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Words from Guy Welcome to the 50th Bloomington Gold Corvette Show! We are thrilled to have you celebrate this special event with us as we return to the town where it all started - Bloomington, IL! We have one heck of a weekend planned for you! For starters, join us Thursday night at the Gold Gala when we unveil the 2022 Collection: A Salute to the Gold Collection presented by Corvette Central. The Corvettes we have on exhibit this year will truly make Bloomington Gold the Granddaddy of Corvette shows. Many of these Corvettes have not been seen by the public. Others have been seen by very few. And be sure to stop by the Redbird Arena concourse to see the collection of equally impressive Camaros. While there are so many things about Bloomington Gold that I love, my favorite has to be the people that attend our Event each year! It is our shared passion for the Corvette that brings us together for a weekend in June each year. We hope that you enjoy Bloomington Gold this year! And, when you do, be sure to spread the word to all of your fellow Corvette lovers about the Greatest Corvette Event on Earth! Guy Larsen, President
Table of Contents Schedule of Events �������������������� 6 Gold School ��������������� 7,47 The Quest ������������������ 10 Gold Collection ������������� 14-18 Cars & Coffee ������������������ 22 Special Parking Displays ������������������ 26 Event Map ������������������ 28 Vendors ������������������ 30 Gold Tour ������������������ 34 Featured Artist ������������������ 41 As Seen on TV ������������������ 42 History of Bloomington Gold ������������������ 50 Sponsors ������������������ 56 Page 3
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Advertiser Index Leman Chevy City..... 2 American Collectors Insurance..... 4 XPEL..... 9 Mecum Auctions... 12 Titan Lifts... 13 Corvette Central... 16 Griots Garage... 19 Car Capsule... 21 Brembo... 23
Kelsey Tire... 27 MCACN... 36 Normal... 37 Trailex... 40 Bruce Shaw... 44 NCCC... 46 Ron Fellows Driving School... 46 Vette Vues... 53 Carlisle Events... 55 Page 5
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Thursday, June 9th 6:00pm Gold Gala Reception
Friday, June 10th 7:30am GoldField Parking Opens 8:00am Gates Open Gold Salute to Gold Collection Certification in Redbird Arena Swap Meet Indoor/Outdoor Vendor Displays Special Displays Beer Garden with Music 10:00am Gold School Seminars 6:00pm Show Closes Evening Festivities Gold Member Reception at Medici’s The Quest at Uptown Normal Theater
Saturday, June 11th 7:30am Cars & Coffee GoldField Parking Opens 8:00am Gold Salute to Gold Collection Survivor® and Resto Mod judging in Redbird Arena Swap Meet Indoor/Outdoor Vendor Displays Special Displays Beer Garden with Music 10:00am Gold School Seminars 3:00pm Certification Awards 4:30pm Line Up for Gold Tour in parking lot S81 5:00pm Gold Tour on Route 66 ending at Block Party in uptown Normal Hosted by BN Visitors Bureau
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Horton Field House Classrooms
Bloomington Gold has lined up two days of seminars and speakers that are unique to Bloomington Gold!
Gold School is FREE to Attend!
Friday, June 10
11:00am - The History of Bloomington Gold from the Inside A panel discussion featuring David Burroughs, Founder of Bloomington Gold Corvettes and Guy Larsen, President/Owner Bloomington Gold Corvettes. Moderated by John Kraman, Mecum Aution Lead TV Analyst. Noon - The Inside Scoop from John Kraman John Kraman, Director of Company Relations and Lead TV Commentator/Analyst for Mecum Auctions. 1:00pm - Origins of COPO: The Quest for 427 Presented by Matt Avery, Automobile Journalist, Photographer and Journalist. 2:30pm - Resto Mods at Bloomington Gold: How does Bloomington Judge a Resto Mod? With Ray Zisa, William Baker, Mike Hack and Jerry Mulick. Moderated by Lance Miller.
Saturday, June 11 10:00am - Early Corvette Race Cars With Doug Bergen, Kevin Mackay, Lance Miller, Irwin Kroiz, Moderated by Michael Brown. 10:00am - The Rise and Fall GMMG Camaro Presented by Matt Avery, Automobile Journalist, Photographer and Journalist. 11:00am - The Inside Scoop from John Kraman (repeat) John Kraman, Director of Company Relations and Lead TV Commentator/Analyst for Mecum Auctions. 11:00am - After Certification … Now What? Tom Hill, retired GM Engineer, Collection Curator. Noon - Collector Car Fraud Presented by Bruce Shaw, noted attorney and motor head. 1:00pm - Stamp and Tags Presented by Al Grenning and Marco Hartner.
See speaker bios and detailed seminar descriptions beginning on page 47. Page 7
Greetings Gold Members! Welcome Home to Bloomington! And welcome to the 50th edition of Bloomington Gold Corvettes; we are so happy to have you join us as a VIP! We hope you enjoy the weekend and all the events we have planned. As in past years, there are a number of perks for GoldMembers including complimentary entrance to the Gold Gala Thursday night, a reception at Medici’s Friday and lunch on Saturday. You should have received your badge and parking pass in the mail. Upon parking, stop by the GoldMember lounge to pick up your goodie bag. If you didn’t receive your polo in the mail, you will pick it up at check in as well! Have a great weekend and enjoy the 50th show! Jocelyn Young, VP Business Development
GOLDMEMBER SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Thursday, June 9th 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Gold Gala in the Bone Student Center
Friday, June 10th 8:00am - 6:00pm 8:00am - 4:00pm 8:00am - 9:30am 4:30pm - 6:30pm 7:00pm
GoldMember Corvette Parking Lot G73 GoldMember Check in, GoldMember Lounge Coffee & Pastries GoldMember Lounge Reception at Medici’s The Quest, Uptown Normal Theater
Saturday, June 11th 8:00am - 6:00pm GoldMember Corvette Parking Lot G73 8:00am - 4:00pm GoldMember Check in, GoldMember Lounge 8:00am - 9:30am Coffee & Pastries GoldMember Lounge 11:30am - 1:00pm GoldMember Lunch, GoldMember Lounge 4:30pm - 5:00pm GoldTour Staging in Lot S103 5:00pm GoldTour After Party, Uptown Normal
THANK YOU FOR COMING! WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A Page 8
GREAT TIME!
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THE QUEST chronicles the beginnings of Corvette Racing at the famed Le Mans 24 Hour Endurance Race in France. Corvettes first appeared there in June of 1960. This film re-caps that historic race and what happened to both the Corvettes and their drivers. Following the race, all the Corvettes were lost for decades. Collectors, restorers and enthusiasts came to recognize the historical significance of these cars, and an undercurrent of frantic searching was put into motion. Corvettes at Carlisle co-founder Chip Miller set a personal goal of finding the 1960 class-winning #3 Corvette, acquiring it, and restoring it. The final part was to return it to Le Mans in 2010, with one of the original drivers, legendary racer John Fitch, to mark the 50th anniversary of the car’s win. But a chain of heartbreaking events prevented Chip Miller from accomplishing his goal. THE QUEST reveals a series of sub-stories that all feed into the emotional tale of a son feeling compelled to honor his father’s wish. Told by many of the people directly involved, THE QUEST uses archival materials to weave a story never told in its entirety…until now.
FRIDAY JUNE 10th Theater Opens at 6:30pm. The Quest starts at 7:00pm. Q & A at 8:30pm. Tickets $8.
Tickets are on sale now! Pre-purchased tickets will be picked up at the Gold Store in Horton Field House on Friday, June 10th. Tickets will also be on sale at the Theater until they are sold out.
