The granddaddy of car clubs in Montana is ready to celebrate its 65th year in operation.

The very dedicated members of Libby’s Igniters Car Club, also one of the 10th oldest in the country, is set to host another of its beloved shows this weekend and everyone is invited.

Igniters members Grace Rantala and Darald Kelley took some time out of their busy schedules preparing for the show Tuesday to talk to The Western News about the growth of the event.

“We had all kinds of fundraisers,” Rantala said. “We held dances at the Moose Club every Saturday, we cut and sold firewood and we also did many community projects for the benefit of the local folks.”

Some of those projects included car safety checks and in the early 1960s they began installing seat belts.

The Igniters Car Club was formed in 1961 at a local coffee shop by a group of young men that regularly met to engage in intellectual and philosophical debates and exchange opinions on current issues affecting their hometown, Libby, Montana.

The first Igniters Car Club meeting, which was held on Oct. 22, 1961, at Phil Barr’s Garage, was attended by a group of young car enthusiasts including Mike Behling, Dave Swenson, Ken Preston, Bob Myrang, Ken Beckstrom, Rich Johnson, Mike Plaas and Ivan Troyer. 

Preston and Troyer are two of the charter members that are still alive.

The historical minutes of the meeting reflected the key points that required immediate decision making such as charging a $5 initiation fee for each new member, acquiring a garage to work on projects and hold regular meetings, and gaining a financial edge by restoring automobiles and other fundraising efforts.

In 1962, the club held its first community wide event. The small group installed car seat belts for a mere $10 and offered vehicle safety inspections to interested bystanders.

In 1981, the club held its first first rod run as part of Libby Logger Days. This event, called The Igniters Timber Run, unintentionally attracted several young athletes, dressed in full running gear, prepared to compete in a long distance run. 

The rod run saw a dozen or so cars.

As a result, the name of the event was changed to Igniters′ Hot August Nights. However, in the late 1990s, a threat of a lawsuit by The Hot August Nights organization in Reno, Nevada prompted yet another name change because of alleged trademark infringement. The car show became what is known as today as Ignite the Nites.

As public awareness grew about the club, so did its respect and interest - the two main goals of this ambitious group. In an attempt to live up to the community’s expectations, different approaches were explored to meet the stringent standards of the club. For example, each member was required to carry gasoline, water and oil in his vehicle at all times to generously and graciously provide roadside assistance. Each rescue effort was satisfied once the assisted person received his or her courtesy card. In summary, the card read “If you have anything against hot rodders, remember it was one of them who assisted you today.”

Another standard adhered to was in the form of a fine being applied to any traffic ticket received by a club member while on the road. Basically, the member was charged face value of the initial violation, essentially doubling the fee. The penalty was put in line with the club attempting to present a positive image to the community.

By 1996, the show moved to “The Gut” on Mineral Avenue and featured 72 vehicles.

“Gary and I, the Teskes (Brent and Dee), as it grew, put a lot of time in securing permissions to hold the event on Mineral Avenue,” Rantala said. “(Sheriff) Darren Short has a paint booth we can use when we’re showing newer members how to paint their vehicle.”

The club’s first garage was located at 313 California Ave. next to the American Legion Hall. The members held regular sock hops at the local Moose Hall to raise funds to absorb the cost of the rent. Eventually, the club was able to build a 40 X 60 foot shop on a piece of land donated by a fellow community member George Enders. This shop, located at 170 Hogan Drive, provided a permanent home to the Igniters Car Club.

The first few public car shows were modest in size and were held in various parking lots throughout the community with the first one located at the renowned Bowman’s Office Supply. 

The car show celebration, consisting of a few cars belonging to members, was complimented by a small barbecue with hot dogs, hamburgers, soda and a handful of out of town guests.

In 2011, the Igniters celebrated 50 years as a club with a record number of 454 antique, classic and custom cars rolling in for the annual car show!

The club’s community connection and benevolence continues to holding dinners during Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as buying an electric vehicle for a local disabled man.

“We’ve also bought wheelchairs for folks that needed them, held mini car shows for older members who couldn’t get out,” Rantala said. “We’ve also had clinics where folks come in and instruct how to paint and work on their cars.” 

They also perform, twice a year, a two-mile Adopt-a-Highway litter pickup on Farm to Market Road.

The 2026 show will feature three new awards, including youth under 18, member’s choice and Petina class.

Kelley and Rantala both talked about the Igniters board.

“We’re lucky to have such a fantastic board of directors,” Kelley said. “There is a lot of discussion about what we’re doing and the direction of the club. But we never stop having fun and enjoy the pride in what we build.”

The club has about 126 members, including 14 lifetime. They are George Wood, Mike Wagner and Linda Wagner, Ivan Troyer and Diane Troyer, Allen Toal, Tim Simuradek, Fred Schmauk, Philippe Reyns, Aggie Kemp, Wilbur Hartle and Del Hartle, Jack Carabin and Al Beauchene.

While members are primarily from Lincoln County, there are two from Canada as well as from Idaho, Washington, Arizona, Nebraska, Utah and California.

The club also has a loyal and generous group of nearly 190 sponsors.

“Without them, Ignite the Nites doesn’t happen,” Rantala said.

She said the club is trying to build its membership with younger members.

“We know the challenges young people face with the cost of living and the costs of used vehicles, but anyone is welcome and we believe they’ll enjoy the camaraderie and ability to learn about restoring old cars to new glory,” Rantala said.

    Igniters Car Club members Darald Kelley and Grace Rantala show off Kelley's 1958 Chevy Impala Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026 at club headquarters. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

      

    The pinup contest was for all ages Saturday, Aug. 16, at the 2025 Ignite the Nites car show. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

    Rat Rod Richardson, of Athol, Idaho, saw his 1938 Hudson Terraplane win the Neater than Sh*t Award at the 2025 Ignite the Nites car show Saturday, Aug. 16. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

      

    A 1930 Ford Tudor drew plenty of attention Saturday, Aug. 16, at the 2025 Ignite the Nites car show. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

    John Hagan's three Fords included two 1930 Model A Coupes and a 2-door Sedan. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)