For many enthusiasts across the country, the National Corvette Museum Bash is the official start of the Corvette season. Car covers have finally been set aside, and the fiberglass body panels carefully polished to perfection.
Fun in the sun has rapidly climbed to the top of everyone’s to-do list, and let’s be honest here. Is there a better way to kick off the fun than surrounded by hundreds of your fellow fiberglass fanatics?
We think not.
Clearly, Classic Glass Corvette Club (CGCC) of Marietta, Ga, shares that sentiment. For decades the club members of Classic Glass have been strong supporters of our beloved Museum.
Needless to say, we jumped at the chance to slide into their caravan as they trekked up to the festivities in Bowling Green, KY.
Something For Everyone
If you’ve never attended a Bash event, you would be shocked to realize how much you’re missing. The NCM team works hard to deliver a cornucopia of events that ensures there is something for everyone.
The hardest part for us was picking which events to attend from a lengthy list of great options.
Want to learn more about the Corvette brand and the new Z06? Great, there were seminars with highly-placed GM speakers almost non-stop from 9 am to 5 pm.
For those looking to add in some road course seat time, the NCM Motorsport Park had you covered several different ways. Were you looking for a leisurely caravan to local points of interest?
Absolutely, there were trips planned to Lux Row Distillers, Hilltop Creamery, Lane Motor Museum, the Kentucky Derby Museum, and the General Jackson Showboat. Perhaps a car show is more your style? Here again, they had you covered.
Add in a Winner’s Circle Banquet, various drawings, and raffles, and you quickly fill up your dance card. And lest we forget, there is an incredible 115,000 square foot Corvette museum here.
The NCM Is Our Museum
Classic Glass Corvette Club (CGCC) understands the intrinsic value of actively supporting the NCM. But, as brand ambassadors, Hillary and Robert Dukas will often remind you that it’s our museum.
Beyond financially supporting the museum through purchasing engraved bricks and memberships, some in CGCC give their time as volunteers. Sometimes it’s coming up for a few days to do a myriad of tasks.
Other times it’s staffing the information tables during significant events.
Regardless of the need, Classic Glass Corvette Club has answered the call with enthusiasm. So right now, you might be asking yourself, “What can I do to keep the Corvette legacy strong for future generations?”
First, we encourage you to join us in the 38,000-strong family of NCM Corvette enthusiasts. Our museum remains a vibrant home for preserving the Corvette legacy through its members’ dedication and continued backing.
Memberships are available for individuals, families, businesses, and clubs at both annual and lifetime levels. Secondly, it is to become familiar with what the total NCM experience offers and encourage others to visit 350 Corvette Drive, Bowling Green, KY.
They say seeing is believing, and in the case of the National Corvette Museum, it is emphatically true.
Wil Cooksey Jr – 2013 Corvette Hall of Fame
NCM Bash events bring out Corvette Hall of Famers and those instrumental in the lifestyle. Probably one of the most approachable is Wil Cooksey, Jr.
As many of you will recall, Wil Cooksey was the Corvette plant manager from February 1993 to March 2008. He was known for his signature phrase, “None of us are as smart as all of us.”
Amond his many accomplishments include a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and a Master’s degree in industrial engineering, and being a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, where he was received the Bronze Star,
In 1997 Cooksey received the “Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award, “Achiever of the Year” award, “Black Achiever in Industry” award, and several others.
In 2008 G.M. honored him with a Wil Cooksey signature edition Corvette. One neat feature is that Wil chose the Crystal Red Tintcoat color scheme and then signed and numbered the inside of all 505 armrest console lids.
Other 427-exclusive features include:
- 505 hp, LS-7 engine.
- 427” hood badges.
- A body-color rear lip spoiler.
- Body-color trim on the door handles.
In addition to talking about his Corvette experiences, we took advantage of the chance to pick up a copy of his book, “No Time To Cry.”
National Council of Corvette Clubs
The NCM Bash brings out enthusiasts from all over the country. One group we were eager to meet was Dale Samuelson, the President of the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC), and his team.
As many of you know, The National Council of Corvette Clubs, Inc. (NCCC) began in 1959. This all-volunteer, non-profit American organization was started by a small group of Corvette owners & enthusiasts.
The main focus of NCCC has always been to promote interest in Corvette ownership and operation. To help achieve that goal, they routinely publish an informative magazine titled “Blue Bars.”
In the early days, most of the NCCC clubs were located East of the Mississippi. Today, there are about 250 clubs in 16 Regions on both sides of the mighty Mississippi.
In talking with Dale, he said NCCC has roughly 19,000 members and is the largest non-profit, all-volunteer Corvette organization in the United States.
Among the many highlights of NCCC is their Sanctioned Competition Program. This program establishes uniform rules and standards which NCCC Corvette clubs use to compete nationwide.
We hope to bring you more in-depth coverage of the NCCC in the future.
Three Fast Days Of Fun
Looking over the event itinerary, we knew the days would fly by, and they did. April 28th through the 30th, 2022, were three fast days of fun.
The big draw for many was the chance to lay eyes on the all-new 2023 Z06 Corvette. Every seminar was nearly filled to capacity, but those events sharing insights into the new Z06 were SRO.
We hopped from one seminar to another, meeting and talking with the Corvette engineers about the newest options and updates. The truth is, we could have written half a dozen articles on the NCM Bash and not covered this event as thoroughly as we should have.
With this event in the books, we know it won’t be long until we start packing up the Grand Sport again for the 2023 NCM Bash. Honestly, we can’t wait!
** Special Acknowledgement ** We want to thank Classic Glass Corvette Club of Marietta, Ga, for letting us tag along and for their genuine hospitality.
Thanks to Mariah Hughes, Senior Media and Marketing Specialist for the National Corvette Museum, for her valuable assistance.
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