209 W North Street Normal, IL 61761
SPECIAL GUESTS: SON OF CHIP MILLER • CURRENT OWNER • RESTORER •
LANCE MILLER MICHAEL BROWN DIRECTOR/PRODUCER IRWIN KROIZ KEVIN MACKAY GUY LARSEN BLOOMINGTON GOLD CORVETTES The 1960 Corvette Cunningham LeMans Racer will be on display in the Gold Collection located in the Bone Student Center. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation.
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Concessions will be available including your favorite beers from local breweries!
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tion e Gold Collec th to te lu a S Collection: A ial Collection, The 2022 Gold the-top tradition of The Spec , followed by verrs o a e e y th 5 s 2 e u r n fo ti n o ld c n Go ow y Bloomingto ld Collection n o G t n e rr u c as presented b e cars (5 years), and th me of the best so te lu sa The Great Hall l il w been) This year we e never before v a h t a in its 8th year. th e m been (and so that have ever . omington Gold displayed at Blo and en seen before e b R E V E N e ALL rs…Some hav time, but they g n lo ry e 28 Special Ca v a r been seen fo ak peek by att e o sn n a e v e a v h a h e m n a so ou c le story to tell. Y or take a shutt g in n e v e y a d have a special rs u turday ld Gala on Th n Friday or Sa o r te n e C tending the Go e n o rena to the B from Redbird A of the Show. n of Bloomingto ry to is h e th t u o b e able to learn a from the early days. BloomYou will also b ge ta tte Show s see real foo a ll e w s d’s Best Corve a rl o ld o W G e th g rs n ri goal is to b started 50 yea ll a it re e h w ington Gold’s , IL lBloomington, to the Gold Co te lu a S ld o back home to G e walk through th een achieved. ago. After you as b ill realize this h w u o y , n o ti c le ld alute to the Go S ld o G e th t a u al. rd to seeing yo orvette Centr C We look forwa y b d te n se re udly p Collection pro
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and Sport, • 1963 Corvette Gr STITUTE, Naples, FL. Owned by REV’S IN
6, 8,844 Miles, • 1971 Corvette LS ” “Zora’s Last Hurrah!
S.O.10323, rley Earl Styling Car • 1963 Corvette, Ha hell, GM Chief of Design Built for William Mitc
r,
ans Race Cunningham Le M • 1960 Corvette #3 l h overal Class winner and 8t
And more.... • 1956 Corvette Sebring Racer, Factory production ‘56 prepared for racing by GM • 1956 Corvette SR2, Built by GM Chief of Design, Harley Earl for his son Jerome • 1957 Corvette, Former owner The Chip Miller Collection • 1960 Corvette Camoradi Le Mans Racer 1960 Le Mans entry, 2nd in class at Sebring, 10th overall • 1961 Corvette Sebring Racer • 1963 Corvette Z06, Export • 1965 Corvette 327/375, Fuel Injected, 1,500 Miles • 1965 Corvette 396/425, former owner Peter Fonda • 1966 Corvette 427/425 • 1966 Corvette Development L88 Roger Penske Racer, 1st in class at Daytona 24 hour and Sebring 12 hour • 1967 Corvette 427/435 • 1967 Corvette 427/430 L88, 12 miles • 1968 Corvette 427/430 L88, Band-Aid Racer • 1969 Corvette L88, 13,700 miles • 1969 Corvette ZL1, 1 of 2 produced • 1971 Corvette ZR1, The only production convertible • 1971 Corvette ZR2, 1 of 2 produced • 1975 Corvette Convertible, 4,629 produced • 1978 Corvette Indianapolis 500 Pace Car, L82-4 speed • 1990 Corvette ZR1, 43 miles, factory/dealer delivery condition • 1990 Callaway Corvette, Cherry Smash ZR1/LT5 Speedster • 1996 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible, Benchmark, Export • 2001 Corvette C5.R Racer, Dale Earnhardt Sr. - Team Driver Page 17
In addition to the Gold Salute in the Bone Student Center, there will be a second collection in Redbird Arena. Be sure to take time to see these significant cars. Here are just a couple of the cars that are making up the 2022 Camaro Collection!
1967 Z 28 known as SleeZ Owned by Steve Wareham One time a successful drag strip racer in the 1960’s to a barn find in 2012, learn the full story behind Sleez and what the name stands for!
1967 Camaro Dealer Ordered Indy Pace Car Convertible Restored & Owned by Larry Christensen
AND MANY
MORE! Page 18
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Don’t forget to stop by the
in Horton Field House to get all your
Bloomington Gold apparel and memorabilia!
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Take a break in the Beer Garden! Located in a tented area in the Southwest corner of Cardinal Stadium! Enjoy a beer from local breweries, music and friends as you take a break from the busy day. Open daily from 11:00am-4:00pm You must be 21 years old to enter the beer garden. Sponsored by Friends of Bloomington Gold:
Maria Pia & Joseph Cacciatore
Join us before the show on Saturday, June 11th and enjoy your morning coffee with fellow Corvette and Camaro friends! Cars and Coffee Saturday, June 11th Lot G82 & Club Parking Lot G53 Parking lots open at 7:00am Coffee arrives at 7:30am Sponsored By
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A 50 Year Celebration of the 1970, 1971 & 1972 Corvette
This year, as we get back to Normal, Bloomington Gold is recognizing three special year Corvettes: 1970, 1971 & 1972 as part of our Gold Year Celebration! Please be sure to walk through the Gold Year display located in the Special Display Lot (G73) on the East side of Hancock Stadium.
Coupe: $5,192 Convertible: $4,849 350ci-300HP (standard) 350ci-370HP 454ci-390HP 3-speed manual (standard) 4-speed manual 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic 144mph Top Speed 17,316 Units produced Available colors: Classic White, Monza Red, Marlboro Maroon, Mulsanne Blue, Bridgehampton Blue, Donnybrooke Green, Daytona Yellow, Cortez Silver, Ontario Orange, Laguna Gray, Corvette Bronz. The 1970 Corvette replaced the 4 side gills with an egg-crate vents on the side. The fenders were flared slightly to keep rocks from being kicked up and scratching the paint. The seats were redesigned to create more headroom. 1970 enlarged the “Big Block” (known as the Rat motor) to its largest displacement at 454 ci. Also in 1970: • A Gallon of Gas Cost .36 cents a gallon. • Average Price of a new home was $23,450 with the average income of $9,400. • The voting age dropped to 18 and 100,000 people descended on Washington DC to protest the Vietnam war. • Let it Be was released by the Beatles. • Sadly, the Beatles announced they were breaking up and the five Elvis singles released by RCA in 1970 kept his name on the chart for 45 weeks. • Both Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin died of drug overdoses. • On a happier note, Tina Fey, Naomi Campbell and Jocelyn Young were born. Interestingly….The relatively low production in 1970 was caused by a labor dispute that started in May of 1969. This dispute caused the 1969 production run to be stretched 4 months and the 1970 run to be cut short. Tuxedo Black was no longer available as an exterior color although there were probably a few cars that were painted black as special orders.
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Coupe: $5,496 Convertible: $5,259 350ci-270HP (standard) 350ci-330HP 454ci-365HP 454ci-425HP 3-speed manual (standard) 4-speed manual 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic 152mph Top Speed 21,801 Units produced Available colors: Nevada Silver, Sunflower Yellow, Classic White, Mille Miglia Red, Mulsanne Blue, Bridgehampton Blue, Brands Hatch Green, Ontario Orange, Steel Cities Gray, War Bonnet Yellow. Also in 1971: • With the break-up of the Beatles, Paul McCartney formed Wings. • All in the Family and the Brady Bunch aired and Dirty Harry asked “Do you feel lucky…well do ya Punk?” • Sadly, we lost Jim Morrison and Coco Channel • A whopping number of celebrities were born including: Snoop Dogg, Mark Wahlberg, Jared Leto, Tupac Shakur and Elon Musk.
