Yep; bright-and-early still comes at 6:00am if you want to wipe down your car before the (now) usual drivers' meeting at 6:45a.
Here's Jerry Kohn ('62) describing what his team has planned for us at Corvette Central:
Today we had the world's shortest motorcycle escort onto I-696 as we began our journey to Sawyer, MI to visit Jerry & Bev Kohn's Corvette Central. I don't mean the police were short (they were regular-to-large size policemen), but they were with us for only about five minutes getting us safely out of the Holiday Inn parking lot and onto the expressway.
Today we were in "random" formation. Larry reasoned that the trip was too long and the traffic too severe to try to stay together. He was right.
Jerry & Bev are in the Motorama in their beautiful white '62 -- and they are sponsors of the Motorama as well, inviting us all to their company site in Sawyer, MI.
We began arriving at Corvette Central at about 11:15a. Jerry & Bev's team had marked up the field in front of their building with a designated slot for each of our cars. Each slot was marked by an American flag topped with a laminated card for each model year; very nice.
Then we were treated to a terrific luncheon...
...followed by a self-guided tour of Corvette Central. They had marked off a trail through the administrative offices and the warehouse (they must have known how easily we get lost!). What an impressive operation and what a great gang of young, motivated employees we met. I've done business with and seen Corvette Central displays at the NCM and other shows in a tent with tables and merchandise -- but I had no idea the scope of their operation. And their electronically controlled picking system was so 21st century!
Gael even looks great in an industrial environment - so long as it's about Corvette!
We were all surprised when a trooper arrived asking for Dave Gregorino ('67). Seems he'd been bragging over the FRS radio about going 100 mph on the way to Sawyer; said he had a photograph of the speedometer at that speed. You need to be sure who's listening, I guess, because this policeman showed up to "talk" with Dave. Fortunately Corvette Central had this poster on hand indicating that 100mph in a Corvette isn't really speeding:
The policeman was a good sport; he signed Dave's poster while Jerry Joseph looked on (strangely) from outside. Trooper said that ever since they switched to Crown Vics, they can't catch anyone who jackrabbits..
We left Corvette Central mid-afternoon and headed on to Joliet, IL where we were to be hosted by Bill Jacobs Chevrolet at the Empress Casino Hotel. There was a wee glitch in the instructions (showed Exit 132 when it should have been Exit 130b) but we're hardy Corvette-types and we just treated it like a rally. Everyone arrived safely though we went through at least three heavy rain squalls on the way. I'm happy to report that my '64 is an authentic mid-year Corvette. It leaked all the way across the top of the windshield just like they're s'posed to!
We're staying at the Holiday Inn Express where they blocked off the parking lot for us and hired special security. This security feature is something that the NCM arranged at every one of the hotels and it is greatly appreciated by the participants.
This afternoon, before we all got underway to the display and party at the Empress Casino Hotel, our two youngest caravanners asked to sit in Al Hill's ('53) 1953 beauty. To me, they look pretty natural in it! That's Mary in the passenger seat and Kara in "the office":
We're nearly ready to caravan over to the Empress Casino Hotel (about three miles from our hotel). Here are Dick and Judy Yanko ('93) getting ready to PARTY!
Here we are arriving at the Empress Casino Hotel. This place is huge and done in an Egyptian motif.
Bill Jacobs Chevrolet had invited their sponsored Corvette club "Corvette Paradise" of Joliet to join us. It was a fiberglass overcast!
Thanks to Ron Medek, General Manager of Bill Jacobs Chevrolet and his team for showing us a great time!
Tomorrow morning we get to sleep in (all the way to 7:30a) before we begin the southern leg of the Motorama from Joliet to Effingham, IL and on to the St. Louis area. Speaking for the rest of the gang, we're having the BEST time!
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