The Abingdon Trials Endurance Rally will be held on August 2-3 in conjunction with the Abingdon Summer Party, successor to John Twist’s University Motors Summer Party. The 1000 mile rally will start with a 7:00 am drivers meeting at the host hotel, Jumer’s Continental Inn in Galesburg, Illinois (gateway to Abingdon, IL). Details are being finalized, but latest word is that the rally will be run as a Double 12 with the overnight at Jumer’s. Competitors will be given a list of checkpoints they must visit and bring back proof of visitation. The winner will be the car that completes the course with the lowest official adjusted mileage. Completing certain tasks as specified by the rallymasters may result in bonus miles being awarded which will be deducted from the competitors adjusted mileage. Single entries and teams of 2-5 cars are eligible.

The rallymasters are Jim and Thad Cousino of Montague, Michigan, winners of last year’s Trials. They can be reached at jlcousino@earthlink.net or 231-894-6105. But before you call, see rally rules on the next page.

The Abingdon Trials was begun in 1998 as a Fall complement to the Missouri Endurance in the Spring and the legendary Lap of Lake Michigan Endurance Trials started in 1993 by Phil and Dallas Smith in conjunction with Twist’s Summer Party. Bill Hedrick and I won the last Lake Michigan and discharged our responsibility to put on last years rally by folding it into the Abingdon Trials which with the annual Abingdon event were moved into summer as the official successor to Twist’s party. We don’t go around the lake anymore - but the roads are gorgeous out in the upper midwest and a blessed relief from the choked roads and traffic of everyday existance. If you have confidence in your MG and your rally partner, you will have a great time!

Further details and updates on the Trials and the whole Abingdon Summer Party can be found on the Chicagoland MG Club website at:

Looking forward to seeing you there!