Museum Debuts Vehicle Maintenance and Preservation Department

Internal Shop Will Maintain Museum's Growing Corvette Collection

Daniel Decker and Phil Wheeler

2013 and 2014 were record years for car donations at the National Corvette Museum, with 13 being received last year, and 12 in 2013 bringing the grand total of Museum-owned Corvettes to 62. For several years the goal has been to launch a department focused solely on maintenance and upkeep of these prized Corvettes. That goal is now a reality.

Phillip Wheeler and Daniel Decker have joined the Museum's new Vehicle Maintenance and Preservation Department, dedicated to maintaining cars for both the Museum and Motorsports Park.

Phil, the department manager, is excited about the opportunity. "When I was invited to join the team, it became clear very quickly that I was a part of a family. I have a lifelong love for cars and a passion for preservation and restoration that makes this a dream job. I am happy to be here."

With over 100 cars of his own (40 that are housed in his personal showroom) Phil knows how to maintain a collection of cars and looks forward to taking care of the Museum's treasured Corvettes. "We will be going over every car that has been donated to the Museum, and begin a new maintenance record for each one, making sure they are fully serviced and drivable - checking for any leaks or other issues that need to be addressed. In addition to that, we'll be making sure that the fleet of cars at the track are safe, serviced and always ready to go."

Daniel has been restoring and working on cars for the last 27 years of his life. He has ASE certification in steering, suspension and brakes, he's been to paint school in Chicago, and for several years he ran the Midas shop in Bowling Green. The portfolio of cars he has restored in his own shop is a reflection of his passion for cars. "I'm excited to be here. This is a new program so we have a lot of work ahead of us. Once it is up and running, I feel like it is going to be great."

The Museum's maintenance department will initially be located just past the Engineering and Design display area, in what was once the PDI Department. Visitors to the Museum may periodically see Phil and Daniel working in the garage bay, adding another exciting element to the Museum tour experience. They are also looking forward to meeting Museum members and guests. "To anyone thinking of donating their cars to the Museum," Phil says, "I want them to know that their cars will be in good hands."

National Corvette Museum Foundation Receives 2015 State Farm Grant

Grant helps further Museum's mission of education

State Farm has awarded the National Corvette Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation, with a Good Neighbor Citizenship grant for their teen drivers’ education programs. The Museum plans to utilize the $15,000 grant towards materials and supplies for teen driving and other drivers’ education courses held at the NCM Motorsports Park.

Kellie Steen, Education & Community Events Coordinator at the National Corvette Museum, is looking forward to using the State Farm Grant to continue developing the courses.

“Each year we work to grow and develop the programs we offer for teens and their parents, and the funding from State Farm will allow us to offer more digital technology in the classroom to keep the kids engaged,” said Steen. “The new resources will also be available for the high performance driving events hosted at the track, which combine the educational side of driving with the recreational side,” Steen added. “We want mom and dad to be safe drivers, too!”

State Farm provides grants in three areas: safety, community development and education. The National Corvette Museum provides numerous courses in regards to teen driver education, auto and roadway safety, which are values that State Farm directs funding towards with their grants.

“State Farm knows that vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death for young people,” said Patrick Warren, Vice President of Agency/Sales for State Farm. “We are committed to keeping young drivers safe and are pleased to support the efforts of the National Corvette Museum.”

The National Corvette Museum hosts several programs for teen drivers. Some popular courses offered include Car Control and Situational Awareness Clinics geared towards those with permits and newly licensed drivers; Street Survival, offering a hands-on experience in the students’ own car; Powder Puff Mechanics, designed to help attendees be more knowledgeable about their car; and many others. All classes are limited in size, and courses offered often fill up quickly - some even with waiting lists. The next Street Survival course is slated for Saturday, April 11 and registration is now open.

Each year students benefit from the courses that are offered and leave with the tools to be safe, careful, aware and well-prepared drivers. Expanding these courses is now possible with the generosity of State Farm. To inquire about upcoming courses, visit www.corvettemuseum.org or contact Kellie Steen at 270-467-8852 or kellie@corvettemuseum.org.

About State Farm®:
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 18,000 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve over 82 million policies and accounts – nearly 80 million auto, home, life, health and commercial policies, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 41 on the 2014 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

About the NCM Drivers’ Safety Academy
The National Corvette Museum offers a series of driver's education clinics to help teens and adults become safer drivers. Each course is tailored to a specific audience. The Museum is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky at I-65, exit 28 and is open daily, 8am-5pm.  Upcoming drivers’ clinics and information on programs offered is available at www.corvettemuseum.org/simulators.

Edelbrock Family Foundation Sponsoring Summer Camps at National Corvette Museum

Five Day-Long Camps Slated for July

For the past five years the National Corvette Museum has hosted an automotive-themed “Vette Camp” to introduce kids to the world of cars and Corvette. This summer, the Museum has teamed up with the Edelbrock Family Foundation to bring not one, but five camps combining cars with other exciting themes.

