The registration day for MG 2016, the National Meeting for North American MG Clubs.  During the day the hotel car parks filled with around 700 MGs from all over the US and Canada plus a few ring-ins from the antipodes.  We were given a warm welcome and many wanted to find out more about our adventures so it was a good day for meeting and chatting to people from all over.   While we didn’t spot any pre-war models, there were many TCs and TDs, the models which started the British invasion of the US market and as expected a larger number of MGA and MGBs.  Quite a few highly restored ‘trailer queens’ brought in to show off at the Concours but also many cars driven from distant starting points.  Most people seemed pretty excited to be there but we did hear one passenger say she never, ever wanted to do that again.  It was about 36 deg C and 70% humidity so maybe she was just having an off-moment or maybe she was talking about something else altogether….

I took Navy Car to a nearby service centre for a little TLC before the journey resumes.  Ross had found an Express Service where we could drain and refill with fresh oil.  We had to shop around to find the right oil grade which didn’t seem to be a problem to the service guys.  They helped us remove and refit the sump shield, grease the front suspension and prop shaft, check everything underneath and then didn’t want to charge us because we hadn’t used their oil.  A $20 tip seemed to be well received and we went on our way.  The service on our car at home a few weeks ago cost $550 and it didn’t even need greasing!

In the evening we drove a few kms down the road to Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby – the US equivalent of the Melbourne Cup.  Interestingly the track surface used for the Derby and most other races is sand over clay which is more durable and consistent than turf and probably essential for a track where they run around 700 races each year.