Coupe: $5,533 Convertible: $5,296 350ci-200HP (standard) 350ci-255HP 454ci-270HP (N/A in California) 3-speed manual (standard) 4-speed manual 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic Available colors: Sunflower Yellow, Pewter Silver, Bryar Blue, Elkhart Green, Classic White, Mille Maglia Red, Targa Blue, Ontario Orange, Steel Cities Gray, War Bonnet Yellow. Although its arrival was anticipated by consumers and critics alike, there were virtually no physical or mechanical changes made to the 1972 Corvette from the previous year. Also in 1972: • Headline news includes Munich Olympics Terrorist Attack and Mark Spitz’s 7 gold medals. • Digital Watches are introduced and we saw the first pay cable network, HBO. • M*A*S*H premiered and Atari releases PONG. • Dwayne Johnson and Eminem were born.
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Unique Corvettes parked in Lot G73 on the East Side of Hancock Stadium. Be sure to take time strolling this lot and seeing the different displays. See a display of 1970, 1971 & 1972 Corvettes that make up the 2022
GOLDYEAR DISPLAY
SOLID AXLE CORVETTE CLUB The SACC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, care, history, and enjoyment of the 1953 to 1962 Corvettes. Take time to see this display of C1’s at Bloomington Gold! Be sure to also stop by the SACC booth inside Horton Field House!
C8 PARKING
Calling all C8’s! We welcome you to park in lot G73 with the other C8’s. We can’t get enough of seeing your generation!
GOLDMEMBER PARKING Corvette and Camaro parking for our VIP’s!
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VENDORS Al Knoch Interiors 1-800-880-8080 melanie.alknoch@flash.net alknochinteriors.com Manufacturer of the finest Corvette & Camaro interiors available anywhere. Location: Swap Meet Lot Ambrose, Tom (847) 251-8375 thambrose@sbcglobal.net Location: Swap Meet Lot American Collector’s Insurance 1-888-450-2961 info@americancollectors.com www.americancollectors.com Collector Car Insurance. Location: Horton Field House Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants Scott Kirk (773) 329-3811 kirk_scott_d@yahoo.com www.amsoil.com Location: Swap Meet Lot APSIS USA, Inc. Jersey Wu (631) 421-6800 apsis123@gmail.com www.apsisusa.com Carbon parts, Splash Guard. Location: Horton Field House Baker, Don (815) 210-3057 donbake@indianvalley.com 56-65 Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Bellflower Art Mary Yeadon (309) 275-9740 maryeadon@yahoo.com marywattyeadon.com Original Art/Prints & Giclee. Location: Horton Field House Bill’s ’63-’67 Corvette Parts Bill Braun (224) 355-3755 billszo6@yahoo.com ’63-’67 Corvette Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Bloomington Gold Store BloomingtonGold.com Authentic Bloomington Gold apparel! Location: Horton Field House Brembo USA www.brembostoreusa.com Brakes- Official Brake of Bloomington Gold. Location: Patio
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in alphabetical order C123 Corvettes Randy Mitchell (815) 228-5893 asp@mtco.com New & used parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Calhoun, John (217) 725-2517 sctc-1@comcast.net Location: Swap Meet Lot Car Capsule Phil Potocki (219) 712-7472 phil@carcapsule.com www.carcapsule.com Car Capsules. Location: Horton Field House CarArtWork Diane Everse (502) 254-1992 deverse@carartwork.biz www.carartwork.biz GM licensed metal automotive sculptures and accessories. Location: Horton Field House
Coldwell Banker Matt Hansen (309) 533-5882 matthansenrealestate1@gmail.com Car Club Sponsor. Community Liaison. Location: Patio Corvette Central Scott Kohn (269) 426-3342 stkohn@corvettecentral.com CorvetteCentral.com Corvette Parts & Accessories since 1975. Location: Horton Field House Corvette Clocks by Roger Scott Whipple (740) 417-9476 scott@corvetteclocks.com CorvetteClocks.com Repair/Restoration of Corvette clocks, gauges, radios, etc. Location: Horton Field House
Engines Limited Randy Chapin (920) 379-6581 engineslimited57@gmail.com www.engineslimited.com In business for 35 years, home of the hot tanked and magnufluxed block and the Ohio Broaching machine. Location: Swap Meet Lot Factory Hot Rods, Inc. Noel Grace (513) 772-8777 vettes4you@aol.com Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Falk, Bruce (815) 726-6455 bbfalk@aol.com Location: Swap Meet Lot Garage Cleaner Gene Nyman (618) 345-0888 gr8planes@aol.com Corvette Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot
Corvette Collectibles Joe Blakemore (314) 537-4403 joeblaemore39@charter.net Corvette collectibles, toys and parts. GM Parts & Accessories Location: Swap Meet Lot Jim Struck (708) 485-0562 Carlisle Events Corvette Specialties of Kansas Corvette Parts N.O.S & Used. Tami DeMark City Location: Swap Meet Lot (717) 243-7855 Jon Shafer tamid@carlisleevents.com (913) 488-2592 Griot’s Garage Corvettes of Carlisle. jon@corvspeckc.com Matthews Jason Location: Horton Field House corvspeckc.com 1-800-345-5789 C1 C2 & C3, NOS. customerservice@griotsgarage. Chevy Cool Location: Swap Meet Lot com Ron Burke www.griotsgarage.com (480) 720-8000 Curtis, Albert & Kent Car Care Products: Official Car chevycool@msn.com (847) 340-9472 Care Co. of Bloomington Gold. ChevyCool.com albcurt5@aol.com Location: Horton Field House Classic Chevrolet waterpumps, Corvette parts: 1963-1967. starters and other parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Hanner, Jim Location: Swap Meet Lot (618) 530-0910 Custom Metal Finishing Indiana, jhanner@frontiernet.net Classic Motors LLC 1956-1967 Corvette Parts. Bob Zimmerman Jake Canfield Location: Swap Meet Lot (630) 664-7103 (765) 478-9990 classicmtr@aol.com chromeplater1@yahoo.com Hardesty, Dennis Parts. www.ChromePlatingIn.com (618) 344-0021 Location: Swap Meet Lot Chrome Plating. dhardesty67@gmail.com Location: Horton Field House Parts. Classique Enterprises Location: Swap Meet Lot Byron Bode D & A Corvette (763) 228-6556 Dick Ferrando Heckenberg, Don byronwbode@aol.com (217) 839-3207 (319) 752-5206 Corvette Parts. Dacorvette@frontiernet.net dynodonh@gmail.com Location: Swap Meet Lot www.da-corvette.com Corvette Parts. Corvette restoration and frame Location: Swap Meet Lot Coffman Corvettes repair. Clint Coffman Location: Patio Jack Podell Fuel Injection (419) 295-1224 Specialist coffman2c@gmail.com Dana Forrester Automotive Art Restored 1957-1965 fuel injections, www.coffmancorvette.com Dana Forrester distributors, air cleaners, parts Manufacturer of restoration and and related items. Corvette replacement Corvette parts as well (816) 478-0427 Apparel for the entire family with as RESTO MOD chassis components. forresterd@sbcglobal.net www.danaforrester.com extensive woman’s apparel. Location: Swap Meet Lot Original automotive paintings & Location: Horton Field House limited edition prints & books. Location: Horton Field House
