interesting article in my local paper, The Kansas City Star.  the first link below is to a paper on your side of the pond, The Independent.  the second link is the kc star response.  the writer for the independent rated the drive between St. Louis and Kansas City as the best in the US.  i've driven it dozens of times and i'm still trying to remember the scenic part.  there is a lovely, 20 mile stretch with huge billboards pointing the way to the off-road porn shops and strip clubs, but other than that...

http://travel.independent.co.uk/americas/north/story.jsp?story=519959

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/entertainment/columnists/hearne_christopher_jr/