New Powder Puff Mechanics Course Offered Saturday

Taking your vehicle in for repairs or maintenance can be an intimidating thing, especially when you might not have much experience in knowing what your car may or may not need done to it. The National Corvette Museum has developed a course to help consumers become more educated when buying parts and services for their vehicle.

Women especially can feel overwhelmed when they bring their vehicle in for servicing. “A car is a major, significant expense in the lives of most people and it’s just as important for women to know how to have their car serviced properly as it is for men,” said Roc Linkov, a Senior High Performance Driving Instructor for the Museum. Roc is also an instructor for the new Powder Puff Mechanics course and adds that it teaches women to be knowledgeable about their vehicle and provides them with information to help them keep their cars in running condition.

A shortened version of the course was offered at many of the Museum’s Corvette events, and was so popular it was decided to further expand the content and open it up to the public. The course will be held on Saturday, February 11 from 10am-2pm. The sessions cover topics including “under the hood” (air filters, how to check and fill fluids), controls and warning lights, owner’s manual review, tires (how to change a flat, check tire pressure, add air, read tire codes, identify wear patterns) and much more.

In addition to instructional and hands-on seminars covering care of cars, the course will also give attendees a chance to learn and practice what to do in emergency situations like tire blow out, using the NCM’s two state-of-the-art driving simulators. “Our simulators give people the chance to practice what to do in various scenarios on the road, ones you can’t safely practice in real life,” said NCM Education Coordinator Jackie Utzler. “We have launched the new NCM Drivers’ Safety Academy, offering a number of courses for both teens and older drivers to help make our roads and drivers safer. Powder Puff Mechanics will give people a taste of what the simulators have to offer.”

Registration for the course is only $10 for students (including college) and $12 for adults and includes the seminars, lunch and Museum admission. Participants are asked to pre-register online by Friday, February 10 at www.corvettemuseum.org/simulators. Girl Scouts can earn a patch for attending when they register through the local Girl Scout office at 270-842-6137.

For more information about Powder Puff Mechanics and the NCM Drivers’ Safety Academy, call 270-467-8852 or visit www.corvettemuseum.org/simulators.

Corvette Museum Lifetime Member Establishes Education Endowment

Lifetime Museum Member Eugene Nagowski shares his good fortune with the less fortunate and hopes to inspire other Corvette owners to do the same.

Eugene Nagowski never had any children of his own, but a few minutes around him is enough to confirm that he is something of a big kid himself. He loves life and likes to have fun in his 2010 Chevrolet Corvette, but his real joy comes from spreading happiness to others.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” the Texas resident says. “I was married for 44 years to the perfect person and with her, every day was special. How many people can say that?”

Since his wife Patricia passed away in 2009, Eugene has set out to honor her memory by being good to others. He’s donated money to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to help with medical care and the expenses of families staying there for treatment. “There really is no feeling like the one you get when you hear from a child who has been given some joy in the middle of all that suffering.” Eugene said.

“I’m an out-of-the-box kind of thinker,” Eugene added, “so it occurred to me that the Corvette Museum could give a lot of joy to underprivileged kids, too. Kids need fun in their lives and a reason to get excited. What’s more exciting than Corvettes? If a kid could come to the Museum, enjoy a day there and get away from it all, that could make a big difference in their life.”

Toward that end, Eugene has made a donation to establish an endowment and made a commitment to add to the endowment by July 2012. He hopes that his generosity will inspire other Corvette owners to band together and grow this endowment to help others.

“If every Corvette owner would just give a dollar, there would be enough seed money to where the interest alone could fund all kinds of good work. For those able to do more, they should do more to help this happen.” Eugene hopes that the fund can do other great things, like bring in kids from families who couldn’t otherwise afford it to enjoy a day of fun at the Museum and even pay for wheelchairs for use in the Museum by special needs children. He wants everyone to know that the Corvette community cares.