Jet Vette James Feltes (630) 513-5949 vettepart@aol.com Early Corvette Parts: Intake and Ext. Manifolds /Coils /Early Seat Belts/Bellhousings /Wiper Motors/2x4 Carbs/Posi/T-10 Trans Stuff/Carburetors/Wheels/Volt Regulators/Hubcaps/Early Convert Top. Location: Swap Meet Lot
Morton, James (865) 719-1864 1970jmorton@gmail.com Location: Swap Meet Lot
Salley, Steve (937) 258-3333 stesal@msn.com Location: Swap Meet Lot
Tober, Tim hnl66sting@aol.com C2 Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot
Motor Sports Marketplace Kathy Podell (574) 220-3975 podellsfi@aol.com Corvette Apparel. Location: Horton Field House
Lindee, Scott (815) 717-8187 sal70lt1@yahoo.com 1970–72 LT1 Survey. Location: Swap Meet Lot
Todd’s Auto Center Todd Esche (605) 351-4980 toddsautocenter@gmail.com 1953 to 1967 Corvette Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot
Joe’s Garage Joe Galindo (612) 290-3877 fiftyfifty232@q.com Location: Swap Meet Lot
Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals MCACN.com Indoor Muscle Car and Corvette Show. Location: Horton Field House
Kathrinus, Bill (314) 540-0980 bdk64@sbcglobal.net Corvette Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot
N2CARS Greg Willbanks (314) 398-1760 firesystemdesign@centurytel.net Corvette Parts (C3). Location: Swap Meet Lot
Kool Cars/Parts Express Bob Dombrowski (440) 821-5106 info@koolcars.com Used 53-82 Corvette Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Lang, Jerry (309) 827-0253 JerrJDL@aol.com Corvette Manuals, Original Corvette Memorabilia, Dealer books, etc. Location: Horton Field House Leman Chevy City (309) 433-0243 LemanChevy.com Host Dealer. Location: Patio McChesney, Bill David McChesney (515) 219-0400 centraliowacorvette@gmail.com Location: Swap Meet Lot Mechling, Steve (217) 898-1152 smechlin@gmail.com Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Melrose T Tops Chris Wiehle (815) 761-7217 chris@melroset-tops.com www.melrosecorvette.com Direct Replacement Corvette T-Tops and Roof Panels..Will do installs! Location: Swap Meet Lot Midwest Kustoms Larry Huff (815) 505-7589 larryhuff720@gmail.com Location: Swap Meet Lot
Naeger, Bill (618) 803-8554 billandjeanene@att.net Car Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot NCRS National Dave King (513) 760-6277 #2 ddking@woh.rr.com Location: Horton Field House
Shea, Robert (314) 488-3783 jmayhall@sbcglobal.net 63-67 Corvette Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Sherrard, Mark (734) 625-8521 mdsherrard@yahoo.com Corvette Parts, primarily ’63-‘67. Location: Swap Meet Lot Smart Parts Corvette Kent Renken (217) 482-3393 esales@smartpartscorvette.com smartpartscorvette.com Location: Swap Meet Lot Smith, Eric (765) 210-8658 ericsclassiccars@yahoo.com Location: Swap Meet Lot Solid Axle Corvette Club Jack Hollada (217) 473-5221 jhollada@casscomm.com solidaxle.org Location: Horton Field House
Nowicki Autosports Jeff Nowicki (248) 709-6100 www.nowickiautosport.com Automotive design and consulting. Strip Masters Location: Patio Mark Scranton (217) 433-7508 Performance Motorworks sandblast8@aol.com Robbie Tucker www.stripmasters.com (478) 718-6256 Location: Patio robbie53@bellsouth.net Location: Swap Meet Lot Syester, Jim (317) 341-0127 Pro-Team Corvette Sales, Inc. Jimsyes@aol.com Terry Michaelis Location: Swap Meet Lot (419) 592-5086 terry@proteamcorvette.com T Mobile proteamcorvette.com Carlos Rosas Location: Swap Meet Lot (806) 236-4444 carlos.rosas1@t-mobile.com Roger’s Frame Restoration t-mobile.com Roger Gress Location: Horton Field House (616) 240-7524 rogergress59@gmail.com Thunder Road Creations Restored Original Frames. Pamela Walker Location: Swap Meet Lot (410) 231-1954 ppearls54@gmail.com Roselli, Ron Location: Horton Field House (815) 718-5305 roseoaks@frontier.com Location: Swap Meet Lot
James, Tom twj@fuse.net Used Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot Trailex Carl Carbon 1-800-282-5042 trailex1@aol.com www.trailex.com Aluminum Trailers- Official Trailer of Bloomington Gold! Location: Patio Udelhoven, Tom (608) 347-8335 tom.udelhoven@yahoo.com Location: Swap Meet Lot Vette Vues Magazine Bonnie Wolf (386) 775-2512 bonnie@vette-vues.com vette-vues.com Location: Horton Field House Walther, Tom (262) 515-0570 z06monster08@yahoo.com Location: Swap Meet Lot Wheel Craft Edward Hollinshead (440) 897-4236 athomure@wheelcraft.com wheelcraft.com Location: Horton Field House XPEL Protective Films (210) 678-3700 support@XPEL.com xpel.com Protective film installations and paint protection. Location: Horton Field House Yager, Kenny (217) 343-1233 corvettekenny@yahoo.com Parts, Crappy Jokes. Location: Swap Meet Lot Yesterday’s Corvette Company Randy Hamlett rkhamlett5@q.com 57-65 Fuel Injections, New & Used 1953-1982 Corvette Parts. Location: Swap Meet Lot
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VENDORS HORTON FIELD HOUSE American Collector’s Insurance 1-888-450-2961 info@americancollectors.com www.americancollectors.com Collector Car Insurance. APSIS USA, Inc. Jersey Wu (631) 421-6800 apsis123@gmail.com www.apsisusa.com Carbon parts, Splash Guard. Bellflower Art Mary Yeadon (309) 275-9740 maryeadon@yahoo.com marywattyeadon.com Original Art/Prints & Giclee. Bloomington Gold Store BloomingtonGold.com Authentic Bloomington Gold apparel! Car Capsule Phil Potocki (219) 712-7472 phil@carcapsule.com www.carcapsule.com Car Capsules. CarArtWork Diane Everse (502) 254-1992 deverse@carartwork.biz www.carartwork.biz GM licensed metal automotive sculptures and accessories. Carlisle Events Tami DeMark (717) 243-7855 tamid@carlisleevents.com Corvettes of Carlisle. Corvette Central Scott Kohn (269) 426-3342 stkohn@corvettecentral.com CorvetteCentral.com Corvette Parts & Accessories since 1975.
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by Location Corvette Clocks by Roger Scott Whipple (740) 417-9476 scott@corvetteclocks.com CorvetteClocks.com Repair/Restoration of Corvette clocks, gauges, radios, etc. Custom Metal Finishing Indiana, LLC Jake Canfield (765) 478-9990 chromeplater1@yahoo.com www.ChromePlatingIn.com Chrome Plating. Dana Forrester Automotive Art Dana Forrester (816) 478-0427 forresterd@sbcglobal.net www.danaforrester.com Original automotive paintings & limited edition prints & books. Griot’s Garage Matthews Jason 1-800-345-5789 customerservice@griotsgarage. com www.griotsgarage.com Car Care Products: Official Car Care Co. of Bloomington Gold. Jack Podell Fuel Injection Specialist Restored 1957-1965 fuel injections, distributors, air cleaners, parts and related items. Corvette Apparel for the entire family with extensive woman’s apparel. Lang, Jerry (309) 827-0253 JerrJDL@aol.com Corvette Manuals, Original Corvette Memorabilia, Dealer books, etc. Motor Sports Marketplace Kathy Podell (574) 220-3975 podellsfi@aol.com Corvette Apparel.
