Bowling Green, KY Resident Wins a Corvette

Jason Mills takes delivery of a 2013 60th Anniversary 427 Convertible Corvette

March 21, 2013 was Jason Mills’ lucky day. At 2:00pm his raffle ticket #82 was drawn at the National Corvette Museum making him the winner of a 2013 60th Anniversary 427 Convertible Corvette. As a resident of Bowling Green he didn’t waste any time coming to the Museum to see his new car and getting the paperwork started to take it home. Proving that maybe good luck could be contagious, he’s got a special friend to thank… fellow Bowling Green resident and recent Museum Raffle Car Winner, Barry Cummings.

“When I heard that Barry had won a Corvette several months ago, I thought that maybe I could win, too. I called him on the morning that I bought my ticket to ask him how he did it. Barry told me that he got his tickets online and got them early when the numbers were low. I bought one $250 ticket, one $500 ticket and several $10 tickets. It worked! I’ve already had 50 people text me now that I’ve won, and you can bet that they are already planning to buy their tickets now!”

Jason had actually forgotten about the raffle by the time the big day arrived, so when he got the call from Christy Thomas at the Corvette Museum, he was caught totally by surprise. “I was speechless, which is a rare thing for me. It was exciting. Really exciting.”

This is Jason’s first Corvette and he says he’s keeping it. “I’ve already got two offers to buy it,” he says, “but it’s a keeper. I’m building a house right now, and so tonight I’ll have to call the contractor about adding a garage.”

Jason participated in the Museum’s R8C Delivery Program on Friday, March 22 – a program where new Corvette owners receive VIP treatment as they pickup their car from the Museum.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, the National Corvette Museum holds a number of Corvette and other raffles throughout the year featuring various models, ticket prices and odds. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum, by phone at 270-781-7973 or 800-538-3883, online at www.corvettemuseum.org/raffle and even on the road at a number of Corvette and car shows across the country.

NCM Motorsports Park Receives Boost from Local Tourism Office

The National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park project crossed the first of three hurdles to secure $400,000 towards the project from the Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.  On Monday, March 11 Wendell Strode, Executive Director with the National Corvette Museum met with the CVB’s Board of Directors to request money from the special tourism project fund.  The fund is a portion of the hotel tax set aside each year for projects that will help increase the number of people visiting the community and staying in Warren County hotels.

The Museum is planning to construct an autocross/skidpad area and two road courses.  The CVB’s Board unanimously approved the request, with the stipulation that the Museum construct at least one road course.   The NCM has spent $2.7 million on land thus far for the project and has launched a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising an additional $1 million by June 1.  The amount raised will determine how much of the project will be constructed during the initial phase.

The Bowling Green City Commission and Warren County Fiscal Court are expected to approve the grant the week of March 18^th at their respective meetings.

Corvette Raffle Winner Spotlight: Phil Hans

Phil Hans of Middleburg, Florida has been diligently purchasing our Corvette Raffle tickets for the past four years. On Thursday, January 17, 2013, Phil and his wife Lorraine were drawn as the lucky winners of the highly coveted 2013 Night Race Blue ZR1, a part of the General Motors fleet and the personal car of Corvette Exterior Designer, Kirk Bennion. Phil’s Corvette Raffle ticket, #997, was drawn from a sold out raffle pool of 1,994 tickets.

"Although winning the raffle was amazing, it was the staff that made it a really memorable time for the both of us. You have a great product and a superlative delivery team. This was truly an incredible experience and your staff made it that way. I can still remember everyone clapping and cheering as Larry drove me out of Corvette Boulevard in my ZR1 Corvette. I can tell you that smile still hasn't left my face! My dream has really come true thanks to the National Corvette Museum."

Prior to winning, Phil had plans to trade in his 1994 Admiral Blue Corvette for a 2004 Z06 Special Edition Corvette, and came very close to making the trade only a week before winning our raffle. Phil did end up selling the ’94 recently due to a lack of garage space for his new addition. Since picking up his prize, Phil says that he has been showing it off at every opportunity and has fallen in love with Corvettes all over again.

“I have been a Corvette fan since my youth,” said Phil. “As a farmer growing up in Maryland, I was a bit of a motor head always working on cars or farm machinery, when not doing farming chores. My first Corvette ride was when my cousin stopped by the farm with her Army Ranger boyfriend who had a brand new 1971 yellow Corvette with the LS5 motor and a 4 speed transmission. We ventured out and of course we had to stop by my friend’s house to show off. On the ride back, he stopped that Corvette right in the middle of a country road and said, “you drive.” So, I excitedly got behind the wheel and felt the power and rumble from that car right through my seat, up my spine and in to my head. I was hooked on Corvettes forever from that moment on.”

