July 2012
NAMGBR 2012 Thornley Award
 Since 1994, the North American MG Register has presented an award to an individual or a couple who exemplify the spirit of MG ownership.
This traveling award - the John Thornley Spirit of MG Award - is given at each national meet, then being brought the next year and replaced by a permanent plaque to the recipient and the original award being passed on to someone else for the following year. The Chicagoland MG Club was well represented in one of the earliest years when Kim and Diane Tonry were awarded the John Thornley Spirit of MG Award. Other recipients you may recognize are John and Carolyn Twist, Ken Smith, Jerome Rosenberg, and Bruce and Connie Wycoff.
This year’s winners have been involved in MG’s since the 70’s. They have been active in the Vintage MG Club, the Chicagoland MG Club, and The British Car Union and have taken officer responsibilities in these organizations. They have attended local and national meets all over the country with their cars, have made friends, have helped others with their car problems and have even had a few MG car issues of their own.
We are happy and excited to share that this year the award was given to Oscar and Diana Gonzales. So let’s give them our congratulations.
~~Roger & Shirley Goebbert
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Secrets of Jo-Daviess County
June 29-July 1, 2012
From Third to Fourth and Back Again: 2012 Secrets of Jo Daviess County Tour
By now everyone knows that the Secret of this tour is that we get out of Jo Daviess County as soon as possible, as the tour has evolved over the years. I guess this is the seventh running, and my second, putting 650 miles on my clock (but I am 150 from the start point in Dan Herman’s driveway). I recommend anyone on the fence about taking part in this tour definitely to do it next year for sure, especially if you want to really drive your MG, and drive it the way it is supposed to be driven, hard, on well-paved country roads.
Every year generates tales to tell, as well as the usual camaraderie, great dining, great scenery, and great driving. Last year experienced a heavy thunderstorm, a little misrouting by some of the party, and then, mid-second day, a breakdown of a car that caused a breakup of the group
and short-circuited some of the final driving routes. It was still a great Tour and a wonderful experience, despite the misgivings of some of the Tour organizers. I considered last year’s Tour (my first) a great success!
This year was picture-perfect. The same route was planned as last year, but this year with the intention to complete it. There were almost twenty cars, with about 15 MGs (one A and one Midget), two TR-6s and two non-Brit drivers, being the lead and tail cars (sorry to hear about your last-minute fuel pump problem, Dan! But at least he drove an open-top Miata). Despite the rolling thunderstorms south of us throughout Chicagoland, OUR weather was clear, sunny, low or mid-90’s – perfect! The only rain we had was before the tour even started, from the fabulous Friday-night fish-fry back to our hotel in Stockton. The only tops up the entire weekend were to beat the sun (for those who have zip-out rear windows – a must!).
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©2012 Chicagoland MG Club, All rights reserved.
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