Solid Axle Corvette Club Jack Hollada (217) 473-5221 jhollada@casscomm.com solidaxle.org
Strip Masters Mark Scranton (217) 433-7508 sandblast8@aol.com www.stripmasters.com
T Mobile Carlos Rosas (806) 236-4444 carlos.rosas1@t-mobile.com t-mobile.com
Trailex Carl Carbon 1-800-282-5042 trailex1@aol.com www.trailex.com Aluminum Trailers- Official Trailer of Bloomington Gold!
Thunder Road Creations Pamela Walker (410) 231-1954 ppearls54@gmail.com Vette Vues Magazine Bonnie Wolf (386) 775-2512 bonnie@vette-vues.com vette-vues.com Wheel Craft Edward Hollinshead (440) 897-4236 athomure@wheelcraft.com wheelcraft.com XPEL Protective Films (210) 678-3700 support@XPEL.com xpel.com Protective film installations and paint protection.
PATIO Brembo USA www.brembostoreusa.com Brakes- Official Brake of Bloomington Gold. Coldwell Banker Matt Hansen (309) 533-5882 matthansenrealestate1@gmail.com Car Club Sponsor. Community Liaison.
D & A Corvette Dick Ferrando (217) 839-3207 Dacorvette@frontiernet.net www.da-corvette.com Corvette restoration and frame Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals repair. MCACN.com Indoor Muscle Car and Corvette Leman Chevy City Show. (309) 433-0243 LemanChevy.com NCRS National Host Dealer. Dave King (513) 760-6277 #2 Nowicki Autosports ddking@woh.rr.com Jeff Nowicki (248) 709-6100 www.nowickiautosport.com Automotive design and consulting.
SWAP MEET LOT Al Knoch Interiors 1-800-880-8080 melanie.alknoch@flash.net alknochinteriors.com Manufacturer of the finest Corvette & Camaro interiors available anywhere. Ambrose, Tom (847) 251-8375 thambrose@sbcglobal.net Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants Scott Kirk (773) 329-3811 kirk_scott_d@yahoo.com www.amsoil.com Baker, Don (815) 210-3057 donbake@indianvalley.com 56-65 Parts. Bill’s ’63-’67 Corvette Parts Bill Braun (224) 355-3755 billszo6@yahoo.com ’63-’67 Corvette Parts. C123 Corvettes Randy Mitchell (815) 228-5893 asp@mtco.com New & used parts. Calhoun, John (217) 725-2517 sctc-1@comcast.net Chevy Cool Ron Burke (480) 720-8000 chevycool@msn.com ChevyCool.com Classic Chevrolet waterpumps, starters and other parts.
Classic Motors Bob Zimmerman (630) 664-7103 classicmtr@aol.com Parts. Classique Enterprises Byron Bode (763) 228-6556 byronwbode@aol.com Corvette Parts. Coffman Corvettes Clint Coffman (419) 295-1224 coffman2c@gmail.com www.coffmancorvette.com Manufacturer of restoration and replacement Corvette parts as well as RESTO MOD chassis components.
GM Parts & Accessories Jim Struck (708) 485-0562 Corvette Parts N.O.S & Used.
Midwest Kustoms Larry Huff (815) 505-7589 larryhuff720@gmail.com
Hanner, Jim (618) 530-0910 jhanner@frontiernet.net 1956-1967 Corvette Parts.
Morton, James (865) 719-1864 1970jmorton@gmail.com
Hardesty, Dennis (618) 344-0021 dhardesty67@gmail.com Parts.
N2CARS Greg Willbanks (314) 398-1760 firesystemdesign@centurytel.net Corvette Parts (C3).
Heckenberg, Don (319) 752-5206 dynodonh@gmail.com Corvette Parts.
Naeger, Bill (618) 803-8554 billandjeanene@att.net Car Parts.
Jet Vette James Feltes Corvette Collectibles (630) 513-5949 Joe Blakemore vettepart@aol.com (314) 537-4403 Early Corvette Parts: Intake joeblaemore39@charter.net and Ext. Manifolds /Coils /Early Corvette collectibles, toys and Seat Belts/Bellhousings /Wiper parts. Motors/2x4 Carbs/Posi/T-10 Trans Stuff/Carburetors/Wheels/Volt Corvette Specialties of Kansas Regulators/Hubcaps/Early Convert City Top. Jon Shafer (913) 488-2592 Joe’s Garage jon@corvspeckc.com Joe Galindo corvspeckc.com (612) 290-3877 C1 C2 & C3, NOS. fiftyfifty232@q.com
Performance Motorworks Robbie Tucker (478) 718-6256 robbie53@bellsouth.net
Curtis, Albert & Kent (847) 340-9472 albcurt5@aol.com Corvette parts: 1963-1967.
Kathrinus, Bill (314) 540-0980 bdk64@sbcglobal.net Corvette Parts.
Roselli, Ron (815) 718-5305 roseoaks@frontier.com
Engines Limited Randy Chapin (920) 379-6581 engineslimited57@gmail.com www.engineslimited.com In business for 35 years, home of the hot tanked and magnufluxed block and the Ohio Broaching machine.
Kool Cars/Parts Express Bob Dombrowski (440) 821-5106 info@koolcars.com Used 53-82 Corvette Parts.
Factory Hot Rods, Inc. Noel Grace (513) 772-8777 vettes4you@aol.com Parts. Falk, Bruce (815) 726-6455 bbfalk@aol.com Garage Cleaner Gene Nyman (618) 345-0888 gr8planes@aol.com Corvette Parts.
McChesney, Bill David McChesney (515) 219-0400 centraliowacorvette@gmail.com Mechling, Steve (217) 898-1152 smechlin@gmail.com Parts. Melrose T Tops Chris Wiehle (815) 761-7217 chris@melroset-tops.com www.melrosecorvette.com Direct Replacement Corvette T-Tops and Roof Panels..Will do installs!
Pro-Team Corvette Sales, Inc. Terry Michaelis (419) 592-5086 terry@proteamcorvette.com proteamcorvette.com Roger’s Frame Restoration Roger Gress (616) 240-7524 rogergress59@gmail.com Restored Original Frames.
Salley, Steve (937) 258-3333 stesal@msn.com Lindee, Scott (815) 717-8187 sal70lt1@yahoo.com 1970–72 LT1 Survey. Shea, Robert (314) 488-3783 jmayhall@sbcglobal.net 63-67 Corvette Parts. Sherrard, Mark (734) 625-8521 mdsherrard@yahoo.com Corvette Parts, primarily ’63-‘67. Smart Parts Corvette Kent Renken (217) 482-3393 esales@smartpartscorvette.com smartpartscorvette.com Smith, Eric (765) 210-8658 ericsclassiccars@yahoo.com
Syester, Jim (317) 341-0127 Jimsyes@aol.com Tober, Tim hnl66sting@aol.com C2 Parts. Todd’s Auto Center Todd Esche (605) 351-4980 toddsautocenter@gmail.com 1953 to 1967 Corvette Parts. James, Tom twj@fuse.net Used Parts. Trailex Carl Carbon 1-800-282-5042 trailex1@aol.com www.trailex.com Aluminum Trailers- Official Trailer of Bloomington Gold! Udelhoven, Tom (608) 347-8335 tom.udelhoven@yahoo.com Vette Vues Magazine Bonnie Wolf (386) 775-2512 bonnie@vette-vues.com vette-vues.com Walther, Tom (262) 515-0570 z06monster08@yahoo.com Wheel Craft Edward Hollinshead (440) 897-4236 athomure@wheelcraft.com wheelcraft.com XPEL Protective Films (210) 678-3700 support@XPEL.com xpel.com Protective film installations and paint protection. Yager, Kenny (217) 343-1233 corvettekenny@yahoo.com Parts, Crappy Jokes. Yesterday’s Corvette Company Randy Hamlett rkhamlett5@q.com 57-65 Fuel Injections, New & Used 1953-1982 Corvette Parts.
