Chuck Ferree

Inducted into the NWSCRA Hall of Fame in 2007

Biography

 

Chuck started racing in 1976 after helping Rich Reidinger get his car ready for the first race of the season. Rich traded Chuck a 1960 Mercury for his help and they had that car race ready by the second week. Chuck won after only his third weekend of racing but on the way home his excitement was extinguished when a drunk driver hit him and totalled his race car and pickup. But Chuck had already been bitten by the race bug and was not going to let a little thing like that keep him down. After 3 weeks of turning a 1956 Desoto into a race car, he was back on the track doing what he loved most - racing.

Chuck Ferree had a lot of success on the racetrack. In 1980 he ran in the street stock class and was named "rookie of the year". He collected claimer class season championships in '78, '79, '84, '85 & '86. He had fast times for the season in '84 & '85 and was voted claimer class "Sportsman of the year" by his peers in 1985. In 1986 he was named the NWMSCRA Sportsman of the Year and got to keep the traveling trophy for that year. Chuck also served as NWMSCRA president, was a technical advisor and served on the board of directors for many years. From 1987 till 2004 he continued to race and win some races but enjoyed competeing, having fun and making new friends above all.

Above all his racing accomplishments Chuck was known most for his unselfish approach to stock car racing. While many others would closely guard any ideas about making their cars fast, Chuck Ferree freely shared any information he had. He loved nothing better than helping a newcomer out by helping to make him competetive. He used to tell them "when you beat me, your on your own!"

John Krause remembers another example of Chucks wisdom: "There isnt anything so worn out or broke that it cant be fixed".

Chuck Ferree passed away in May, 2007 but he and Don Aadsen will be immortalized forever in the NW Montana Stock Car Racing Association Hall of Fame.