For more information on the National Corvette Museum’s Education Endowment and programs offered for children, visit www.corvettemuseum.org/kids.

It's a Nano World Exhibit Opens at the Corvette Museum

January 14 the National Corvette Museum welcomes a special traveling exhibition from the Ithaca, New York Sciencenter entitled “It’s a Nano World.” The exhibit introduces children and their families to the biological wonders of the nano world and inspires curiosity, creating a context for future learning about nanobiotechnology.

The hands-on exhibit’s focus is on the “adventures” of very tiny things and demonstrates the tools scientists use to see them. At the ‘Magnification Station’ visitors can use microscopes of different strengths to look at items such as shells, paper, sand and hair. Children can become larger than life at the ‘Giant Magnifying Glass’ and can learn about the effects of small things in the air while playing ‘germ, dust and pollen pinball.’ There is also a ‘Giant Blood Drop’ represented by a large pit filled with over one thousand red balls (red blood cells) and the challenge is to hunt for the few fluffy white balls (white blood cells).

“This will be the third year in a row that we’ve brought in a special exhibit during this time period,” said Katie Frassinelli, Marketing and Communications Manager. “Your ticket into the Museum gives you access to both Corvettes and this hands-on children’s science exhibit… it’s like two in one!”

The exhibit will officially kick off on Saturday, January 21 with Family Fun day, offering free activities in the Museum’s Conference Center from noon-3pm.

The exhibit is funded in part by a sponsorship from PNC Bank. “PNC has developed a program called ‘Grow Up Great’ which helps prepare children for success in school and life, especially underserved children,” said Katie. “This will be our second exhibit to work with PNC on, and this year we are bringing in all of the Bowling Green Headstart children as part of their sponsorship to give them the opportunity to enjoy the exhibit.”

Through Grow Up Great, PNC supports families, educators and community partners to provide innovative opportunities that enhance learning and development in a child’s early years. Research shows that children who participate in high-quality preschool programs are far more likely to experience greater educational achievements, strive toward higher vocational aspirations and contribute to society later in life. Their website, http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com/ offers a number of great Sesame Street themed activities, downloads and information.

"We’re excited to bring this hands-on exhibit to Bowling Green,” said Kevin Carrico, PNC Regional Manager. “PNC’s Grow Up Great program offers educational opportunities to children everywhere, and It's a Nano World has activities families not only from south central Kentucky can enjoy, but also the many visitors who pass through our wonderful community.”

In addition to PNC’s commitment the Museum is seeking businesses and individuals to sponsor classrooms and schools that might not otherwise get the opportunity to take a field trip. The “Fund-A-Fieldtrip” program has the potential to increase the number of visitors to the Museum while providing kids with a fun, educational learning opportunity outside the classroom walls. Classroom sponsorships are $300 and include a number of recognition benefits. Contact Katie at 270-467-8846 or katie@corvettemuseum.org to find out how you can sponsor a classroom.

Admission to the Museum and Exhibit(Regular admission price includes the exhibit)
$10 for adults
$5 for kids age 6-16
$8 for seniors
$25 family admission (everyone in a household)
$4 student groups age 6-16
$3 student groups age 3-5
(1 free teacher/leader with every 10 students, bus drivers free)

Discount tickets to the exhibit are available at Bowling Green and Smiths Grove branches of PNC Bank, and PNC Bank customers may simply show a bank card to purchase discount tickets at the Museum.

Hours & LocationOpen seven days a week, 8am-5pm CT
350 Corvette Drive, just off I-65 exit 28.
The exhibit is open January 14 - April 15, 2012

Learn more about this and other educational programs offered by the Museum online at www.corvettemuseum.org/exhibits/nanoworld.shtml.

For more information on the National Corvette Museum, visit our website at: http://www.corvettemuseum.org/ or call (800) 53-VETTE (83883).