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2022andGold Tour After Party!
Saturday, June 11 5:00pm
The 2022 Road Tour will start from the Show grounds at Illinois State University and head North toward Lake Bloomington. Along the way, the route will include historic Route 66! After cruising around beautiful Lake Bloomington, the route will head back to downtown Normal for a Hometown Celebration hosted by the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Cost: Road Tour - $10 per car. After Party- FREE!
To register or pick up pre-registration credentials, go to the Gold Store in Horton Field House. You CAN sign up at the show for the Gold Tour. Page 34
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CERTIFICATION What it’s all about and why it’s important to the sport! Throughout Redbird Arena, you will find 60+ cars going for certification. 56 Corvettes, 2 Camaros and 4 Restomods, all spotless and perfectly parked. They all have one goal: To be Certified by Bloomington Gold. To be precise - The Corvettes and Camaros are all being judged on how close they appear to how they originally left the factory. Ok, but how does a restored car fit in? This means the restorer used authentic appearing parts, even paint finishes when restoring the car. However, when you read the overview of Survivor® below, you will note that a restored car only qualifies for Gold Certified®. When it comes to Resto Mods, which are older cars that have been restored using, modern components such a drive train, suspension and even interior modern day interior conveniences, the resto mod Corvette scores the highest when it has the most significant modifications from when it was originally built. Even if you are not a collector yourself, the value that certification brings to a car is good to the entire industry as it positively effects the overall value of the Corvette market. Each of the cars on the judging field is striving for anywhere between 1 and 4 different awards; Gold Certified®, Survivor®, the much coveted Benchmark® and for the second year Resto Mod Certification. They are competing against set standards and not each other. Here is a brief overview of each of these standards, as set by Bloomington Gold. Gold Certified® - A Gold Certified® Corvette or Camaro appears as it would just after completion of “typical factory production.” It means that a car has been preserved or restored within 95% of the way it appeared when it left the factory – no better, no worse, no different. Bloomington Gold’s standards for authenticity and condition are clear – the goal is to attain historic perfection, not cosmetic perfection. A Gold Certified® Corvette or Camaro can be restored, but it must be restored to the way it left the factory. This is where the art of restoration comes into play. Survivor® -The Survivor® Award is designed to recognize those Corvettes that are “worn in, but not worn out.” A Survivor® Corvette is significantly unrestored, unrepaired, or unmodified and meets these requirements: • Is over 20 years old • Can pass a road test over 10 miles • Retains OEM engine • Remains unrestored, un-refinished, or unaltered A Survivor® Corvette award recognizes Corvettes that are highly unrestored. Most of the parts and paint must be original to that car. That is why some Survivor® cars are not as pretty as you would expect them to be as the paint has aged over time…This is ok ! Benchmark® Certification - This is the ultimate standard for unrestored vehicles. To achieve Benchmark® status, an unrestored Corvette must attain Gold Certified® and excel in all four categories of Survivor® during the same weekend. To date, fewer than 5% of the Corvettes that have been Gold Certified® have received the prestigious Benchmark® Award. This year, there are 14 Corvettes on the judging field going for Benchmark®! Resto Mod “recognizes the seamless integration of today’s possibilities into yesterday’s performers by applying today’s capabilities and styling enhancements that result in improved styling, handling, performance, and comfort to modern standards while retaining a classic original design”.
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Bloomington Gold is recognized for the professionalism and expertise of their judges. Help us celebrate the following Bloomington Gold Judges for the milestones noted! nes
2022 Judges Milesto
Larry Murphy Bill Skinner Al Grenning Joe Jurkowski Ron Goduti
15 years 20 years 30 years 30 years 35 years
There are over 70 cars attempting to gain Certification this year. For some, it is a family journey.... Red L89 - Owned by the Herrick Family: Nathan, what does your L89 mean to you? “I have been lucky to have the opportunity to work on old cars with my dad since I was little. But working on the L89 with my dad is special because the uniqueness of the car and its history. The car is a time capsule and riding in it takes me to an era in the 60’s where the American muscle car culture began. Now that I am older, I appreciate these cars even more and look forward to preserving the L89 and its history for my family someday.” This L89 was owned by the previous owner since 1980 until he sold it to Jonathan Herrick and his family. The main reason the previous owner let the car go, was that he knew it would go to a great home. It will be making its first ever appearance at a Bloomington Gold event this June. Jonathan and his sons Nathan and Truman have been cleaning and getting the car ready for judging!
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Bloomington Gold’s 2022 Featured Artist: Dana Forrester How many of us knew what we wanted to be as an adult when you were in grade school? As in an actual career that you pursued well into your adult life? Meet Dana Forrester who at age 10 was already following his passion to be an artist. In 5th grade his parents would give him money each Saturday to take a drawing class. One class lead to another and soon he found himself taking as many drawing and art classes that he could as he made his way through middle school and high school. After receiving a college degree in Art Education, Dana spent two years in the army where he served in Vietnam. Upon returning to the States, Dana began teaching High School art. He continued teaching for the next 15 years, including summer workshops for various universities. In 1975 Dana painted his first Brick Wall painting. Then, one day he painted a Corvette in front of the brick wall and ‘Boom: There it was’. From there, his painting career took off. He now typically paints 25+ paintings a year, most of them under consignment. He has also painted a number of 1963-1970 paintings for Bloomington Gold including Bloomington on the Bricks and Bloomington Black and Blue. Be sure to stop by Dana’s booth in Horton Field House at Bloomington Gold this June. In the meantime, you can view his gallery highlighting his favorite series and individual paintings at https://danaforresterart.com.
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WELCOME CLUBS! Gold Field is BACK!
Club Parking will be located in the SW corner of College and Main in lot G53. Pull up alongside your fellow club members and pull out your pop-up tent. Chill by your car and spend time at the show taking it all in! *Unclaimed parking spaces will be open to non-club Corvette parking at 10:30am each day so please plan to arrive by 10am!
Your on-site Club liasons will be
oug. Mike & D sure to Please be heckle them and give them an overall hard time!
Don’t Don’t Forget Forget the the Following Following Events Events Happening Happening in in the the
CLUB LOT:
•• Cars Cars & & Coffee Coffee on on Saturday Saturday at at 7:30am 7:30am •• Giveaways throughout each day Giveaways throughout each day in in the the lot lot •• Award for Largest Attendance by a Club Award for Largest Attendance by a Club •• Award Award for for Farthest Farthest Distance Distance Driven Driven by by a a Club Club •• Have Fun! Have Fun! Page 45
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Your Bloomington Gold Guest Speakers: Matt Avery Matt Avery is a veteran automotive journalist, photographer and historian. He was a technician for Mercedes-Benz and BMW before writing for the television show, MotorWeek. He then joined the Cars.com editorial team as Senior Video Producer and now is the Executive Producer & Host of the Mecum Auctions podcast. In 2020 Matt was placed on SEMA’s ‘35 Under 35’ List, recognizing rising young stars in the automotive industry and in 2021 Matt became a member of SEMA’s Future Leaders Network.
Michael Brown Corvette Enthusiast/Producer/Director Michael Brown has been involved in the film and video industry for more than forty years. In 2011, the world premiere of ‘The Quest,’ a multi-layered film about the first Corvettes to ever race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Race in France, marked the end of an 18 month production schedule with shooting all over the United States and parts of Europe. In the months following its premier, ‘The Quest’ screened at numerous major collector car events throughout the country, and remains a truly unique film about virtually all areas of interest in Corvettes and the people who love them.