 

The National Corvette Museum has been turning Corvette dreamers into owners since 1997 when the first raffle was held.  As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, the Museum holds a number of Corvette and Camaro raffles each year, with varying odds and ticket prices, as a means to raise funds for the Museum’s operations.  Those interested in participating may sign up for the Museum’s email newsletter to receive updates on the next chance to participate at www.corvettemuseum.org.  Tickets can be purchased online, by phone and in person.

Chevrolet Lifts Lid on 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible

Pictured: Manchester United's Dwight Yorke (sponsored by Chevrolet)
and Corvette Racing driver Oliver Gavin pose with the new Convertible.

Chevrolet revealed the 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible today at the Geneva Motor Show, featuring an all-new, fully electronic top that can be lowered remotely using the car’s key fob. The top can also be opened or closed on the go, at speeds of up to 30 mph (50 km/h).

“The convertible has been a part of the heart and soul of Corvette since the very beginning in 1953,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “With the all-new Corvette Stingray, we designed and developed the coupe and convertible simultaneously. As a result, the Corvette Stingray offers an open-top driving experience with no compromise in performance, technology or design.”
The Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible arrive in global markets in late 2013, with left-hand-drive models to be offered in Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Japan and Russia. Changes to Corvettes for export vary only in equipment required to accommodate a respective market’s regulations, such as lighting, headlamp washers and outside mirrors. 

“It's fitting to introduce the new Stingray convertible on the global stage at Geneva, because Corvette is the face of Chevrolet the world over,” said Susan Docherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe. “It is an icon that has long been recognized and admired even in countries where it’s never officially been offered.”

All of the performance technology and capabilities introduced on the Corvette Stingray coupe carry over to the convertible. The only structural changes are limited to accommodations for the folding top and repositioned safety belt mounts. Central to the Corvette Stingray’s driving experience is an all-new, more rigid aluminum frame structure, which is 57-percent stiffer and 99 pounds (45 kg) lighter than the current steel frame.

All models are powered by the new LT1 6.2L V-8, with an estimated 450-hp (335 kW) and 450 lb-ft of torque (610 Nm). As no structural reinforcements are required for the convertible, both models share almost identical power-to-weight ratios.

The LT1 combines several advanced technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management and continuously variable valve timing to support an advanced combustion system designed to balance power and efficiency. The new Corvette Stingray is expected to improve upon the current model’s fuel economy of 13.6L/100km (EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 26 mpg).

With the top up, the Corvette Stingray convertible is designed for a refined driving experience. A thick, three-ply fabric top, along with sound-absorbing padding and a glass rear window, contributes to a quiet cabin and premium appearance.

With the top down, the Corvette Stingray’s signature profile is further accentuated. Behind the seat backs, dual black accent panels enhance the character lines of the tonneau cover. Corvette Stingray’s signature “waterfall” design originates in the valley between the nacelles, bringing the exterior color into the interior.

Additional highlights of the all-new Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible include:

• A sculpted exterior with advanced high-intensity discharge and light-emitting diode lighting and racing-proven aerodynamics that balance low drag for efficiency and performance elements for improved stability and track capability
• An interior that offers genuine carbon fiber and aluminum trim, hand-wrapped leather materials, dual eight-inch configurable driver/infotainment screens, and two new seat choices – each featuring a lightweight magnesium frame for exceptional support
• Advanced driver technologies, including a five-position Drive Mode Selector that tailors 12 vehicle attributes to fit the driver’s environment and a new seven-speed manual transmission with Active Rev Matching that anticipates gear selections and matches engine speed for perfect shifts every time
• Lightweight materials, including a carbon fiber hood on all models and a carbon fiber removable roof panel on coupes; composite fenders, doors and rear quarter panels; carbon-nano composite underbody panels and a new aluminum frame help shift weight rearward for an optimal 50/50 weight balance that supports a world-class power-to-weight ratio
• Track-capable Z51 Performance Package, including an electronic limited-slip differential; dry-sump oiling system; integral brake, differential and transmission cooling; as well as a unique aero package that further improves high-speed stability.

“We wanted the driving experience of the Corvette to live up to the performance expectations that come with the ‘Stingray’ name,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “Because it was designed from the beginning as an open-top car, the Corvette Stingray delivers an exhilarating, connected driving experience – no matter what configuration you choose.”