Get your MINI's all cleaned up for our Spring Drive, Sunday March 26th!!

This year we will be doing a Poker Run starting in Schaumburg, and finishing with a late lunch in Lake Geneva Wisconsin.

Here are the Details:

When:Sunday March 26th. Pre-drive meeting at 9:15, and cars will be leaving at 9:30 am

Where:Start is in the Ikea Parking lot, 1800 E McConnor pkwy Schaumburg Il 60173 finish in in Lake Geneva.

What:The drive will include a number of stops along the way where you will collect a playing card. The best poker hand at the end of the drive wins! You can drive on your own if you like, or as a group. We will all meet up at each of the stops to get our card and directions, and there is no prize for being fastest. A navigator, map, and/or frs radio is helpful, but not necessary. Helpfull extras to bring include a clipboard and pen for tracking distances, and some change for the parking meters in Lake Geneva

We will drive rain or shine (or snow).

Please post here or shoot me an e-mail if you are interested in attending, so we know how many people to plan for.

As we are moving towards completing our 3rd year, we have recently passed membership number 200 for the Chicago MINI Motoring Club!!

There are a bunch of February memberships and renewals that will be going out within the next week. We are waiting on a set of newly designed Club stickers to arrive.

Congrats to new member Steve J. for drawing lucky number 200!!

Don't forget to add yourself to our Club Frapper Map if you choose, to show where you are from (by zipcode).

We have had invites to participate in a couple of Lotus Track days:

The Lotus Corps are hosting their Carl Grabowski Drivers Education Track Day on Monday May 22nd at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Beloit Wisconsin. Early bird price is $185 (before March 13th). Download the entry form and information HERE.

The Lotus LTD. club is hosting a track day on June 5th at the Autobahn Country Club. The website indicates they are currently sold out, so hopefully if you were interested, you are already in. Additional information is located HERE.

Special offer from Cravenspeed:

Place an order for $100 or more and receive an Antenna free of charge.

Offer good through March 31st

Visit www.cravenspeed.com

We wanted to share some info on some upcoming Club events that we are working on:

CMMC Spring Drive Sunday March 26th. This is our kickoff event to the spring driving season, although sometimes the weather is not very spring-like. This year we are planning a Poker Run where you will navigate to various locations to pick up playing cards. The person with the best poker hand at the ending destination wins. Starting time and location details will be announced as we get closer to the event.

Micro Car National: Saturday August 12th. This is the largest gathering of small cars (under 1000cc engines) that you can see. We will be planning a meetup and short group drive, and then spend the afternoon enjoying some interesting and unique cars.

The Michigan MINI Motor Club has invited us to some Co-Club events:

The Mad Dogs and Englishman British Car show in Kalamazoo Michigan on July 8th and 9th. This is a good half way point between Detroit and Chicago areas.

Overnight(s) tour of the Upper Peninsula September 22nd and 23rd, taking the Ludington to Manitowic Ferry across the lake and then driving Wisconsin over the Upper Peninsula. Planning info is listed on the Michigan Club forum.

Please let us know is you are interested in these Cross Club extended drives.

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WRAPUP

Two groups of MINI's converged downtown for a quick Channel 7 photo shoot before heading on to the Auto Show. We were treated to breakfast snacks and drinks and had a chance to talk with Fireball Tim and his 500 horespower twin-turbo charged, supercharged, nitro drag car.

The rest of the Auto Show was a blast, and we had the huge advantage of being inside before the main doors opened.

HUGE thanks to Chris W. from MINIUSA for making this all happen for us!!! Thanks for Dustin for leading one of the drive legs, and getting a film crew out there!

Here is the Channel 7 news clip.. Thanks Taylor!

Here are the Auto Show Drive pictures from Greg and Dustin.

More pictures from Brian.

For those who cannot make the show, be sure to check us out on the Live webcam (North Hall East View)

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The CMMC (along with MINI USA and the Chicago Auto Show) are proud to bring you the show before the show.

MINIUSA has arranged for CMMC members to get in to the Chicago Auto show before it opens to the general public on Saturday February 11th.

Chris Weiler from MINI USA will be on hand to answer questions and show off what is on display for 2006 from MINI. You'll also be set loose to see the show before the usual madness descends on McCormick Place.

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