A DRIVE OF A LIFETIME
08 May 2015
This weekend, Kim McCullough, Vice President, Marketing, Jaguar Land Rover North America, along with her husband Mitch, will be tackling the grueling 1,000‑mile Mille Miglia classic car rally through Italy, driving their 1954 Jaguar XK120 roadster.
Here Kim tells us why she’s so thrilled, and honored, to be competing in this legendary event.
What is the Mille Miglia and why is it so special?
These days, the Mille Miglia is a re‑enactment and celebration of the original 1,000‑mile road race held between 1927 and 1957, from Brescia in northern Italy, to Rome, and back. Since 1977 it’s been a road rally for cars that either competed in one of the original races, or would have been eligible to compete. Enzo Ferrari called it “The Most Beautiful Race in the World,” and he was right. Its four days through some of the most breathtaking parts of Italy.
Why is this event so important to you?
Ever since Mitch and I started getting involved with classic cars and vintage motorsports, it’s always been something we set our sights on doing, though never really thought it would happen. There is such a special aura around the race, such a rich history. I think anyone involved in vintage cars has it on their proverbial bucket list to do in their lifetime. Of course, every year thousands of owners apply for 400‑or‑so slots to compete. This year there are 456 cars taking part, so we’re very honored to have been selected.
Tell us about the special Jaguar vehicle you bought for this event.
We were very, very lucky to find our car. It’s a 1954 Jaguar XK120 roadster that was owned by the same person in Massachusetts for its entire 60‑year life. We bought it in the UK last September. It’s this wonderfully original, unaltered model with Dove Grey paint that had gloriously faded to flat, and an original tobacco leather interior that could only get that kind of patina after 60 years.
Did you have it restored for the Mille Miglia?
We were determined not to interfere with the originality of the car, so we left the bodywork alone. Beneath that faded paint, the body was in remarkable shape. We focused on refreshing the mechanical parts to make sure the car would run for the 1,000 miles through Italy. That meant re‑building the original 3.4‑liter straight‑six engine and transmission, re‑building the brakes and replacing the exhaust. All the work was done in the UK. I must admit that I only got to see the finished car less than two weeks ago. There was quite a bit of apprehension, wondering whether it would live up to my dreams. When I walked up to it, it was just amazing.
What is the timetable for the event?
We arrived in Italy just yesterday, and we’ll spend the next couple of days really getting to know the car. The start is on Thursday (May 14) afternoon ‑ we are car #318 of 456, so we probably won’t go till late afternoon. Day one takes us from Brescia to Rimini. Friday is a long day’s drive along the coast and on to Rome. Saturday is the great driving day, passing through Siena, Pisa and Lucca, and over the Abetone Pass to Parma. Stage four on Sunday takes us to the Monza racetrack, through Bergamo finishing late afternoon back in Brescia. What’s amazing is that this year celebrates 60 years since Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson’s landmark victory in 1955. Stirling completed the 1,000 miles in an unbelievable 10 hours and seven minutes at an average speed of 98.53mph. We won’t be going that fast.
How are you preparing for the event?
There are a lot of timed stages ‑ 84 I think ‑ as part of this year’s rally where the focus is on average speed over set distances. This is all new to us, so we’ll be working out how to use the bank of stop watches and trip meters we’ve had fitted. Thankfully this isn’t the first long‑distance rally Mitch and I have done. We’ve taken part in the Copperstate 1000 through Arizona three times, and the 1,000‑mile California Mille twice. We have plenty of experience of sitting in old cars for long amounts of time without such modern amenities as power steering and brakes that actually stop you.
How do you think you’ll be feeling Sunday night after the rally?
I think it will be a mix of things. Firstly tired, but hugely elated with a great feeling of accomplishment. It might seem like a strange analogy, but a while back I climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming. It was such a physically‑exerting thing to do and, at the end, you get off the mountain, stop and look back and see the remarkable thing you’ve accomplished. I think it will be that same kind of feeling.