“We have a lot of repeat campers each summer, so we decided to come up with some themed day-long camps to provide variety while still offering some of the favorite automotive activities,” said Museum Education Coordinator, Kellie Steen.  “We think this summer’s camps will attract new campers to the Museum, and give kids the opportunity to pick and choose their favorite topics.  It will also give us the opportunity to host a lot more kids than we have in the past.”

The themes of the camp include Minecraft (July 9 and 30), Sinkhole Science (July 20), Superhero Science (July 27), and Wild Weather (July 31). In addition to the themed activities, campers will have the opportunity to ride in a Corvette, tour the GM Bowling Green Assembly Plant and/or participate in a discussion and Q&A with a Corvette Plant engineer. Each camp is 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. C.T. with early drop off and late pickup available. The cost is $45 per child, per camp and online registration is available at www.corvettemuseum.org.

The Edelbrock Family Foundation was formed with the purpose of bringing together like-minded organizations that share a passion for providing education and training for America’s youth. “We hope to foster a new generation of automotive industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, enthusiasts and more,” said Vic Edelbrock, Jr.  The Edelbrock Family Foundation also supports Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge, Campus Cruisers, Automotive Education Alliance, Patriot Outreach and Rev’ved Up For Kids.

In addition to the summer camps, the funding supports the Museum’s drivers’ education programs.  In 2009 the Museum purchased two educational driving simulators, offering hands-on learning for drivers of all ages. Today, the Museum’s Drivers’ Safety Academy offers a number of courses, from Tire Rack Street Survival to Car Control and Situational Awareness Clinics, older driver courses through AARP, Powder Puff Mechanics and International Driving classes.  Programs utilize facilities at the Museum and NCM Motorsports Park, combining classroom instruction and hands-on training.  For a complete list of classes with descriptions and upcoming dates, visit www.corvettemuseum.org.

Sinkhole Surveying Nets Engineering Award

Ric Federico, EnSafe and Wendell Strode, Corvette Museum

On February 12, 2014, eight classic Chevrolet Corvettes were swallowed by a sinkhole that opened up beneath the Skydome of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. A year later, the technology used to survey the sinkhole and surrounding areas nets local company EnSafe an award.

"Every year the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) - Tennessee Chapter issues an award for engineering excellence," said Ric Federico, Senior Project Manager in the Bowling Green, Kentucky office of EnSafe, Inc. "For our work in mapping the cave without drilling into it from the surface, the EnSafe NCM microgravity project was entered into the Surveying and Mapping Technology category where it won the Grand Award."

EnSafe provided support in evaluating potential environmental and safety concerns in the Museum's Skydome during initial response activities, and subsequently designed and conducted a microgravity survey to evaluate the extent of the void and aid in identifying other potential karst features beneath the Skydome. EnSafe worked with Western Kentucky University (WKU) professors from the Department of Geography and Geology, who entered the void and prepared a cave map, which revealed excellent correlation between the microgravity data and the actual cave dimensions.

"We worked closely with WKU, Hayward Baker, and Scott, Murphy, Daniel early on and throughout the project to help the National Corvette Museum evaluate the problem and potential remedies, and we are pleased that our project and data were of value to the project team in developing and refining the micropile strategy," said Federico.

Geotechnical firm Hayward Baker is currently finalizing micropile installation and the Skydome construction is on track to be complete in July.

NCM Ambassador Thinks Outside the Brick

When it comes to supporting the Museum, our Ambassadors find creative ways to get their fellow club members on board. Ken Bakenhus of San Jacinto Corvette Club in Houston, TX is one such Ambassador - thinking outside the box (or in this case, brick) to garner donations for the Museum.

"When raising funds for our club bench, I gave different incentives for different donation levels such as a plaque, club jacket, dinners or a combination of all three for the larger donations," said Ken. "After raising the bench funds, I was able to sell a lot of bricks because members wanted their brick in front of the bench."

Ken also got creative by gluing C7 model Corvettes to the top of Flint Bricks, and using them as rewards to members who contributed to the club's Motorsports Park 'Acre.'

"Using my Lifetime Membership discount for the C7 models, and the bricks on sale at 3 for $25, I raised $4,800 with just a $444 expenditure."

Thanks, Ken, for your creativity and support!

Does your club have an ambassador? If not, check out the process to have one online here: www.corvettemuseum.org/ambassadors.

Museum Member Donates Cars for Kids

Museum Lifetime Member and Master Ambassador Marty Dooley of St. Louis, MO has been collecting toy Corvettes since he was a boy - and now he's sharing his toys with other kids.
"While visiting the Museum I saw a lot of kids there, and after asking what was going on I learned that the Museum was hosting Vette Camp for kids to learn about the cars," said Marty. "Thinking of all the Hot Wheel type Corvette cars I had at home and no longer needed, I asked if I could donate them to the NCM so the kids could have a little remembrance of their camp day."