Family Fun DaySaturday, January 21 - 12-3pm
The exhibit will officially kick off on Saturday, January 21 with Family Fun day, offering free activities in the Museum’s Conference Center from noon-3pm. Activities include an indoor inflatable, face painting, arts and crafts activities, games, vendor booths and more. The first 50 kids to attend will receive FREE admission to the Museum and Nano World exhibit!


Character BreakfastSaturday, January 21 - 8-11am
Kid Stuff Around Town, a local nonprofit organization who matches youth volunteers with opportunities, is hosting a "Character Breakfast" in conjunction with Family Fun Day. The breakfast will give families the opportunity to dine with various "characters" including Big Red, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, Cinderella, Iggy, Licky, Axel the Hot Rods Bear and many others. Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased online at:http://www.kidstuffaroundtown.com/.

2012 Corvette Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

The National Corvette Museum has announced the following inductees to be recognized as part of the 15th Annual Corvette Hall of Fame Ceremony in 2012: Gary Claudio in the category of GM/Chevrolet; Patrick Dolan in the category of Corvette enthusiast/historian ; Bob McDorman also in the category of Corvette enthusiast/historian; and Andy Pilgrim, a champion driver for Corvette Racing will all be recognized with the highest honor bestowed by the Museum for their contributions to the past, present and future of Corvette.

The 2012 Hall of Fame recipients will be inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame during a ceremony and banquet on Friday, August 31, 2012. Their induction will take place as part of the Museum’s 18th Anniversary Corvette Celebration festivities August 30 – September 1, 2012.

Corvette Hall of Fame Inductee Gary Claudio spent over 27 years at General Motors, starting in the Pontiac Division but transferring to Chevrolet in 1998 as Manager of the Chevy Race Shop. Claudio worked with Doug Fehan (current Corvette Racing Program Manager) to develop the Corvette Race Program. While Doug handled the technical issues, Gary handled everything else including securing the original sponsors, plus obtaining additional funding from Chevrolet Management which allowed GM to race two cars and to race at Le Mans.

Claudio developed and implemented Corvette Corrals, negotiated the participation of Dale Earnhardt and Dale, Jr. to drive the #3 Corvette in the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, was intimately involved with several special edition Corvettes, presided over the successful launch of the ZR1, landed two noteworthy drivers to pace Indy (Jay Leno and Colin Powell), helped develop and name the Corvette Racing mascot “Jake” and served on the NCM Board of Directors for two years. Though he retired from GM in 2008, his Corvette and Corvette Racing marketing accomplishments and support of the Museum continue to be noticed today. Claudio continues to be a true fan and supporter of the Museum, uniting eight Corvette Clubs in the Detroit area for the Motor City Corvette Concours naming the Museum as a beneficiary of the annual show.

Corvette Hall of Fame Inductee Patrick Dolan first started collecting Corvettes at age 9 with a 1953 large scale model and at age 22 purchased his first Corvette – a 1966 white convertible. Dolan has owned a Corvette each year since 1967 and currently owns five. He joined the Royal Corvettes of Western Michigan in 1968 and started participating in circle track racing in 1969. Dolan was very active in the NCCC competition program from 1973-1991, racing in numerous autocrosses throughout the country – winning his class and posting the Fastest Time of Day in 95% of the events he entered.

Dolan has been very active in NCCC, serving as VP of Competition, President for two consecutive terms, Director of Charity and developing the NCCC sponsorship program. In total, he has served on the NCCC Executive Board for 22 of the past 23 years. Dolan is a Founding Member of the National Corvette Museum. He was present at the first general meeting in Cypress Gardens, FL in January 1989, served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and headed the Acquisition Committee from 1991-1994. His dedication and continuing involvement with the NCM was crucial to its initial success.

