Chicagoland MG Club: Driveline

July 2017

New Directions
Monthly Column of Driving Events

With the results of the June events, including the Highland Games, the interim standings for the Moss Motors Trophy are as follows. With a first place in the Land’s End Rally, parky and Jody overtook the number 1 position with 15 points, followed by Dean & Kerry Hickenloope with 14 points and Bill Kalafut & Jean Heasley with 12.5 points. But, Jim & Lois Evans, Victor & Penny L’Heureux, Ric & Nancy Maitzen, Steve & Liz Gorr, and Phil & Sandy Wydra are all within striking distance for a top-three spot. And there are plenty of events scheduled for July, August, and September for the drivers/teams that I didn’t mention here to still make their way in the top rankings. Hopefully we’ll see no further autocross cancellations so that we can publish the standings for the Victoria British Trophy as well.

In my previous column I highlighted the July events but I still want to request one more time that you RSVP for the Mid-Summer MG Party, Ray’s Morris and MG Picnic, and the 41/51 Tour. Details are in the invitations in this issue.

When you are making your plans forth Month of August, please consider including these events. On Sunday, August 6th, we’ll be at Peds in the Weeds again. Although this is not a formal points-and-dash-plaques club event, I hope that you consider participating this year. I am looking for two or three MGs that the pediatric cancer patients of Advocate Children’s Hospital and their families haven’t seen and rode in before.

Thursday, August 10th is the Westmont Cruisin’ Night. Not your regular cruse night but a large local neighborhood festival in Westmont’s closed downtown city block. Eventmasters Bill Kalafut & Jean Heasley arrange for dedicated MG show-parking, a walking rally with prizes and championship points, and a catered dinner.

Carl Vogel will be holding another Tally Ho Rally on August 20th. This is always a unique rally, with challenging questions through the Northwest suburbs around Barrington, IL. It is always surprising how many small, hilly, winding, and tree-lined roads Carl and Laurel are able find and include in the Tally Ho route.

And the Vintage Club will have its President’s Picnic on Saturday, August 26th. I don’t know the details yet, but there is another newsletter before the events, so please watch this space.

As always, I love to hear from you with any questions, suggestion, or comments. Please drop me a line at reinoutvogt@gmail.com or 847-342-9804 with suggestions or questions.

"The more your drive, the more you smile"

-- Reinout Vogt

DID – U – KNOW
by Facia Nearside

In 1905 businessman Carl Fisher observed Europe was well ahead of the United States in automobile design and craftsmanship. He reasoned that a better means of testing vehicles would increase the quality of the final product. His lifelong interest in racing resulted in the decision to build a racetrack as the means to these ends as well as to let the public in on the action. Fisher felt that spectators did not get their money’s worth watching cars speed down a straight road and disappear into the distance. After visiting Brooklands, Weybridge near London, he concluded a 3-5-mile circular track with 100-foot-wide surfaces and smooth banked turns would be the best design. Along with two associates he purchased 328 acres of farmland and set about construction in 1909. Before the track was even finished, the first event held was a helium gas filled balloon race. 40,000 spectators turned out to see nine balloons lift off and race for distance. The winner landed in Alabama after almost 30 hours!

Two months later the track was ready and the first motorsport event was held, motorcycles races. The weekend of racing plans was cut short after the seventh race however, due to deterioration of the crushed gravel track surface. The next week 15 teams competed in the first automobile races. Louis Chevrolet was temporarily blinded when a rock smashed his goggles, then three crashes killed five persons and injured dozens more before racing was once again called off. Again, the track surface was found to be questionable at best. The date was August 19, 1909. This was an inauspicious beginning but the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had been born!

Reprinted from British Boots & Bonnets Chronicle— October 2016 issue.

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