Marty gathered up his cars, about 200 total, and brought them on he and wife Judy's next visit to the Museum. Education Coordinator Kellie Steen says the cars will be very much appreciated and enjoyed by the kids. "This will be our sixth year of offering camps for children, and I know the cars will be a huge hit!" Steen said.

The National Corvette Museum hosts a number of educational camps and activities throughout the year. To learn more, visit: www.corvettemuseum.org/kids.

National Corvette Museum Celebrates 10,000th Delivery

While you may have seen truckloads of brand new Corvettes traveling the interstates ready for delivery to dealerships across the country, a large number of America’s sports car are also delivered just across the street from the world’s only GM Corvette Assembly Plant to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. On Friday, March 6, 2015 the 10,000 Corvette was delivered to the Museum, ready and waiting for its new owners.

In September 1995 a program began at the Museum where Corvette customers, when ordering their new car from Chevrolet dealers across the U.S., can select option code “R8C” designating that they will take delivery of their car at the Museum. The program includes a personal V.I.P. tour of the Plant and Museum, a detailed hands-on Corvette introduction and feature demonstration by a trained delivery team member, an engraved plaque, a Museum Delivery door jamb decal, and a one-year individual membership to the Museum. The Museum has delivered new Corvettes to buyers from every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.

“Corvette owners really enjoy red carpet treatment, and what better place to receive that than at the Home of Corvette?” said Shane Webb, Museum Delivery Manager. “We have delivered over 1,700 seventh generation Corvettes in the past 17 months alone, so not only is the latest model Corvette growing in popularity, but our Delivery program is as well,” he added. The Museum ranked 2nd in number of Corvettes delivered in 2014.

Dave Effler of Aurora, CO was surprised on November 13, 2014 when he received a phone call telling him he had won a Corvette raffle sponsored by the Museum – and he was again surprised upon arriving at the Museum on Friday – learning that his car was the milestone 10,000th R8C delivery.

“Several years ago I came through the Museum with a friend and learned about the raffles, and dreamed of someday driving out of here in my own Corvette,” Dave recalls. “The night before this raffle came up I saw that there were still tickets available so right before I went to bed I hit purchase.” The next day Dave missed the call telling him he was the winner because he was in a business meeting. But as he checked messages on his way back to the office, he was in for a big surprise. “I nearly passed out,” he laughs.

He called his wife Susan, and left a message to call him back. “He said it was an emergency so naturally I thought family medical emergency. When I finally reached him he said, ‘you are never going to believe this, but we won a Corvette.’”

“We’ve always said that a Corvette would be our last big vehicle purchase for retirement, weekend trips and driving around the mountains in,” Susan says with a smile. “We kept saying, one of these days we’re going to get a Corvette. Today is the day.”

Because this was a “Build Your Own” Corvette raffle where the winner gets to pick out all of the options of the car, they went all-out putting together their dream Corvette – a 2015 Shark Gray Z51 Corvette Coupe. “It’s been pretty exciting,” Susan says. “This process of creating and putting together all of the options that he wanted. It’s almost been like the delivery of a baby. We’ve been waiting months for this. The anticipation and excitement… it’s like he is 16 again.”

She should know as they were high school sweethearts. Dave looks at her and smiles. “My friends have all known just how long I’ve loved and lusted for a Corvette. Susan is my first love from high school, and this car is my second love.”

To commemorate the day, Dave was presented with a slate build sheet and window sticker for his car, and a framed photo of the experience – signed by all those involved with the Delivery. A special brick will also be placed in the walkway outside the Museum’s Delivery area, engraved with his name, the date and 10k Delivery.

“Being the 10,000th delivery is just icing on the cake,” Dave says. “The whole experience with the staff, and this extra attention, has just been great.”

“We are very proud to share this experience with Dave,” said Wendell Strode, Museum Executive Director. “We hope others who are purchasing a new Corvette will consider checking out the many programs we offer that provide hands-on, behind-the-scenes and V.I.P. experiences with your new car.”

In addition to the R8C Museum Delivery Program, the Museum offers Buyers’ Tours, Photo Albums, Engine Build Experiences, Personalized Plate Packages, Xperiences and V.I.P. Tours.

The Museum shares the excitement of the delivery experience with thousands, via the Museum’s webcams available online at corvettemuseum.org/webcam. Information on the Corvette Museum Delivery Program option is available through Chevrolet dealers across the United States, by calling the National Corvette Museum at (800) 205-4248, or by logging on to corvettemuseum.org.

The National Corvette Museum is the ‘Gateway to All Things Corvette’ and a member-driven, 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation. Weekly news on the latest Corvette developments, racing updates, event features and raffles are available by subscribing to “NCM eNews” at: corvettemuseum.org/ncmenews. Dedicated to the mission of celebration, education and preservation, the Museum is open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT - located at Exit 28 on I-65 in Bowling Green, KY.