Rally Round Up: 2021 Hurdle GTA

Event: Hurdle 2021 National GTA
Date: August 7, 2021
Location: Southington, CT
Rallymasters: Jon and Kelli Lamkins

After moving to September for two years, Hurdle 2021 NGTA moved back to its traditional run date of the first week of August. And after a one-year absence, Hurdle 2021 was once again a National GTA (Game Tour Adventure) Rally (one of only three SCCA schedule as of the date this article was written).

The objective of the Hurdle Rally is to answer a list of questions in the fewest miles possible (if this sounds like a Scavenger Hunt, you’re not far off). Hurdle 2021 gave rally teams 17 questions located within Northeast Connecticut. Team answering all questions would visit Glastonbury, Thompson, Tolland, Willington, Woodstock, Andover, Pomfret and Chaplin, plus a few others.

Rallymasters Jon and Kelli Lamkins try to mix in questions that enable the contestants to learn something about Connecticut history or send them to locations that teams may wish to return and visit in the future. Some questions are easy to find once you reach the question location, while others may take a little searching.

One of the more interesting questions on this year event was at Pomfret Station along the Airline State Park Trail Here teams learned about the Ghost Train (don’t worry its not actually haunted). The New England Limited was given this name because of its white color.

Challenging questions involved find a flagless flagpole at Riverside Park in Thompson and a memorial to Denise McMillen, founder of the Nookless Knitters. While the 2020 edition of Hurdle turned out to be the most difficult, many veteran teams found the 2021 edition one of the easiest.

This showed in the final scores as the top three teams were separated by 1.48 miles with 2nd and 3rd decided by .07 of a mile. (Yes 7/100ths) Congratulations to 2021 Hurdle NGTA winners, David and Carol Mulligan with a score of 170. David and Carol are the one team that has participated in every Hurdle GTA but this is their first victory. Richard Miller and Jessica McGillis finished second with a score of 171.41 while Elizabeth and Chris Regan finished third with a score of 171.48.

Up Next on the NER GTA Rally Calendar:
Rally Against Leukemia Presented by RockAuto.com on Saturday, September 11.
Cape Cod Courageous on Saturday, October 16

About the Author: Pit Talk Editor

A 25-year SCCA member, Melissa Introne is the current Pit Talk Editor. She has a multi-generational family history with ties to the club. Her late father-in-law, Robert Introne Jr., served as the Chairman of the club’s national Board of Directors; her husband, Steve Introne, has raced for over 25years across the country in Autocross and Road Racing, and is the reigning B-Spec National Championship. Her three children continue the tradition, holding T&S, F&C and Novice competition road racing licenses as well. She is National-level Flagging & Communication marshal, and has served as Crew Chief for her husband’s autocross, SRF3 and B-Spec racecars.