John Kraman John Kraman found career success as a sales manager of autos and then aircraft, and he is a licensed Federal Aviation Administration pilot and mechanic. He joined Mecum in 2006 and is now the director of company relations and the company spokesperson at public events. As the supervisor of Mecum’s on-air talent, John further utilizes his skillset as a commentator and analyst for the televised coverage of Mecum auctions on MotorTrend and MotorTrend+.
Bruce Shaw Mr. Shaw was a Bloomington Gold Restoration Workshops instructor and former NCRS National Judge and operated Craftmaster Auto Body -famous for its custom paint jobs. He has been representing clients in automotive fraud cases from Maine to California. Law Offices of Bruce Shaw has been involved in more automotive fraud cases in the U.S. than any other law firm and continues to be involved in cases for clients all over the globe.
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SEMINARS WILL BE IN THE
HORTON FIELD HOUSE CLASSROOMS Friday, June 10 11:00am - The History of Bloomington Gold from the Inside A Panel Discussion Featuring David Burroughs, Founder of Bloomington Gold Corvettes and Guy Larsen, President/Owner Bloomington Gold Corvettes. Moderated by John Kraman, Mecum Aution Lead TV Analyst. Bloomington Gold Corvettes began as a Corvette Corral - owners gathering to share knowledge and learn from each other’s Corvettes. Over the next five decades, it grew into an event and still a gathering... Come learn from the Founder of Bloomington Gold Corvettes and the current President/ Owner of Bloomington Gold Corvettes about and how it grew from a gathering of Corvettes to a national exhibition of Corvettes. What were the obstacles? How has Bloomington Gold affected the Corvette hobby? Come to the seminar and get the ‘Inside Scoop’! Noon - The Inside Scoop from John Kraman John Kraman, Director of Company Relations and Lead TV Commentator/Analyst for Mecum Auctions. Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes of a Mecum auction? John will take you inside the auction to give you a view of what goes on within the auction and what it takes to make an auction happen. Then he will discuss the current market for collector cars – what’s hot, what’s not! 1:00pm - Origins of COPO: The Quest for 427 Presented by Matt Avery, Automobile Journalist, Photographer and Journalist. Join author Matt Avery as he dives deep into the origins of Chevrolet’s ultimate muscle cars, the COPO cars. In this seminar Matt will lay the groundwork for understanding how and why these legendary vehicles came to be. Key topics in this foundational session for GM’s COPO program includes the Camaro’s launch and the resulting dealer efforts to meet the market’s demand for 427-equipped Camaros. Matt will explain the operations of the iconic nationwide players, including Dana, Nickey, Motion and more with a special spotlight on the vehicle programs of pioneer Don Yenko and his lasting legacy today. 2:30pm - Resto Mods at Bloomington Gold: How does Bloomington Judge a Resto Mod? With Ray Zisa, William Baker, Mike Hack and Jerry Mulick. Moderated by Lance Miller. Come listen to a panel of Bloomington Gold Judges explain what makes a Corvette a Resto Mod or a Modified Corvette. Understand what the judging team looks for in their review. As they review each section and components within, how do they evaluate the degree of modification. What is the difference from ‘customized’ vs ‘modified’? What are the modifications to performance, appearance, fitment, that each component is evaluated to? Come ready to learn and have your questions answered!
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Saturday, June 11 10:00am - Early Corvette Race Cars Come listen to a panel discuss the cars that began Corvette’s involvement and possibly dominance of class in international racing. Panel to include the following Corvette race car experts: • • • •
Doug Bergen – owner of Corvette race teams. Mr. Begen was in the trenches and behind the wheel in early days. Kevin Mackay – renown restorer of iconic race Corvettes. Numerous award winning racers have passed though his shop. Irwin Kroiz – collector of Corvette/significant race cars. Lance Miller – collector of Corvette/significant race cars, National Show Promoter.
The panel will discuss what Corvettes began the competition to Ford and other brands. What were the significant cars and engines that propelled Corvette? Who were the driving forces that moved Corvette racing along? The panel will also talk about the accomplishment of the Corvette racers in this year’s Gold Collection. 10:00am - The Rise and Fall GMMG Camaro Presented by Matt Avery, Automobile Journalist, Photographer and Journalist. Join Matt Avery as he examines the high-octane operations of one of the most prolific powerhouses of 4th-gen Camaro performance: GMMG. Hear of the shop’s origins, their rapid scaling to team up with top-tier dealer partners like Berger Chevrolet and Earnhardt Chevrolet and the legacy left behind of their pedal to the metal ambitions. 11:00am - The Inside Scoop from John Kraman (repeat presentation) John Kraman, Director of Company Relations and Lead TV Commentator/Analyst for Mecum Auctions. Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes of a Mecum auction? John will take you inside the auction to give you a view of what goes on within the auction and what it takes to make an auction happen. Then he will discuss the current market for collector cars – what’s hot , what’s not! 11:00am - After Certification … Now What? Tom Hill, retired GM Engineer, Collection Curator. If you have 1 or 20 Corvettes that are ‘seldom drivin’, you may have wondered, ‘how do I properly care for my babies’? Tom Hill is the caretaker of a prominent car collection and a former Chevrolet Corvette Engineer. He will share his knowledge of what are best practices for any Corvette that is seldom driven. What are some of the quarterly and annual mustdos to maintain your Corvette? How often must they be exercised? Feel free to bring your questions. Noon - Collector Car Fraud Noted attorney and “motor head” - Bruce Shaw, Esquire will be presenting a fast paced seminar on all various facets of Collector Car Fraud as well as a peek into his former career of piloting a chain of speed shops on the east coast known as “Shaw’s Speed Shops”. The “Shaw Gang” terrorized the east coast in the 70’s with such NHRA record holders as the factory backed - “555 Triple Nickel” Hemi Cuda and Super Stock Magazines - Project Six Pack 440 Roadrunner. This seminar will span from fraud subjects such as counterfeit documents to engine restamping, to “numbers matching” and you will learn what to look out for before you purchase! 1:00pm - Stamp and Tags Presented by Al Grenning and Marco Hartner. What Are Stamps & Tags and Why Are They Checked? Examples of correct and incorrect stamps are not the purpose of the session and will not be discussed. Rather, the formal protocol procedure used by the Numbers Team will be explained relating to the fundamental description of classic Corvettes. This seminar is for those new to Corvette judging and have wondered, why are stamps & tags so important? The panel will cover topics including: • Where are stamps & tags located on different generation Corvettes? • What do the stamp numbers represent? • What information is in the tags? • What is the procedure at Bloomington Gold for judges to review stamps & tags? • Why do the judges photograph the stamps & tags? Attend and learn from the experts!
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THE HISTORY OF BLOOMINGTON GOLD A Look Back at 50 Events
The year was 1973 and most of the country was celebrating the remaining troops coming home from Vietnam. In Bloomington, IL, three men were planning a gathering of Corvettes to be called The Bloomington Corvette Corral. Each year The Bloomington Corvette Corral continued to gather momentum driven primarily by the swapmeet. By 1977, it had grown to be the biggest Corvette event in the country, with people attending from across the nation and around the world. The show was expanded to three days, and both attendance and Corvette numbers rapidly continued to grow. Prior to 1978, judging at Bloomington was based on “car versus car” competition. There were class winners and best of show winners, which meant of course, there were also losers. All that changed for the Corvette and collector car hobby in 1978 when a nationally recognized group of Corvette authorities unveiled Gold Certification judging at Bloomington.
