrow, at the age of SO, was racing
in 1926.
incidentally, the Thursday auto
race crowd at Helena in 1915 is still
on the record books as the largest
one-day paid attendance in the history
of the State fair, although the weeks
attendance in 1914 stands as the great
est of all.
I'm 1916 such speed luminaries as
Fred Horey, wild Bill Endicott, Joe
Bianci and that petite girl driver, 81
frieda Mais, were included in the entry
list. Thursday of that week George
Clark set a worlds record for Is miles
on the Helena track and Saturday the
daring Texan crashed through tho
fence, carrying with him a we'll known
Montana newspaper man, who u9'
riding as a mechanic to get q thrill.
Ray Lampkin entered the limel 4h'
in 1917 at Helena and with his SIN
Ray and Bitten Benz gave the crowds
plenty Of speed.
Racing went into a lull during wal
years and it was not until 1920 that
it came back at the State fair anC
also was a part of the Midland En-
pire fair at Billings.
Larry Stone was in his heyday thel
with his fleet Duesenberg, but Jimmy
Reynolds of Boulder with his two Hjd-
son added local color to races al Hell
ena and Billings. Jimmy Costa ant
Ray Roundtree, who raced at Helena
that year, were later killed in an air.
plane crash at Macon, Ga.
Thursday of State fair week INK
worst crash of the fairs auto race Dis
tory occurred. Oscar 'Swede' Amer
son, Jimmy Reynolds, Cleo Sarles, Lar.
ry Stone and a Reynolds driver nance
johnson all figured in a pile-up on th'
back stretch which produced seyera
smashed autos but no serious injuries
Every car on the track but Paul ClancFi
and Roundtree's was damaged and ever
R%oundtree's riding mechanic was in.
jured by a Slight brush against tn
wreckage.
"Montana's first professional aut'
racing on half-mile tracks was at TIN
Midland Empire fair at Billing il
1920. Barney Oldfield had driven u
Montana half-mile tracks previously il
exhibitions but the first compctitiv
races on a four furlong course wer'
between such drivers as Larry Stone
Paul Clancy, Cleo Sarles, Jim Reynold
OF Boulder and Antonio Bertogho 0
Whitehall. Billings had a well banket
course n auto races proved popular
In 1921 Paul Clancy, Ben Gotof
and Jack Murray headed a field 0
drivers who competed at Helena, Will
IN 1922 Jack Lee of Fargo, N. D., va
the outstanding racer.
"Montana's biggest auto race yea
was In 1924, when speed events wer
held at Deer Lodge, Billings, White
hall, Helena and Missoula. Deer Lodge
under he auspices of the Kiwanis clut