This has always been one of our favorite events of the year. Our 9th consecutive year was just as memorable as each of the previous events.
In addition to the fun, we were also able to send $795.00 to the American Cancer Society's Harrisburg office as the proceeds from the 50/50 raffle we did at the C5/C6 Registry dinner!
Thursday, August 24
Heading out for Carlisle.
In CT I connected with frequent co-pilot (& bodyguard) Gary Readio.
Arrival stats: 29.7 mpg average for 581 miles at an average 70 mph ain't hard to take!
Friday, August 25
As we prepared to set up our display, Corvettes @ Carlisle Head Honcho
and all-around nice guy Lance Miller dropped by to welcome us and to
check out their sponsorship graphics on the hood of the new Vette.
Setup complete.
A goose-bump inducing rumble right across from us announced
Lance's arrival in one of the 5 original Grand Sport Corvettes!
Long-time sponsor Marsh Fancher points to his Corvette Dreams logo.
A new feature this year was the Burnout Contest, staged right in front
of the grandstand. Whoever created this red smoke cloud
made a big hit with an appreciative crowd!
Friday evening
The C5/C6 Registry dinner featured guest speaker Wil Cooksey (Corvette Plant Manager), hysterical storytelling by Jake Drennon and an update by Reeves Callaway on their activities in Europe.
We also did our usual 50/50 Raffle. The pot had grown to $795.00 when
the winning ticket was pulled, and the generous winner (whose name
unfortunately I didn't get) donated their half back so that the entire
$795.00
went to the American Cancer Society!
After dinner, some of us went upstairs for some additional socializing.
Saturday, August 26
Sponsor "Yogi" Bair points out his Bair's Corvettes logo.
Steve Pasteiner of Advanced Automotive Technologies arrived after an overnight drive from Michigan in their brand new C5 based Commemorative Wagon, completed the day before!
Self explanatory...
My Celebrity Pick: Craig Hester's '62. This is without a doubt the one Corvette
(of the 3600+ I had to pick from) that Sandy would have chosen. What really
made it was the Torque Thrust wheels! Craig's late father bought it new.
Former Corvette Chief Engineer, Dave McLellan, spent some time visiting.
Here he autographs the fuel rail cover on my engine. Above left he is talking to Gary.
"Corvette Mike" Vietro stopped by to check his sponsor logo on the new car.
Mike was our FIRST sponsor when Sandy started Corvettes Conquer Cancer in 1998.
Thanks Mike!
Saturday evening
Dinner at Sunnyside with the National Corvette Museum crowd.
Sunday, August 27
3 variations on a theme...
My Celebrity Pick from 3 years ago purred past...
Judy Miller checked out the Chip Miller Charitable Foundation
graphics on the hood. Judy is Chip's widow and Lance's Mom.
"Scale Visions" Don Theune stopped by while I was approaching the stage for the closing ceremonies. He creates a highly detailed model of a well known Corvette for the Charity Auction at every Corvettes @ Carlisle. He met Sandy when she was in the "Chip's Choice" collection in 1999. Sandy's C5 was his subject for 2000. His Charity auction models are normally one of a kind. His intention for 2000 was to make 2: One for the Auction, one for the National Corvette Museum. When I met him at the 2000 Carlisle, he brought 3: One for the Auction, one for the NCM... and one for ME!! As I was waiting to approach the stage this year he told me he was thinking of doing our new C6 for a future Carlisle auction!
For the second year in a row, Carlisle ended on a very special note for us.
After all the awards and right before the Corvette Giveaway that concludes the event, we pulled our C6 up in front of the stage. Dan Feidler gave an emotional recounting of the Gate City Corvette Club Fundraiser that he chaired which took place in Nashua, NH on August 12. He and Gate City President Lynn Nault presented me with the "Big Check" for the proceeds from the event: $10,000!
(Thanks to Lance Miller for taking the shot of me, Dan, Miss Corvettes @ Carlisle, Lynn and Bill Miller. That's Lance himself in the 2nd photo, with Miss C@C.)
Thank you Lance & Bill, Carlisle Events, Dan and Gate City Corvette Club!
This is how Corvettes @ Carlisle 2006 closed, with our car in front of the stage
in the light rain as the crowd files out. Gate City folks: if you look closely,
some of you can be seen in the first row; Norm Wood in the
white hat with his back to us is right above the Targa bar.
Later that evening the Gate City crowd took me to dinner at the Olive Garden.
Monday, August 28
On the way out of town I stopped by the Fairgrounds to say thanks again. I found Lance with photographer Jerry Heasley, who was shooting the famed "Purple People Eater" from the Miller collection.
Leaving the Fairgrounds for an overnight with my parents in Philadelphia before
the next phase... to Bowling Green KY and the National Corvette Museum.