Bloomington’s new plan was to enable any Corvette to be a winner if it met high standards of authenticity. Gold Certification would require Corvettes to be judged not against one another, but as to the car’s level of accuracy compared to the day it left the factory. It would also require that all judges must be screened and meet five important qualifications before allowed to wear the ‘white hats’. In 1983, five years after the successful introduction of Certification, the owners of the Bloomington event eliminated Certification. (Coincidentally, that was the only year no Corvettes were sold to the public.) However, the developers of Certification believed it was important to be continued and decided to create and fund an event with a new longer-term vision of Bloomington. The developers saw an eventual end to swapmeets and believed the future of Corvette would be better served if they spent that year building a brand new event around recognition, entertainment, education, driving, hospitality, and most importantly meticulous organization and staffing. In 1984, the new event was launched and became officially branded Bloomington Gold and three prestigious new events were added -- the Special Collection, Restoration Workshops and the Silver Salute. The Special Collection began as a showcase of the rare and most significant Corvettes ever gathered, with each year’s presentation of cars following a different and distinct theme. The Special Collection was always a must-see for Bloomington Gold participants, since some of the Corvettes displayed would never be seen anywhere else. It was the automotive equivalent of an assemblage of the greatest works of art all in one museum! The Silver Salute became a favorite and well-attended event from the start. The event centered on a special area to display the year’s twenty-five year old Corvette. The Silver Salute eventually evolved into what is now called GoldYear.
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The 1984 show premiered the Road Tour event, now called GoldTour, with a handful of Corvettes taking to the Illinois highways and back roads for a “Corvette ride through the countryside.” In 1986, Bloomington Gold commissioned two bronze busts of Zora Duntov. One of those busts was presented to Duntov at the Special Collection after a twenty minute surprise music video of his life story. Unknown to anyone, Duntov was purposefully hidden backstage because he nor the audience knew a video was going to be shown in five minutes. While roaming around in the dark behind the curtains up on the stage Duntov spotted Grand Sport #4 up there as well. He asked the person who was with him, “Where’s the keys?”
In 1990, Bloomington Gold added another milestone judging event – SURVIVOR® judging for unrestored Corvettes. “Worn In, But Not Worn Out” became the theme of Corvettes that are at least twenty years old. The 1992 Show introduced the ultimate and most difficult judging category to Bloomington Gold, the Benchmark® award. 1992 was the 20th and last Bloomington Gold held at its original fairground location and set an attendance record of over 32,000 participants, vendors, sellers, fans, clubs, GM brass, and media reporters not counting over 5,000 Road Tour fans lining the route.
In 1988, Earthquake 88 struck Bloomington Gold. It may have been the most memorable year because it featured the world’s first collection of the notorious and rare L88s. Sunday featured a surprise attack as about twenty L88s and several Grand Sports roared and blared down Rt 9 in front of the Fairground crowd, turned onto the Certification field and cut their engines. The deafening silence was followed by a roar of applause for more. By the way, the temperature that afternoon reached exactly 88 degrees.
By 1993, Bloomington Gold had outgrown the old county fairgrounds location in Bloomington and moved to the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. This was to be the show’s site for the next five years, and Bloomington Gold enjoyed growth in virtually every area of participation. The Show & Sell area was renamed GoldMine and continued to attract several hundred Corvettes for sale by owner each year. Also initiated for 1993 was the Glass Pack, which became a favorite event for Corvette clubs, with a special place to gather and fly their club banners. Original leadership changed after the 1993 event.
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THE HISTORY OF BLOOMINGTON GOLD Continued...
In 1997 the Special Collection added a new feature; the Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame. The induction of thirty-three Corvettes from past Special Collections to the Hall of Fame initiated this elite group of distinguished Corvettes. Bloomington Gold went through another change of leadership in 1997. The Mecum family of Marengo, IL became the show’s new caretaker, and a whole new era of Bloomington Gold was to begin in 1998.
The GoldTour was the theme for Bloomington Gold 2000, with an attempt to set a world record for the largest number of single-make cars in a continuous line to pass a given point. The record was set, even though inclement weather kept many people from GoldTour participation.
The theme for 1998 was “Return to Bloomington and get back to Normal” to celebrate both the return of the event to Bloomington/Normal, Illinois, and the input of the new management team. The sale of the old county fairground on the east side of Bloomington necessitated the building of an all-new fairground on the far west side of town which became the new site of the show. While most of the traditional events remained, there were a few new additions and changes made for this return to Bloomington. The 1998 Special Collection featured the Corvette L88s, an exhibit of rare and valuable 1967 through 1969s equipped with one of the most powerful engines ever offered by Chevrolet. The 1998 poster theme showed two L88 Corvettes at a Steak n Shake drive-in, another old-time Bloomington institution. Corvette auctions received added emphasis to Bloomington Gold as Mecum Auctioneers conducted auctions each day of the show. All types of Corvettes were offered at the Mecum auction, from entry level and restorable cars to everyday drivers to the creme de la creme, which included Bloomington Gold Certified®, extremely low mileage, special production and rare option Corvettes. The show theme for 1999 was “Roar to Zora,” a tribute to Zora Arkus-Duntov and the performance Corvettes he created and influenced. Duntov’s widow, Elfi, was honored in the tribute and was Grand Marshal for the GoldTour. Page 52
In 2002, Bloomington Gold’s 30th anniversary was marked by the show’s relocation to then magnificent Pheasant Run Resort and Spa in St. Charles, IL. While leaving our “roots” (Bloomington/Normal) was not an easy decision, the magnificent Pheasant Run Resort and its 18-hole championship golf course, featuring tree-lined fairways, pristine lakes and carefully manicured greens, created a spectacular display venue for America’s Sportscar. Bloomington Gold celebrated the Corvette’s 50th anniversary in 2003 with special displays and a record crowd. Several new records were set at the GoldRush auction, lead by a 1967 L88 Corvette that fetched $640,000, another significant event that would shape the show’s destiny.
For 2004, “The New GoldField” was introduced and the Corvette’s heritage promoted through the GoldYear. Kicked off in 2003 with the 1953, for 2006 the GoldYear is 1956 and Corvettes of this vintage lead the GoldTour. GoldSchool was redesigned in 2007, featuring an entirely new approach to Corvette education. Bloomington Gold has rededicated itself to the high standards of quality, organization and innovation that made it the benchmark by which all other shows are judged. From 2010 through 2014, Bloomington Gold hosted “The Great Hall”, recognizing the 50 people/organizations and 50 Corvettes that shaped the Corvette phenomenon as we know it today. Certificates and special Gold Medals were presented each year. In 2012, long time “Corvette Guy” Guy Larsen from Palos Park, IL purchased Bloomington Gold from the Mecum family. Due to Pheasant Run’s decline, in 2013 Bloomington moved to Central Illinois for two years. In 2015 the event moved to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Here it stayed for 5 years. Also in 2015, to build on the 25-year success of the Special Collection, the Hall of Fame and the Great Hall, Bloomington Gold introduced the Gold Collection, saluting the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Corvette in the inaugural year. In 2020 COVID hit and in order to still hold the event, Bloomington Gold needed to be creative as to where to relocate as IMS was still closed in June and had a full docket of racing when it did open. The Show moved to Lucas Oil Stadium for two years, which allowed for most of the Show, including Certification, to be inside, protected from the elements.
After the 2021 Show, with the 50th Event approaching, Bloomington Gold needed to do something special. Over the years the request to bring the Show home had been made via various outlets……
and here we are!
Thank you for joining us in celebrating this 50th Show! We are so excited to have you with us as we go full circle and Back to Bloomington!
Stop by and see the
Solid Axle
Corvette Club in Horton Field House and Lot G73.
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OFFICIAL SPONSORS:
® ®
and Founding Members Mia Pia and Joe Cacciatore
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