Category Archives: Car Shows

Car Shows, CBCF - Champagne British Car Festival, Newsletter - The British Marque

Celebrating 100 Years of MG at The Mansion

Celebrating 100 Years of MG at The Mansion

By Angie Davis

The 2023 Champagne British Car Festival (CBCF) held June 2nd – 4th is now one for the books!  Sponsoring club, the Illinois Flat Land British Car Club (IFLBCC), hosted a fun-filled and action-packed weekend complete with  Friday evening Welcome Reception, Saturday drive and cruise-in on historic Route 66, Saturday evening banquet and a Sunday Car Show that attracted nearly 150 beautiful British vehicles to the remarkable David Davis Mansion in Bloomington, Illinois.

Dozens and dozens of pre-registered drivers and guests kicked off their Festival weekend Friday evening at a Welcome Reception held at the Chateau Hotel and Conference Center. Everyone had a chance to pick up their name badges and registration packets, get reacquainted and catch  up with old friends and meet new LBC enthusiasts over tasty food and beverages.

After a drivers’ meeting Saturday morning, motorists took off – driving instructions in-hand – on a rally style drive and cruise-in around Lake Bloomington and up Historic Route 66 to Pontiac, Illinois. Drivers and passengers of the 40 cars that participated in the adventure were met by members of the Pontiac tourism bureau and treated to welcome bags with VIP buttons, information about the city of Pontiac, access to museums, walking tours, discounts to local shops and restaurants and terrific photo opportunities at wall murals around town.

Several folks took advantage of two “Behind the Scenes” tours conducted by Tim Dye, owner of the Pontiac-Oakland Museum.  The automobile museum offers rotating exhibits to ensure a new and exciting experience.  The only Pontiac-Oakland Museum in the world, they display hundreds of pieces of memorabilia alongside the ever-changing selection of cars. 

But the day was far from over! The Saturday evening banquet afforded an opportunity to socialize during a great dinner and delicious desserts decorated with the CBCF rondel and logos celebrating 100 years of MG Motors, this year’s featured marque. Guest speaker, John Twist, regaled the 100 banquet guests with his entertaining presentation “MG Was my Destiny.” He left attendees looking forward to viewing his famous “Rolling Tech Sessions” scheduled during the Sunday car show.  

Dave Fitch’s MG TD takes its turn at John Twist’s “Rolling Tech Session” under the watchful eye of Gerald Lofthouse of the Chicagoland’s British Car Union.

Registered participants and hundreds of spectators were treated to a brilliant, sunny and warm Sunday for the Car Show at David Davis Mansion. The Midwest was well-represented with British car owners traveling from seven states – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin – to participate in the Festival.

The shady, welcoming David Davis Mansion grounds were resplendent with a spectacular Union Jack as a backdrop and flags of the various British marques gently fluttering in the afternoon breeze. Food vendors and music added to the lively atmosphere throughout the day as car owners shared stories about their beloved cars and curious spectators posed questions to learn as much as they could about the vehicles on display.

This year’s MG Featured Marque included the pictured MGBs and MG Midgets

Registered participants voted for their peers to name 1st, 2nd and 3rd place  winners in 21 designated classes and Car of Show. Spectators who attended the Show cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award.   

Congratulations to Simon Griffin of Edwardsville, Illinois who took top honors this year in a clean sweep!  Simon, who at past CBCFs has shown his lovely Austin-Healey 100, left his Healey in the garage and drove to the Show in his recently-acquired 1930 MG 18/80 MKII. His stunning pre-war automobile took 1st in the MG Other class, was awarded Car of Show and claimed the People’s Choice Award. If you are fortunate to see this beauty at a future show, be certain to check out its rich history.

First in Class, Car of Show and People’s Choice Winner – Simon Griffin’s 1930 MG 18/80 MKII

First place winners in the five remaining MG Classes – MG T-Series, MGA, MGB Chrome, MGB Rubber and Midget / Sprite – are Steven Runyan, Alan Kleinschmidt, Doug Eppich, Nigel Keen, and Stephen Sparks.  

A list of all CBCF winners can be found at CBCF-Bloomington.com under Recent Posts – Congratulations to ALL 2023 Champagne British Car Festival Car Show Winners!

As with most car shows, it’s the local car club volunteer’s time and efforts that make the CBCF Weekend possible.  The IFLBCC Team is already planning next year’s event with special attention to participant’s Post-Weekend Survey comments and suggestions.

