While Gene Henderson’s racing background started with track events, the 2012 SCCA Hall of Fame inductee is perhaps best remembered for his rally involvement. He was a four-time winner of the Press-On Regardless Rally, and a 45-year member of the Club.
He ran the Shell 4000 Canadian Rally six times. In 1969, he commanded a five-car rally team of stock Ford Mach 1 Mustangs to run the National TSD Rally schedule and took the Team Prize for his efforts.
Gene’s greatest effort would be competing and winning the 1972 Press-On Regardless Rally with navigator Ken Pogue. This was an FIA World-Championship Event. His sponsor was American Motors, and he won the event in a Jeep Wagoner called “Moby Dick,” which was an astounding accomplishment against the European teams with some of their small, light, rally cars. That certainly showed the way for the future of Pro Rallying, and forest rallying with four-wheel drive.
After retiring from professional racing, he stayed active at high-level TSD events like One-Lap of America and Alaskan events, the Rally of the Lost Patrol, the Al-Can 5000, and National/Regional TSD events around the country.
Gene passed away in 2005, but in this recently uncovered news footage he shares some thoughts about why he and so many others stay involved in SCCA activities. And while the SCCA no longer conducts stage rally events, the spirit lives on in Road Rally and RallyCross activities held around the country.