American racing driver (1933–2019)
Monte Shelton (1933 – June 16, 2019) was an American racing driver from Portland, Oregon .
Early life
He was born in Missouri before his family moved to Vanport, Oregon , in 1943, where his father worked in a shipyard.[ 1] He later joined the United States Coast Guard , serving on the USCGC Bluebell before going to Portland State College to work towards a degree in elementary education before he eventually became interested in automobiles.[ 1]
Racing career
Shelton began racing in the early 1960s, with his career gaining traction a few years later when he began competing in the United States Road Racing Championship . Shelton also became regular competitor in Can-Am from 1966 to 1974, scoring points only in the 1974 season driving a McLaren M8F . Shelton also started several Trans-Am races between 1976 and 1987, where he took 5 race victories driving a variety of different Porsches . In sports car racing, he participated in the 24 Hours of Daytona , with a best finish of 3rd in the 1979, edition of the race with co-drivers Bruce Canepa and Rick Mears . He also participated many other IMSA Camel GT races, including the 12 Hours of Sebring . Included in his sports car career were two class victories in the Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International .[ 2] Outside of sportscars, Shelton had a brief single-seater career driving in Formula 5000 cars, racing a Gurney Eagle during the 1971 SCCA L&M Continental 5000 Championship .[ 3] In amateur racing, Shelton participated regularly in Portland's Rose Cup races, winning seven times over five decades. He also served as a co-founder of SCCA 's Oregon Region and held a competition license with the organization for over 60 years.[ 4] On October 14, 2004, he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame .[ 5] In 2017, he was inducted into the Northwest Motorsports Hall of Fame. [ 6]
Personal life
Outside of racing, Shelton owned a collector car dealership called "Monte's Motors", where he specialized in British automobiles. Shelton died June 16, 2019, from complications from pancreatic cancer .[ 1]
Racing results
24 Hours of Daytona
12 Hours of Sebring
Year
Team
Co-Drivers
Car
Class
Laps
1997
Jorge Trejos
Jeff Gamroth Tim Ralston
Porsche 993
GTS-3
247
19th
6th
References
^ a b c Rogoway, Mike (June 18, 2019). "Champion Portland auto racer Monte Shelton dies at 85" . Oregonlive.com . Oregon Live, LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2019 .
^ O'Neill, Sean (November 5, 2018). "Monte Shelton–Auto Racing" . oregonsportshall.org . Retrieved June 18, 2019 .
^ Rudow, Martin (July 12, 2016). "Monte Shelton: Concours d'Elegance honoree for 2016" . Pamplinmedia.com . Pamplin Media Group . Retrieved June 18, 2019 .
^ Zurschmeide, Jeffery (June 17, 2019). "Monte Shelton, 1933-2019" . Racer.com . Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. Retrieved June 18, 2019 .
^ Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum-Category:Auto Racing
^ Zurschmeide, Jeffery (March 21, 2017). "Northwest motorsports legends honored at World of Speed" . Pamplinmedia.com . Pamplin Media Group . Retrieved June 18, 2019 .