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UPDATE 2: I just added a bunch of great photos from Scott in the Pre-Screening Gallery.
UPDATE: Kevin from Patrick just emailed to tell me that the “official” count was 138 MINIs! He thinks that a handful more slipped in after they stopped counting as well making his final estimate at over 140 MINIs yesterday at the Italian Job Pre-Screening – absolutely incredible! This is the biggest MINI event that I've heard of outside of the LA premier! The crazy thing was the MINI dealership 20 minutes away also had a pre-screening. It looks like they had a decent, if not smaller turnout as well (see photos below). It would have been incredible to get both these groups together.
A BIG thanks to Patrick MINI for hosting this event and allowing the Chicago MINI Motoring Club to be a part of it. They really showed us the true spirit of Motoring by inviting everyone – even those who didn't purchase their MINIs there. Also I'd like to thank Kevin for all his hard work to make this happen.
You can find all the photos at motoringfile.com/italian_job. I'd like to thank Rick Kozal (3rd), Michael Salazar (last 2), Simon Lee (1st 2), and JH (3rd/4th to last) for sending me some of their photos. Also Chip has sent me a link to a page of photos he took lastnight. If anyone has any other photos they'd like to share please email me.
If anyone wants to check out how the 2nd Chicago area screening went (at Bill Jacobs) check out these photos taken by Chris.
The film itself turned out to a really fun caper movie that really pays homage to the original. I know I'll never look at a subway staircase the same way again.
Thanks everyone! I look forward to the next Chicago event.
<p>What a wonderful evening!
It was great to see an original mini up close.
My thanks to Patrick Auto for hosting the event, and kudos for extending the invite to non-Patrick MINI owners.
Well organized and great fun.
Motor On.</p>
<p>that was a great time. i was expecting more smokey mini burnouts! cheers, see you all soon. charlie</p>
<p>I third the great night comments. Was better than expected. By the way, turning off the DSC makes smokey burnouts much easier. ;)</p>
<p>Thanks to Patrick MINI and Gabe for their efforts putting this together.</p>
<p>Jim</p>
<p>I agree…a great time! I think this web site and the Chicago MINI Motoring Club will get a lot more attention from tonight's event. I met a number of people who hadn't heard about either and were enthusiastic. Our drives can only keep growing now. Wasn't that the MOAD (mother of all drives) from the dealer to the theatre?</p>
<p>A great event!! lots of fun…..how many cars were there? That original Cooper S had a great exhaust sound and really fast!! A special thanks to Patrick Mini.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p>Thanks everyone – it was a fantastic time.</p>
<p>BTW does anyone have a good count of how many cars we had there?</p>
<p>Wow, what a great event.. Huge thanks to Patrick MINI for hosting this get-together and sharing with the non-Patrick MINI owners. It was really nice running into all the people I have met over the past events, and meeting bunches more new people.. Wound up riding the tail of a three MINI cruise east on Golf on the way home</p>
<p>Wow!
Thanks for everyone you made last night happen, it was great meeting so many other Mini enthusiasts. And thanks to Gabriel for this great site and the hard work he's put in.</p>
<p>FYI, The International Auto showing in West Allis/Brookfield was pretty neat, too. Someone estimated that we had over 100 MINIs and at least two classic Minis. Our procession from the dealership to the theater was great fun. We had a police escort in West Allis, but we were on our own on 894 and 90/94. Can you imagine being passed by 100 MINIs?</p>
<p>Everyone enjoyed the movie, too.</p>
<p>My thanks to Gabe for kindly including your Madison cousins in your Patrick adventure. Here's to further collaboration!</p>
<p>100 MINIs? I can't believe there has been no interest in a club up there yet. I wish we had been able to have one event in Chicago instead of two only 30 minutes from each other.</p>
<p>Big fun with minis! Thanks to Gabe & Patrick for organizing this. I was not surprised (but pleased) to see Gabe already has pics up for us to relive the event & send to friends & family.
One of the MINI organizers told me that he had stopped counting at 120 cars — so we had more than the other Chicago area avent & more than San Francisco! The drivers going the opposite direction seemed to be enjoying our MINIcade too!</p>
<p>Wow 120 cars! I had no idea. The way that lot was setup made it really difficult to tell.</p>
<p>OI OI Savaloy! What a brill time last night and so many awesome MINIs and drivers. Seeing the original MINI has gotten me even more excited about my trip over to the UK (number 7) next month as my plans are to rent an original when sightseeing in Snowdonia Wales. Looking forward to many future outings with all of you :-). Good job Gabe and Patick.</p>
<p>Kelly</p>
<p>The movie was cool, but the real STARS last night, were the MINIS!! We had a great time :-)</p>
<p>I purchased my MINI from Bill Jacobs and didn't know anything about their event until now. I saw others with us in Schaumburg from Jacobs, so apparently they have a publicity problem there.</p>
<p>–Drew</p>
<p>I would tend to agree with you. I didn't hear anything of it until this week.</p>
<p>Many thanks to Gabe and Patrick MINI for their efforts. It was a blast.</p>
<p>Did anybody else have their antenna ball swiped while they were at the movie? Anybody have a spare for Sebby? : )</p>
<p>I had a feeling that many people would get their's taken. You may be able to get one from Knauz still.</p>
<p>Congrats & huge thanks to you Gabe and to Kevin+others of Patrick MINI for organising these event.</p>
<p>Hey guys, I had such a great time! It was so fun to have all the stares and smiles from everyone on the street! I know for a fact that the other car forums are talking about us! Check it out on the VWVortex forums: <a href="http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=868074" rel="nofollow ugc">http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=868074</a>
They stole the pics from you Gabe!!!!<br />
I can't wait for the next event! Let's Motor..hee hee hee…</p>
<p>We too got our car from Bill jacobs but never got any invites to their event. I called them and they claimed they invited all their customers but I know more than a handful who wasn't on the list. Kudos to Patrick for including non-customers!</p>
<p>So I go to see the movie yesterday and when I got out some idiot had taken the cooper decal off the back end of my car. I have no COOPER on my car!!! The movie rocked, the people who were at the movie suck!!!</p>
<p>I also purchased my MINI from Bill Jacobs and received nothing?? They need to get thier act together over there and follow the example of Patrick :-).</p>
<p>I spoke with Andrew Zopler, Sales Manager at Bill Jacobs MINI, about this today. He reached into his garbage can and pulled out a lot of the invitations they had an agency send out. They had been returned undeliverable. Apparently, the agency they hired messed up the addresses somehow. He assured me that if you bought your MINI from them, you are on their mailing list. He's working to prevent the problem in the future.</p>
<p>They did get the word out to the M.I.N.I. club (Mini's In Northern Illinois) and had about 5 classic Mini's at their event.</p>