Corvette Hall of Fame Inductee Bob McDorman has been one of the premier Corvette enthusiasts for more than 50 years. His automobile collections have literally contained hundreds of Corvettes, many of which have been the most sought after and prized Corvettes in the world. McDorman’s collection once included 150 collector cars, all GM, and mostly Corvettes housed in eight buildings on the grounds of his dealership in Canal Winchester, Ohio. Bob spent 16 of his early years working in GM dealerships learning the ins and outs of running a successful business. In 1965 he purchased the Ralph Smith Chevrolet dealership in Groveport, OH and in 1968 moved it to the 33-acre lot in Canal Winchester where he remains today.

Each September McDorman hosted an annual “Corvettes and Chevys on the Canal,” which raised over $275,000 for the local children’s hospital. In addition to being a Lifetime Member of the National Corvette Museum, he has loaned Corvettes for Museum use, including several rare Corvettes for display, and has supported many programs of the Museum including bricks, membership, events, advertising and donations. McDorman was awarded the Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award in 1978 and 2007, 2010 Bloomington Gold “Great Hall” Inductee and numerous other humanitarian and achievement awards.

Corvette Hall of Fame Inductee Andy Pilgrim joined the Corvette Racing team in 1999 after a successful career in IMSA racing where he earned four championships in four consecutive years. Teamed with Ron Fellows, Pilgrim scored the team’s historic first victory at Texas Motor Speedway in September 2000. In 2001, Pilgrim finished second in GTS in the Sebring 12-Hour and Le Mans 24-Hour endurance races, and was on the winning team for the Petit Le Mans season finale at Road Atlanta.

In 2001 he was selected as Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jr.’s teammate in the 24 Hours of Daytona, finishing second in the GTS class behind the sister Corvette C5-R. Pilgrim left the Corvette program in 2004 but stayed with General Motors, driving for the winning team at the Daytona 24 in a Doran-Pontiac, and spent the rest of the season driving for the new Cadillac CTS-V factory team in the SPEED World Challenge GT Series. Pilgrim won the driver’s championship in the CTS-V, and finished 3rd and 2nd in the series in 2006 and 2007. He also made his NASCAR Busch Series debut, driving two road course races for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s JR Motorsports team. In 2011, he joined former Corvette Racing teammate Johnny O’Connell in driving the factory Cadillac CTS-V Coupe in the World Challenge and made his Sprint Cup debut driving the 46 car for Whitney Motorsports, finishing 26th.

Pilgrim started the Andy Pilgrim Foundation in 2008 to educate new street drivers and raise awareness of the problems of distracted driving. He has a long history of attending and serving as an instructor at the Museum’s High Performance Driving schools, and has hosted golf tournaments in conjunction with the Museum’s annual C5/C6 Bash with proceeds benefitting the Museum.

The National Corvette Museum established the Corvette Hall of Fame in 1998 to confer the highest honor and recognition upon the most influential individuals in the history of the Corvette. The award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to their respective fields, each having reached the highest level of accomplishment. Inductees must also reflect the highest standards of integrity and character to positively enhance the prestige of the Corvette and the National Corvette Museum.

Additional information on reserving a spot at the prestigious Corvette Hall of Fame banquet will be available in the coming months via our website at: www.corvettemuseum.org or can be obtained by subscribing to our weekly eNewsletter “NCM eNews” at: www.corvettemuseum.org/ncmenews/.

The National Corvette Museum is a member-driven, non-profit foundation dedicated to educating the public through the preservation of the Corvette’s past, present and future heritage. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, the Museum is located at Exit 28 off I-65 in Bowling Green, KY.

National Corvette Museum Offers "Dollar Days" to Kentucky Residents Visiting in the Month of December

The National Corvette Museum has named the entire month of December “Dollar Days” for residents of Kentucky who visit the Museum. All month long, Kentucky residents can tour the Museum for a $1.00 admission per person, and will only need to show a Kentucky drivers license or other proof of residency to take advantage of the special offer. Children will be admitted at the $1.00 price with adults presenting the Kentucky identification.