Remember to mark your 2024 calendars and plan to join us in Bloomington, Illinois for next year’s Champagne British Car Festival May 31 – June 2, 2024, when the Featured Marques will be Aston Martin and Austin Healey.

Car Shows

Kilts and Kars – The 2023 Highland Games British Car Show

Over the past two decades, the Springfield Area Highland Games and Celtic Festival has had the pleasure of presenting to the Illinois public a proud picture of what it means to be of Celtic decent.  The Highland Games are a unique mix of sports, culture and community: the whirl of the kilt during a Highland Fling, the unforgettable sound of pipers and drummers and the display of power and skill of the Celtic athletes. 

The IFLBCC was invited again to attend this year’s Springfield Highland Games British Car Show in New Berlin, IL on May 20th.  Our group has attended this event twice in the past and it has always been a fun day out and this year was no exception. 

It was beautiful Saturday morning as our group headed out from Bloomington, IL around 9:00 am for a leisurely cruise down historic Route 66.  There are many attractions along this route like the Paul Bunyan statue in Atlanta, the World’s Largest Railsplitter Covered Wagon in Lincoln and the Williamsville “Old Station” with its vintage gas pumps and classic memorabilia from the 1930’s. Traffic was light and we easily made our scheduled arrival at the Sangamon County Fairgrounds in New Berlin.

Our group was anxiously greeted by dozens of Highland Games visitors.  The car show is adjacent to the Children’s Area which is always a treat as the kids and their parents thoroughly enjoy seeing and sitting in our “little” cars.  Not long after our arrival a group of bagpipers and drummers marched by setting the tone for the rest of the day.

As we began the typical “Car Show Protocol” of emptying the boots of lawn chairs, coolers and polishing gear many of our group were drawn to the all the Highland Games has to offer –  Clan Row, Highland Dance Competition, Whisky Tasting, Celtic Vendors, Food, Live Entertainment, Children’s Area, Bagpipes, Highland Cows, Clydesdales, Springfield Celts Rugby, Historical European Martial Arts, Jurassic Scotland and, of course, the British Car Show!

There was so much interest in our cars that we were initially obligated to stick close to the collection of MGBs, Minis, Triumphs and Aston Martin. What is this? Who made it? I had one of those.  My Mum had one when I was growing up in Scotland.  So many interesting stories and chances to educate the public about our cars and hobby.

Besides meeting new folks attending the show, we’re able to rekindle our connection with car-friends that come from throughout Central IL.  We were pleased to meet a brand-new member to the LBC community and his “Survivor” 1976 Triumph TR6.  He’d only owned it two weeks after seeing it alongside the road with a For Sale sign.  It was the same color as one he owned 45 years ago so naturally, he HAD to buy it.  He was re-learning about TR’s so our “Tech Team” jumped into action, helping him adjust his hood latch mechanism and offer up answers to his many questions.

What would a gathering of British car owners be without a wee’ bit ‘o natter and noggin?   The Highland Games had plenty of opportunity for both.  We gathered at the nearby pavilion where food and beverage vendors were happy to provide refreshments as a collection of entertainers serenaded us with traditional and popular Celtic songs.

The final leg of our outing was a visit to the iconic Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill and Museum just 20 minutes from the Highland Games.  For some in our group, this was their first chance to experience the nostalgic atmosphere, cars, motorcycles, and more. The building was originally built as a Stuckey’s gas station in 1971. It’s called Motorheads because the restaurant is closely tied to the world’s fastest dirt mile-track, located in Springfield, IL. 

With hugs and laughs we parted ways to our separate points of the compass knowing that we’d all be back together at the Champagne British Car Festival in Bloomington, IL in just two weeks!  

Car Shows, Drives

Springfield Area Highland Games All-British Car Show and Cruise-in – May 20th

The IFLBCC has been invited again to attend this year’s Springfield Highland Games British Car Show – New Berlin, IL on May 20th.

Our group has attended this event twice in the past and has always been a fun day out.

FREE attendance requires submitting a British Car Show Application PDF Application is attached below. The IFLBCC Facebook Event can be found here: https://fb.me/e/wdFAYytC

IFLBCC Event Drive:  For those leaving from Bloomington, Brian Davis will lead our drive on Sat. May 20th, from Casey’s on 2017 Fox Creek Rd, Bloomington, IL 61701.  Departure time will be 9:00AM for an approximate arrival time of 11:00 at New Berlin, IL.   The drive avoids all interstate travel and skirts the North and West side of Springfield.  The route is approximately 83 miles, so we’ll need to leave Casey’s promptly at 9:00 AM.  Please note that the Car Show parking will be at Gate 3.

Please visit the IFLBCC Group Drive event page to RSVP – https://fb.me/e/wdFAYytC  so that we know how many will be cruising with us.

Post Car Show Meal: After the show, approximately 3 PM, we will be heading to Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill in Springfield for a post-car show meal. 

Event Link: Springfield Area Highland Games

Event/Drive Questions:  Brian Davis – mailto:[email protected] 

Event Questions: You can contact Jordan Thomas-Summers by email at: [ [email protected] ] with any questions you have about the event. 

Additional Resources:

https://iflbcc.club/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-SAHG-British-Car-Show-Application.pdf

www.centralillinoiscelts.com 

https://www.facebook.com/springfieldhighlandgames

https://www.facebook.com/centralillinoiscelts

SAVE THE DATE!

2023-SAHG-British-Car-Show-ApplicationDownload
Car Shows, CBCF - Champagne British Car Festival

Celebrate 100 Years of MG with John Twist

The Champagne British Car Festival (CBCF) is just around the corner, June 2-4, 2023 in Bloomington, Illinois. This is the 32nd anniversary of the Festival and you can expect an amazing weekend of British car activities. This all-British car show features over 125 brilliant British cars and motorcycles.

In 1923 Cecil Kimber, the Founder of MG Cars, designed, built, advertised and sold his first MG sports cars. To celebrate this 100th Anniversary, CBCF announced that MG will be the featured marque at this year’s car show on June 4, 2023. 

Friday June 2, 2023: Registered entrants “Start Your Engines” and your Festival weekend by joining us Friday evening, June 2nd for a Welcome Reception, sponsored by the Illinois Flat Land British Car Club (IFLBCC). This informal Meet & Greet with fellow British car enthusiasts will be held from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. If you’re already registered for Sunday’s show, you may pick up your Welcome Packets at the reception.

Saturday June 3, 2023: The fun continues Saturday morning, June 3, with a self-guided rally to Historic Pontiac, IL where the city parking lot will be reserved for our use. City representatives will welcome us with information packets and souvenir Route 66 pin. Arrangements have been made with Pontiac’s Tourism Department to provide us with special access to the Route 66 Hall of Fame exhibits & Museum and Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum.

Join the self-guided rally to historic Pontiac, IL

The automobile museum offers rotating exhibits to ensure a new and exciting experience each time you stop in. As the only Pontiac-Oakland Museum in the world, they display hundreds of pieces of memorabilia alongside the selection of cars. CBCF has made special arrangements for multiple private “behind the scenes” staff-guided tours of the Pontiac-Oakland Museum.

I’m sure that many of you have seen pictures of Pontiac’s Route 66 mural at the rear of the Route 66 museum, but are you aware two dozen other Wall Dog murals are scattered throughout Pontiac?  Enjoy Pontiac’s walking tour of the murals as you shop and enjoy lunch in several downtown Pontiac restaurants. You’ll also want to be sure to save time for a selfie with your LBC in front of the iconic Route 66 mural!

Here’s your chance to take a LBC selfie at the iconic Route 66 mural.

Saturday Evening, June 3, 2023: Saturday evening’s banquet will feature this year’s Honorary Chairman and Guest Speaker, John Twist. John Twist is the MG guru behind Michigan’s University Motors who has helped countless people maintain, restore, and understand their MGs. He has run a successful shop, has an informative video series, and now is an international speaker. Twist was inducted into the British Sports Car Hall of Fame in 2017. 

Sunday June 4, 2022: Early Riser?  Join other Dawn Patrollers onSunday June 4 at the David Davis Mansion for some Pre-Show camaraderie.  Our food vendor, Redbird Catering, will be on the grounds by 8:30am with a menu of biscuits & gravy, a breakfast sandwich, pastries, coffee and water.

The weekend culminates on Sunday June 4th, 2023 with the Champagne British Car Show on beautiful Clover Lawn of David Davis Mansion, Bloomington, IL.  The David Davis Mansion provides a wonderful backdrop to display over 125 British cars.  The festival includes music, vendors, food and beverage options, and tables and chairs to enjoy your meal and drinks.

John Twist’s famous Rolling Tech Sessions will be available during Sunday’s car show.

In keeping with the show’s recognition of 100 Years of MG, CBCF is hosting John Twist, nationally renowned MG mechanic and expert for a “Rolling Tech Session”.  In addition to owning and operating University Motors LTD since 1975, John has been performing his famous rolling Tech Sessions at MG-related events throughout the country for decades. While John is an MG expert, this event is open to and appropriate for the owner of any British car as the mechanical systems are generally identical. 

This year, Redbird Catering will be adding a British favorite, Fish & Chips, to their typical menu. Gramma Nanna’s will also be on hand with delicious cookies, ice cream, shakes and floats.

You can register electronically on our website using PayPal. There is a discount for early registrations so get your form submitted by May 28. We look forward to seeing you and your car at CBCF!

Please visit the CBCF website and Facebook pages for more about the Festival and weekend activities.

The CBCF receives significant support from the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site.

For more information, visit www.cbcf-bloomington.com  or the IFLBCC Facebook Event – Click Here

As with most car shows, the enthusiasts who volunteer their time and  efforts have made the CBCF what it is today. The Champagne British Car Festival has become an annual event fo

Car Shows, Newsletter - The British Marque

Flatlander Road Trip to Georgia’s Southeast British Car Festival

By Alan Kleinschmidt

Wednesday September 14th 2022 was a beautiful day for traveling. The Sun was bright and the temps were in the low 70’s.

We met friends, Greg and Chris Oakes, from Roscoe Illinois, at their Hotel in Bloomington and started our journey to the Southeast British Car Festival, sponsored by the Peachtree MG Registry in Dillard Georgia.

We would be driving “Black Betty’ the 1980 MGB LE and Greg and Chris would be in “Buttermilk” the 1972 MGB. Our goal for the day was to overnight in Sevierville Tennessee which lies 562 miles Southeast of Bloomington.

Buttermilk and Black Betty

We got onto Interstate 74 in Bloomington and traveled East through Indianapolis Indiana and on to Cincinnati Ohio where we picked up Interstate 75 and traveled South to Knoxville Tennessee before turning East on Interstate 40 to Sevierville.

Greg and I both prefer secondary roads when traveling in the MG’s, but sometimes you just have to get on the Interstate and go. We both have Overdrive, so cruising at 70 to 75 is not a problem. The cars ran great and about 10 hours later we rolled into the Hotel at Sevierville.

Thursday September 15th was another beautiful day. We headed South through Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg TN before heading up the mountain at Smoky Mountain National Park. The road through the park is very twisty and affords some spectacular views. We came down off the mountain and arrived at Cherokee NC just in time for breakfast at Peters Pancakes. There was a 45 minute wait, but it was well worth it.

We arrived in Dillard Georgia, early afternoon and went to Dillard House to check in and get directions to the house we had rented for our stay. We got the cars unloaded and enjoyed a cold adult beverage on the veranda with Nigel & Jane who had come down separately from Bloomington trailering their MGB.

Friday we were up early and on the road. We traveled to Highland NC for breakfast and then Route 64 to Franklin stopping to view the various falls and rapids along the way

The Peachtree Registry put on a “Low Country Boil” Friday evening at the main banquet hall at Dillard House. The menu included Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, and of course the famous Dillard House desserts.

Saturday was Show Day! There were many gorgeous cars in attendance. The show runs from 9 until 1 affording more time for cruising the back roads around the area.

Georgia’s Southeast British Car Festival

We traveled South this time and made a run around Lake Rabun before heading to Tallulah Gorge and then up Black Rock Mountain. We finished the afternoon at 12 Spies Winery, in Dillard with friends Greg and Chris and Nigel and Jane. The wine was very good and we picked up an extra bottle to bring home.

Another good meal was provided by Dillard House at the Saturday night Banquet and award ceremony. Nigel brought home an award for his modified 1980 MGB.

Sunday found us saying good bye to Georgia and heading home. We traveled to Lawrenceburg Indiana to spend the night. Our Hotel room provided beautiful views of the Ohio River which ran just on the other side of the Levee. There was a floating restaurant a short distance from the Hotel that we walked to for dinner. We were treated to a float equipped plane flying in and tying up for dinner. Pretty cool!

Monday morning found us back on the road, heading for home. The most challenging part of the trip was navigating our LBC’s through traffic in Indianapolis. With I-65, I-70 and I-74 converging there, traffic is always heavy.

We arrived home around noon on Monday. We traveled 1561 miles total for the trip and Betty averaged 31 mpg. Not bad for a 42 year old with 150,000 miles on her odometer.

Awards, Car Shows, CBCF - Champagne British Car Festival

Congratulations to ALL of our Award of Excellence winners

Congratulations to ALL of our Award of Excellence winners at the 2022 Champagne British Car Festival Car Show on Sunday June 5, 2022. Your personalized award plate is being prepared and will be mailed to you as soon as we receive them.

THANKS to ALL of the participants in our show at the David Davis Mansion.

We had a fantastic day and hope you enjoyed it as much as the members of the Illinois Flat Land British Car Club (IFLBCC) members enjoyed hosting it.

At the Champagne British Car Festival’s Car Show Ken Shure with his 1959 TR3 was second overall in the Triumph Featured Marque, Dan and Connie Goodrum with their 1980 TR7 made the top 25 Award of Excellence awards.

SIX Austin Healey “Award of Excellence” Winners (one not pictured) at the 2022 Champagne British Car Festival’s Car Show. www.CBCF-Bloomington.com

Car Shows, CBCF - Champagne British Car Festival, Drives

CBCF Route 66 Atlanta, IL Cruise-In

Join the FUN!  We’ve created a Route 66-themed Poker Chip Run and Pop-up ALL British car show destination to showcase the restaurants and attractions on the Mother Road in our area.

We’re anticipating 30-40 British cars will be cruising down old Route 66 on Saturday June 4th, 2022 to our ultimate destination . . .Historic Atlanta, IL.

Atlanta’s tourism office ( https://www.facebook.com/visitatlantail ) will be rolling out the red carpet during the Champagne British Car Festival’s All British car street show. They are opening up their museums, shops and restaurants especially for our Saturday visit.

While you’re there, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to visit the Route 66 attractions that are all within easy walking distance of our downtown car show.

We plan to have opportunities for a group photo shoot and maybe even individual shots in front of the iconic Atlanta Route 66 billboard.

Click the link to view their digital guide to Atlanta, IL! https://simplebooklet.com/theultimateguidetoatlantail

Car Shows, CBCF - Champagne British Car Festival

Burgers & Brits – CBCF Cruise-in and Pop-up Car Show

The Champagne British Car Festival is hosting a Cruise-in to Historic Atlanta, IL where the main street will be blocked off for our pop-up All-British Car Show. During the optional box lunch break the City will be opening up their Route 66 and Pinball museums for our use.

Fresh as fresh gets! Chubby’s, a locally owned & run hometown spot, will be cooking up classic style griddle burgers and fries, grilled cheese baskets and salads for those lucky cruisers that have pre-ordered their meals during event pre-registration. Beverages and dessert are included.

The Chubby’s box lunches will be delivered to the Atlanta Museum’s Ballroom above the Arch St. car show. We’ll have the tables set up and ready for lunch. Do yourself a favor and make a point to order lunch during pre-registration!

There will be several more opportunities to collect Poker Chip Run chips during your Atlanta visit. Poker Chip Run awards will be presented during the evening’s Pub Night in the Courtyard – Meet & Greet  More information.

IMPORTANT! You MUST pre-register and pay for Cruise-in Box Lunches (optional) and the English Pub Night in advance at the time of Registration. Meal and Entry Tickets will be included in your registration envelope.

Car Shows, CBCF - Champagne British Car Festival

Misspend your youth all over again – one quarter at a time! (and most are FREE)

The Champagne British Car Festival is hosting a Cruise-in to Historic Atlanta, IL, on Saturday June 4th, where the main street will be blocked off for our mini All-British Car Show.

During the optional box lunch break the City will be opening up their Route 66 and Pinball museums for our use. 

The Route 66 Arcade Museum focuses on arcade games from 1935 through 1980. Although it contains primarily Electro-Mechanical (EM) games, there are about 15-20 early videogames on display (and ready to be played) as well.

Visit their Facebook page for some (dated) pictures of some of their machines. Route 66 Arcade Museum Facebook Page

Location: 201 Southeast Race Street – Route 66 Arcade Museum Visit Atlanta, IL