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questions and found all answers except the very last one. We never saw the Lucas check point. It was a large photograph of Joseph Lucas with a check mark next to it, posted on a sign along the route. Luckily we were not the only ones as many other teams missed it as well. The yellow crossing signs presented some challenges. Do school bus signs count and are the signs on the roundabout on the right side, or ahead of you? But after we decided we stayed consistent and missed only one. When we came to the finish at the Kelsey Road House, we wanted to wait a little to burn off some time. Remember, we left earlier than our official starting time and Emma ran like a champ, fast and without technical hick-ups. But rally master Rich was merciless and immediately recorded the finish time when Emma came in sight. We were afraid that we were very early, but more importantly, we were disappointed that the beautiful drive had come to an end. What, is it over already? Why can’t we go for another 25 miles or so?

Inside, Sundy scored the results. And how! She brought the MG Clubs of Chicago into the 21st century by entering the results quickly in her laptop computer so that when the last MG finished, the results were immediately available. There was however one problem. True to its fame, Lucas did act up and the last team Bernie Mayer and Doug Clark finished very late because an ignition problem. Bernie had enlisted the expertise of top-navigator Doug Clark, who helped many MG drivers win first place. This time however, Doug had to get his hands dirty to tie down the distributor in Bernie’s 1977 Maroon MGB. But when all teams were in, the final standings rolled out of Sundy’s computer and to our big surprise, we won first place. As it turned out, Emma was not nearly a fast as we thought and we were actually three minutes late.

It seems that Rich and Sundy developed a great concept for their rally and I hope that they’ll do another one just like it next year. I’m sure that everybody who was there this year wants to return in 2017. And it would give those who missed their 2016 Lucas Memorial Rally a chance to make up and come out for next year’s edition.

~~ Reinout Vogt