The Museum features over 70 Corvettes, from the 1953 - the first Corvette to capture the hearts of America, to one-of-a-kind prototypes, the only 1983 in existence and historic Corvettes normally unavailable to the general public. A special "100 Years of Chevrolet" exhibit with more than a dozen examples of various Chevrolet marks are on display throughout December as well. Visitors can sit behind the wheel of a new Corvette, race against the clock with the interactive Pit Crew Challenge, and take a drive in the new educational Driving Simulators.

“Dollar Days” is the Museum’s way of giving back to Kentucky residents to thank them for their support and gives them an opportunity to see first-hand why the Corvette is one of the state’s greatest resources and the official state sports car. “We are proud to be able to showcase our Museum dedicated to this extraordinary automobile and celebrate, educate and preserve Corvette’s legendary past and future,” states NCM Executive Director Wendell Strode. “Each visit to the Museum is different because exhibits are ever changing. We look forward to welcoming our Kentucky friends.” Visitors can also take a chance to win a 2012 Corvette for only $10 and do some holiday shopping in the Corvette Store.

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.

Breakfast with Santa and Santa's Market at the Corvette Museum

There’s nothing like seeing the face of a child light up when they first spot Santa each holiday season… except maybe when you see a child spot Santa driving a red Corvette into the room! For kids (and kids at heart) it will be a memory they will never forget and for Santa – well, he gets a taste of what it must have been like when the Beatles would take the stage.

The National Corvette Museum is hosting the 3rd Annual Breakfast with Santa event on Saturday, November 26 at 9am, complete with the man in red in a Corvette of red! “There’s something magical about the moment when the garage doors open up and Santa comes driving in,” said Katie Frassinelli, Museum Marketing Manager. “I have to admit, even I get a little excited when it happens! It’s not something you’ll find anywhere else.”

This fun-filled event not only offers a hot breakfast for families and a chance for pictures with Santa AND a red Corvette, but also loads of activities like arts and crafts stations, dance performances, music, story time with Mrs. Claus, an IGA sweet treat station with goodies to take home, life-size gingerbread play houses and more.

“Each year we try to pick a theme and have craft activities, decorations and more that focus on the theme,” said Jackie Utzler, Education and Community Events Coordinator for the Museum. “This year each child will get the opportunity to actually make a mini gingerbread house to take home, in addition to other fun crafts.”

A new activity for this year is kid-sized gingerbread houses. The houses, transformed from empty appliance boxes into a miniature replica of historic downtown Bowling Green, will give younger kids a little extra activity to do. In addition, after the festivities the houses will be placed in the Museum for visitors to enjoy throughout the month of December.

Tickets for the event are only $12 for adults and $8 for kids 12 and under. Infants under 1 are free. Tickets must be reserved in advance by phone at 270-781-7973, online at www.corvettemuseum.org/registration/santa or in person at the National Corvette Museum, open daily 8am-5pm. A limited number of tickets are available.

New for 2011 is “Santa’s Market” – an indoor craft and shopping fair offering holiday gift ideas. The fair will also be on Saturday, November 26 on the Museum’s Corvette Boulevard and is free for the public to attend. The Market is 9am-3pm and vendors will be offering goods including sports merchandise, jewelry, homemade packaged foods, cookwear, doll clothing and accessories, children's books, candles, purses, totes and more.

Corvette Museum Offers "Free Admission" to Recognize US Military, Fire Fighters and Police in November

The National Corvette Museum would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the many men and women who have served, and are serving our country.

November is "Military Appreciation Month" at the National Corvette Museum and all military personnel, fire fighters, police officers and their immediate families receive "Free Admission" during the entire month of November. All American branches including active, retired and reserve members will be honored with free admission when presenting a military or service ID.

"We are truly a blessed nation and our military provide the safety we have to enjoy our American privileges," states NCM Executive Director, Wendell Strode. "Corvette is an American icon and we invite these special individuals and their family members to experience a tour of the Museum dedicated to America’s favorite sports car."

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOM!