A Love Affair with America s Sports Car

Transcription

1 A Love Affair with America s Sports Car BISEL GORDON PERRY April 2017 Sponsor: AutoNation Chevrolet, Gulf Freeway

2 April 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS PRESIDENT 3 SPONSOR-AUTONATION 4 VICE PRESIDENT 5 MEMBERSHIP 6 MARCH ANNIVERSARIES/BIRTHDAYS 7 GOVERNORS REPORT 8 AMBASSADOR s REPORT 9 ACTIVITY DIRECTOR UPCOMING EVENT FLIERS CONCOURS UPDATE ARTICLES FROM MEMBERS TRAVELING TROPHY S 30 EDITORS PICK 31 SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION OUR SUPPORTERS 35 SJCC PAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ken Bakenhus Adam Beaty Frank Bobbie Paul Echols Bill Heede Mark White 2017 SJCC OFFICERS PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER GOVERNOR ACTIVITIES MEMBERSHIP NEWSLETTER Hank Wrenn (hwrenn@mac.com) Paul Lazor (p.lazor@gmail.com) Jan Grout (pjgrout@gmail.com) Dana Petroni (petronide@aol.com) Suzanne Ansley (suzvette01@hotmail.com) Danny Beaty (danny@thebullogic.com) Paul Grout (paul_grout@live.com) Duane Lee (duanelee22@att.net) 2

3 A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT April 2017 Hello, So one quarter of the year is gone already! We are off to a great start so far and I am sure we will continue to have a great year. We had a large turnout for the Run to the Hills, the views were great and the company was even better. Due to all the Blue Bonnets out, the streets were lined with people taking photos of the flowers and portraits of their families. When they saw all of the corvettes running down the road everyone I saw started taking photos of the cars. I don t know about everyone else, but it sure makes me feel good when others get enjoyment out of just seeing a lot of these cars all lined up and running down the road. I hope to see more of you out as the year progresses. We have only two weeks to our car show at the Kemah Board Walk. The date is April the 8 th in case you forgot. The flyer and registration are all in this month s Grand Sport so be sure to read them and PLEASE sign up now so we can get car counts. Some more interesting things I thought I would share. Some of these I had heard or seen before but others I had not and thought some of you would enjoy! Luxury amenities such as power steering, air conditioning, and leather seats were first available in the 1963 Corvette. The 1966 Corvette was not eligible for the SCCA Trans Am, due to the upper limit of 5.0 liter on engine displacement. Chevy's only eligible car was the Corvair. Pontiac almost beat Chevrolet to the Coke bottle design body, with their 1965 Banshee, a two seater convertible sports car that would have been hefty competition for the Corvette. GM stopped it, and then Pontiac president John DeLorean later became president of Chevrolet. T-top does not refer to the shape of the roof, but rather it is short for Targa Top. The original a pure Targa but body flex demanded the center bar, discovered late in the design. design was Corvette had its first all-aluminum engine in 1969 as the ZL-1. It was not the first GM automobile to do so, however, being beaten by the Corvair in 1960 and the Buick 215 V8. Only two 1969 Corvettes were sold with the ZL-1 all aluminum 427 engine, making them one of the rarest collector Corvettes of all time. Note: Visit Roger's Corvette Center in Orlando, Florida, for a close-up look at an original 1969 ZL-1. Drive safe and keep the shiny side up! Hank Wrenn 3

4 For All of Your Chevrolet and Corvette Sales and Service Support Our Sponsor AutoNation Chevrolet Gulf Freeway Houston, Texas The San Jacinto Point of Contact Lauren Faulkner Phone: (281) Need Parts? Enjoy a 25% Discount on All Parts Mention you are a part of the San Jacinto Corvette Club on checkout to receive the discount 4

5 VICE PRESIDENTIAL INPUT April 2017 Howdy, fellow SJCC Members. As you can see from the photo, even the Houston Rodeo had to deal with a Shark sighting! But with the successful completion of another year of the World's best rodeo, this LandShark is redoubling efforts to bring to SJCC their best yet Holiday & Awards party. Although not yet finalized, our planned December 9, 2017 "SJCC 60th Anniversary Holiday & Awards Gala" is shaping up into one special weekend event -- our best Christmas Party yet! As mentioned to you in our recent (March) General Meeting, we are preparing to wow you with a fantastic threeway, two-day (two venue) extravaganza. You'll want to plan your overnight stay early, since rooms will go quickly. So far, we are planning a fantastic hotel reception cocktail party, followed by a lively party with dinner (& surprises) in the nearby Falcon Point country club dining/ballrooms, ending with a special breakfast send-off. Barbara and I can't wait to reveal all the details (after next month's board approval). So, stay tuned. Keep DONATING prizes/gifts of value to our banquet cost-offsetting monthly raffles, and BE GENEROUS with your RAFFLE TICKET BUYING in the upcoming months. Drive Well! Paul ("LandShark") & Barbara Lazor 5

6 MEMBERSHIP NEWS April 2017 Dr Suess 2017: One Vette, Two Vette, Red Vette, Blue Vette Enjoying my second professional life (helping) raising this handsome and loving grandson Dr Seuss 1960 DUES If you haven t seen your s or been to the March meeting, please note: After about 15 years we have finally had to increase our dues by $5/person to stop our steadily shrinking reserves. NCCC dues have not changed. So dues are now $75 for a single, $100 for a couple. This will also put us more in line with other clubs, except we have all the benefits of NCCC in addition. Current members will not be affected until renewal time for There are SIX new members and one more late renewal this month, for a total of 203! Please welcome: Jerry Hawkins and Debra Stephens of Houston, referred to us by Kathy Kirk. They have a beautiful 1977 royal blue coupe and a rare 2003 speedway white convertible. Jerry had the 77 on our Run 2 The Hills3. (See Brazos Belle in Burton ) George and Debra Kelley of Fulshear, sporting a 1998 red convertible, also joined us on our Run 2 The Hills 3. Surrounded in Brazos Belle restaurant by Danny, Suzanne, Bill Heede, and Robin and Jay Shill, they just had to join. Jennifer and Phillip Lawrence of Cypress have an impressive 2015 dark gray are looking forward to meeting them. metallic Z51 coupe. We Contact Suzanne Ansley at suzvette01@hotmail.com to get an SJCC Shutterfly account; then log on at the web site and view the pics and names. Paul_grout@live.com (there s an underscore in that space) 6

7 SJCC CELEBRATIONS April Bailey, Nick Johnson, Larry McCarty, Mimi Beaty, Beverly Jonas, Lori Mellen, Bernice Cadena, Lynn Lawrence, Phillip Mellen, Frank Grone, Angele Lazor, Barbara Miller, Linda Grone, Sven Lee, Duane Hallett, Barbara 7

8 GOVERNOR S MEMBERSHIP REPORT NEWS April 2017 I attended the South West Region Awards Banquet in Fort Worth with a number of San Jacinto Corvette Club members. The banquet was held inside the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame at the FW Stockyards. I mentioned the awards winners in last month s newsletter. However there was a new award presented for the first time at this event. The Workers Points winner. Our very own Marilyn Bakenhus was the first winner of this award. Marilyn accompanies Ken as he travels to the various autocross events in the SWRegion and is always volunteering to help while she is there. We are very proud of her. Please congratulate her when you see her next. I also attended my first SW Region Governors meeting the morning after the awards banquet. There are now 17 clubs in the SW Region with a new club in Louisiana joining the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC). There are some really fun autocross events coming up in the next couple of months. On the 29 th and 30 th of April SW Region will be running at Texas Motor Sports (TMS) track. We will be running at Halett, just outside of Tulsa on 13 th and 14 th May. This event will be for High Speed Licensed participants only. A number of us are planning to attend so let us know if you are signing up. Look forward to seeing you on the road. Suzanne Ansley Save the Wave 8

9 John Kappel Ambassador The Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky is celebrating its 23 rd Anniversary this year. It is open to the public for access to the grounds and all public areas including the store without a ticket. Tickets are available for purchase to tour the museum history, displays, cars, etc. for $10.00 each. As in the past years, the Museum has provided our club with courtesy tickets for the museum displays. If you are planning to stop at the museum this year and are not a member, see me I have the courtesy tickets. We are life members. As a life member we are given one quarter page in the America s Sports Car. We are looking for someone to design an ad for this year. Let Hank or I know if you have any interest in creating this page. Each year our club purchases a banner to be displayed in the parking lot at the museum. They are put up before the museum anniversary celebration in August There is an award for the best banner. The banner currently being displayed celebrates SJCC s 60 th anniversary. We again are asking for someone to create a design which needs to be sent to the museum in June Let Hank or I know if you have any interest in designing the graphics for this banner. If anyone needs information concerning: Insurance, plant tours, build sheets for your car, or anything about the museum, I will be happy to help. Thanks, John 9

10 ACTIVITIES April 2017 Can your Corvette come out and play with us? April is absolutely one of my most favorite months of the year. Spring is in full force, love is in the air, grass is turning green again, flowers are popping up everywhere, people are just a little happier, and in Houston April also marks Spring Corvette Show season. What do corvettes love just as much as being taken for a spirited drive on country roads? They like to get all sparkled and shined up then taken to a corvette show where they can strut their beauty for all to admire. Check out the following pages for show dates. Have you preregistered your corvette for our 13 th Annual SJCC Kemah Corvette Show on April 8 th? Don t miss out on all the fun! This is our club s Big car show and the year s major fund raiser for our charity, Kidz Harbor. For this year s show we are pulling out all the stops. We will have Silent auction, 50/50, and raffle tables. Vendors, live entertainment on 2 stages, excellent restaurants, beautiful corvettes, and trophies galore for all classes to round out the show. We need all the help we can get raising funds for the kids at Kidz Harbor so please let me know if you or someone you know may be interested in sponsoring the show and helping the much deserving kids by donating money, auction items, raffle items, or gift baskets to be auctioned off, etc Please bring any donations or items to the club meeting on April 7 th and give them to Reggie Barnett, Hank Wrenn or myself. April, May and June are some of the best months for Corvette outings in and around Houston. So this is the perfect time for you to host that event you have been dreaming up and thinking about doing for so long. We all love participating in the club events, they re what make our club so much fun, but they do not materialize out of thin air all by they re selves. It takes members like you and me to bring them to life. Remember I am there to help you with the details if you need, so drop me an , give me a call or visit me at the activities table during the monthly meetings and let s get the ball rolling. 10

11 April 1, 2017 Corvettes & Crawfish Corvette Show Hosted by Space City Corvette Club SCCC has once again invited us to join in the festivities as they celebrate their 13 th Annual spring corvette show in Clearlake. SJCC will be awarding club participation points to all members attending this show. (See the flyer further in newsletter for registration instructions) April 7, 2017 Monthly Members Meeting; Mattingly s 7pm social hour, 8pm meeting. April 8, th Annual Kemah Corvette Show Wax Her down, shine her up, then bring your Corvette to the Kemah Boardwalk as the SJCC hosts one of the most scenic Corvette shows in the state. Of course we ll have all the fix ins: Amazing Trophies, Raffles, 50/50, Silent Auctions, Vendors, Live Entertainment, Fantastic Restaurants and more. Register early, space is limited. (See the flyer further in newsletter) April 14,15,16, 2017 Tour De Fleur part Twenty Hosted by Mike Kochanowsky 20 years! That has to be a record for an annual event. For good reason, Mike has this 3 day outing dialed in and fine-tuned for fun, fun, fun. Best roads in Texas, Best wines in Texas, Best people in Texas. Like I said Fun, Fun, Fun! (See the flyer further in newsletter) April 17, 2017 Board of Directors Meeting; Autonation April 29, Corvettes Ready / Annual Spring Corvette Charity Show Hosted by Corvette Owners Club of Houston COCH has once again invited us to join in the festivities as they celebrate their Annual spring corvette charity show at the Sugarland Town Square. SJCC will be awarding club participation points to all members attending this show. (See the flyer further in newsletter for registration instructions) May 6, th Annual Corvette Show Hosted by the National Afro American Corvette Club NAACC has once again invited us to join in the festivities as they celebrate their 12th Annual Corvette Show at the Fox and Hound Restaurant. SJCC will be awarding club participation points to all members attending this show. Danny Beaty 2016 Activities Director Danny@theBullogic.com or cell

12 12

13 Registration Form San Jacinto Corvette Club 13 th Annual Kemah Corvette Show Saturday, April 8, 2017 Please print clearly Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Address: Club Affiliation: Entry fee per Corvette: Preregistration: $45 Day of the Show: $50 Year: Color: Class (check all that apply): Coupe Convertible Grand Sport Z06 ZR-1 Modified (Race) Total Fee: Corvette Registration: Additional Donation to Kidz Harbor $ $ Total: $ (Please make all checks payable to Kidz Harbor) Please note the following rules: No tire dressings allowed in display area. Drip pan under any car that drips. No external display items. All accessories must be displayed inside the Corvette. Food and beverages available at show. Show is a rain or shine event. I understand that the San Jacinto Corvette Club and its members, the Kemah Boardwalk, restaurants and the show sponsors are not responsible for loss or injury to me or my property. I expressly release them and the promoters from any liability for such loss or injury. I agree to provide and pay for my own insurance. Signed: Date: Send check and completed entry form to: Event Contact: Reggie Barnett Reggie Barnett 410 Melodywood Drive Friendswood, Tx KemahCorvettes2017@gmail.com 13

14 I m excited as the Tour draws closer. There are so many men in the club that I admire that s it impossible to list them here, and quite a few have hero status. But there are two that I idolize and have pasted hero status to become icons in my mind. I won t name them for fear of embarrassing them, but both will be on the Tour. I m just so very excited. Survey Says. Friday night. There were a lot of BBQ request, pizza, and Mexican food followed. However, the overall consensus was to eat on our own then gather as usual for adult beverages and conversation. We will gather behind the conference center like last year to minimize guest hanging out their doors and shushing us. There won t be the folk singer Friday night, most didn t want anything competing with Saturday s dinner and dance. Saturday s run will be around the Twisted Sisters. I have some roads picked out to get there that we have not traveled in a while, and I still plan on getting us back to the Inn with time to relax or hit a winery, or just shop in town. Again everyone seems to be happy with where I pick for Saturday lunch, and I have a recommendation for a new spot along the way so I believe we will try it. If you want to go. But didn t make a reservation let me know and I will see if I can squeeze another room or two from the hotel. I want to thank Jab Grout for the photo. Is this the hill country or what? As I have said before Don t miss out. This year s run will be best yet, and maybe the last???? Mike K Senior Cruz Master mikek307@sbcglobal.net 14

15 Tour de Fleur Part Twenty Still cruising after all these years Help Celebrate 20 years of The Tour and 60 years of San Jacinto Corvette Club April 14-16, 2017 Host Hotel Fredericksburg Inn & Suites Phone: Room Rate: $ plus tax (either 2 queens or 1 king) Rooms will be released 3/31/17 Friday April 14, 2017 Buc-ee s Hwy 290/FM 362 Driver s Meeting 9:00 am, depart 9:15 am (west bound Hwy 290) Saturday April 15, 2017 We will run scenic Hill Country roads with some spirited driving, lunch and be back in time for an afternoon winery or shopping. Saturday Night 7:00 pm Spring Greens w/ arugula and vinaigrette Pork Loin w/ green peppercorn sauce Spinach stuffed chicken breast w/ fennel cream sauce Truffle mashed potatoes and Green Beans Assorted rolls & Butter Fresh brewed ice tea $55.00 person, includes taxes and gratuity Dance to music by The Flashbacks Sunday April 16, 2017 Aspirin, breakfast and head for home Questions Mike Kochanowsky mikek307@sbcglobal.net 15

16 Meet Your Dream Garage View more than 200 classic, new, domestic & foreign cars in an air-conditioned facility complete with a mock 1950 s gas station, 50 s diner, Christmas village, & drive-in movie theater complete with car hops and window trays. Date: Sunday, May 21, 1:30-4:30. (This is the time we have for the garage tour/visit on their property. Only available on Sundays by invitation only) We will meet at an earlier time for a short run and lunch before going to the Gullo house. (Still determining exact time and meeting place for start. Details will be finalized for April SJCC meeting and May Grand Sport) People are welcome to bring cameras and take pictures however Mr. Gullo requests Not to post pictures and location on social media. private people (the museum is where they live). He does enjoy sharing his collection but it was getting out of hand people posting where it was located and people just showing up out of the blue. Entry fee $10 a person(donation to Gullo Christmas for Kids) 16

17 Update - The Tour of Two Tails I am glad to let everyone know that the SJCC Board approved this big road trip to be part of the clubs 60 th Birthday celebrations. So get your diary out and block out the following dates Depart Saturday 2 nd September (Labor Day weekend) Return Sunday 10 th September (We will leave North Carolina area on Saturday 9 th September with the plan to be back in Houston on the 10 th September). Geoff and I are working on a great road trip that will take us through back roads with limited freeway driving. We will travel along some great roads like the Nachez Trace, Tail of the Dragon, Tail of the Lizard, Blue Ridge Parkway to name a few. Our ultimate destination will be the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina. As we build out this trip we will provide you more information. Don t miss out on this great trip. Block the dates now!!! Suzanne Ansley Save the Wave.. 17

18 Spring Corvette Shows It's Spring already, (actually it's been Spring for about a month now), and that means it's time to clean up your Corvette and join your fellow enthusiasts in showing your car at the various Corvette shows coming up. Space City Corvette Club The first show of the season is the Space City Corvette Club's event coming up on Saturday, April 1st on Nasa 1, benefitting St. Jude Children's Hospital. This show is always a lot of fun and who doesn't like crawfish! 18

19 San Jacinto Corvette Club-Kemah Show The second-and most important show of the Spring season-is on Saturday, April 8th, our own 13th Annual Corvette Show at the Kemah Boardwalk. We sort of got a late start this year but we are determined to have a very successful show for our favorite charity, Kidz Harbor. To make that happen, we really need every club member to do his/her own part, participating in the show and helping out in the various jobs that make a smooth running show. Contact Reggie Barnett as indicated below on the flyer and enter your car and volunteer to work at the show. 19

20 Corvette Owners Club of Houston The Corvette Owners Club ( COCH) is hosting their annual Spring show again at Sugarland Town Square on Saturday, April 29th. It's always a nice venue with a lot of spectators admiring the Corvettes. National Afro-American Corvette Club The NAACC is hosting their annual spring show on Saturday, May 6th at the Fox and Hound. I do not have a flyer from them as yet but will put one out as I receive it. Remember-All these shows generate money that is donated to charities right here in Houston so support your local Corvette Clubs and their charities. Go and enter the shows and meet your fellow Corvette enthusiasts from other clubs. Frank Bobbie SJCC Concours Chair 20

21 San Jac 60th Anniversary Apparel Unless you have been somewhere checking alternate truths, most of us in the San Jacinto Corvette Club know that 2017 is the 60th anniversary of our founding! To help commemorate and celebrate this 60th year, the Board has approved a special club logo for use this year on any and all club apparel and items. Embroidered items such as shirts, hats, jackets, and patches are available only at Hyperstitch.com. You can get to this website by following the directions and the link Suzanne Ansley issued to all members on March 4 through Shutterfly.com. Or you can go directly to Hyperstitch.com, click on SHOP, then CLUB/ORGANIZATION, then SAN JACINTO CORVETTE CLUB. You'll find about 50 choices on patches, clothing, bags, hats, chairs, coolers-most anything you want. But, if you cannot find what you want on the website, call them at and someone will assist you in getting the exact item for embroidering. I could not find a black oxford short sleeve shirt but they found me one and I am very pleased with it. 60th logo items will only be available this year. In 2018, they will turn into pumpkin patches so get yours soon. T-shirts with the 60th log are also in the works and will be available shortly. Frank Bobbie 21

22 CorvetteThreads.com/SJCC Disclosure: Adam Beaty currently owns and operates CorvetteThreads.com 22

23 So, and I quote, this month the TOM goes to the biggest turd I know, Geoff Ansley. Now what I am sure former president Adam meant to say, was; to the guy, brave enough to bring a knife (Dodge) to a gun fight (Corvette meeting) and wield it at the meeting, it is my honor to present this month s TOM. But I took no offense at the accolade. In fact I feel I owe Adam an apology, as I know that his bride has TWO yep that s right TWO, (count em) Dodge Challengers and more to the point, they had driven one of theirs to the meeting on the night of the award it s all getting a bit Putin / Trump / Clinton for me. But, back to why I really owe Adam an apology, I did suggest to his lovely bride that she may want to withhold certain nocturnal amorous activities for a time, at least until Adam came to his senses about the mighty Hellcat!...but, alas, I fear, the girl is both young and somewhat smitten, and hence, I feel my suggestions carried little or no credence with her. To all you Corvette fanatics let me tell you what 707 HP feels like WITH a WARRANTY!!!! AWESOME! No other word for it, simply put it s the best muscle car EVER. It s not a Corvette, and it doesn t want to be one, it s a muscle car, and that is different from a sports car with a big engine. I never had a late 60 s, early 70 s muscle car, in fact my first car had less than 10% of the power of the Hellcat, but I grew up on a diet of US TV drama s like Starsky and Hutch, the Dukes of Hazard, movies like the original Gone in 60 seconds, and a diet of Springsteen s songs from the Born to Run album (before I knew he was a lefty, although, actually I still like most of his stuff). So cars that could spin their rear wheels at will, was what I aspired to own. Now I have one, and I am proud of it. It s mine, I could have bought a new Vette (or for that matter, another old one) but truth be told, they just aren t comfortable on Houston roads in the daily grind of a commute, and the Hellcat is. 23

24 Didn t Springsteen once sing about this. There s a Darkness on the edge of town However, the Hellcat is schizophrenia personified; it can be smooth, reasonably quiet, and almost civilized for the commute. But it has a dark side, and secretly it s the modern day embodiment of the Plymouth in the famous Christine movie, it s demonically possessed, it WANTS to try to kill you every time it starts up. If you aren t extremely cautious in the application of the right foot, it will kill you; if you approach too much twisty stuff too fast it will try to kill you. It s stupidly overpowered, the traction control system has gone AWOL, and its horribly deficient in the tire department, it s a modern day 1971 Muscle car, and that is why I love it, except this one can actually stop. Who would have thought we would, at this stage in our lives, be in the middle of the greatest Muscle Car era ever, and in 2017, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat is the most factory horsepower endowed muscle car you can own, so why not? at least until the DE- MON arrives later this year. Also, it s nice, for a change, to have something other than a car named after an alphanumeric, the 67C2. The 69C3. The 87, or is it 88 race car. The O1. The 07 Z06 or the 14 Z51, the HELLCAT is simply that, the Hellcat. Beside all of that, the Hellcat is faster than any Corvette. It will rust faster, it will go through tires faster, it will depreciate faster, and it will, (I guarantee it) go through fuel faster. However, it may surprise you at the lights if you try, or it may not, depending on the drivers mood, but given a long stretch of road, and the will to take it to the limit (and beyond), it will see 199MPH, and the only factory Vette that will stay with it is the C6 Z06 and the C6 ZR1, and there aren t many of them left with a factory warranty! Now before I go, and, as this is a Corvette club newsletter, we love the Corvette, ya ll know that, after all we have six of the things. (Some even work.) Hopefully my automotive soul is not beyond redemption, although with my MGC I might just have gone too far to ever come all the way back. So next month, I will be prowling, looking for someone who brought their hopelessly underpowered daily driver to the meeting, after all, as good as the Vette is; as much bang for the buck as it delivers; some of you will ride your metal vehicles to the meeting and me and the Hellcat will be ready, prowling, lurking and ready to pounce on anything metal with under 500HP. And if it s not Merican tin you bring, then you are fair game, remember, buy American, hire American, and as a famous British motoring journalist is prone to say, and on that bombshell. Geoff Ansley 24

25 BRAZOS BELLE in BURTON March 19, 2017 Paul Grout This is the year we are celebrating the Club s 60 th anniversary. On March 19 we celebrated it in Burton, at the renowned Brazos Belle Restaurant. Suzanne organized another beauty of a Run to the Hills 3. Fantastic weather, blue bonnets exploding all along the way, great roads twisting over the rolling hills (watch out for that patch of gravel), and ending in Burton TX. Pictured here are long time members Mike Kochanowsky,24 years, and Bill and Anna Rollins, 25 yrs. Middle picture is brand new member Jerry Hawkins driving his beautiful royal blue 77 coupe. Coming down the steps on the right are Betty, Gordon, and Fred Aldrighette, 29 yrs. A trio of early SJCC founding member couples is pictured in a 2007 pose in front of the Brazos Belle during the 50 th anniversary year celebration: Perry and Charlotte Edgar, Zekie Mae and John McVeigh, and Gordon and Ladelle Bisel. These folks helped start the Club, from the first two years ( 57-59) through Perry and Gordon rejoined for the last 15 years ( 02 to present). Most of us are still trying to get our first 15 years under our belt. John McVeigh built (and rebuilt) the Club s fabled 1957 Corvette racer Humpty Dumpty. 25

26 Run to the Hills 3 Fog!!?? Who said there was going to be Fog??!! I know my local Corvette Club bubbies were probably cursing when they woke up in the morning, as I know they had spent the time to make their Black Beauties as sparkly and as purdy as possible. This is the third time I have organized the Run to the Hills. The first two years in February we ended up in Round Top for a great lunch at a very odd little place where the food was amazing. This year I wasn t as organized in planning this event. March is a time you definitely want to avoid Round Top due to the HUGE antique festival they have in the area, where miles and miles of fields are filled with antiques for sale. Where could we go this year and still be in the Hills? Thinking, thinking and then I remembered this quaint place just west of Brenham. Chuck Holden had taken us there I couple of times on some very cool back roads. I did some checking and I think the last time we went there was in the year that SJCC turned 50! Seemed appropriate to repeat that trip ten years later in SJCC s 60 th year. Too bad Chuck couldn t make the run but I lead the group in his honor. The minor problem with the Brazos Belle in Burton is that it is only open for three meal times a week. Friday and Saturday evening for dinner, and Sunday for lunch. I was worried about how many people might show up for a Sunday run. Not sure why I was worried. We had 33 cars and 58 people join the event!!! Nice turn out. The meeting place was in Brookshire. Of course I received the expected comments about the meeting place not being in Fulshear. Don t worry my next run will start in Fulshear. We headed out on time and it wasn t too long before the fog lifted. What a glorious day we had, with fields of Blue Bonnets. The roads were nice and curvy and I think most people had a spirited run. We did manage to lose four cars in Bellville probably due to the additional turn left at the stop sign driving instructions that shouldn t have been there. I received a phone all from one of the drivers to get 26

27 directions for getting them back on track. When we arrived at our first stop I called the driver to find out where they were. I was told they were not too far away but were delayed due to having to stop to chat to the local police officer. Something about running a Stop sign or two. The small group were reunited and we made the find run into Burton. The small kitchen at Brazos Belle did well considering we all arrived at once. After lunch some of us drove over to the local Saddle Horn Winery where we sat outside drinking an acceptable tasting glass of wine or two. Thanks to everyone who came out for this run. Looking forward to the next time. Suzanne Ansley 27

28 TWS Track Weekend Every year, for the last 10 years, the Track Guys have had a three day weekend event in March for Mustang Clubs and I think I've been coming to Texas World Speedway (TWS) to run the track with them probably that many years. The last weekend of March this year they were back again and allowed the Corvettes to gate crash their Mustang party yet again. Although this was not a San Jac club event we did have a good turnout of the club members come to run their cars on the track. Those here on the weekend were Hank Wrenn (who was instructing), Adam and Danny Beaty, Bill Heede, AJ Schill (driving a Mustang boooo), Paul Grout and myself. Those here to watch were Beverly and Lisa Beaty, Robin Schill and on Saturday night to dinner we had a visit from Alena Heede. Mike and Brent Averitt also came down from the hill country to spend Saturday with us. What was exciting was that Joyce and Paul Echols signed up in the beginners class to learn to run their car on the track. Last year they came to watch and ride with Hank for a few laps. I guess that got them interested in trying this out. We had a little rain Friday afternoon and the rest of the weekend was great weather wise. It's fun hanging out with friends and telling lies about our track escapades!! It's also fun watching people get out of their cars smiling so big their cheeks hurt! 28

29 Not sure how much longer TWS will remain open. It's been closing down for the last three years as developers work to get their finances in order to demolish the track and build a housing estate. It will be a very sad day if that eventually happens, as this track is only 1hr 15mins from my house. It s located just south of College Station. The track itself is just over three miles long with lots of elevation changes. Fun, fun, fun track. Suzanne Ansley. 29

30 CURRENT TROPHY HOLDERS: GOLDEN ARMADILLO = MARK SMITH WHY ME, LORD? = MARK WHITE HERO DRIVER =? I LL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN = JOHN KAPPEL T. O. M. = GEOFF ANSLEY 30

31 31

32 Gene Kingery Scholarship Application Sponsored by San Jacinto Corvette Club Purpose of Scholarship: Assisting eligible candidate with the continuation of formal education. Formal education applies to any school and/or college with curriculum, whether it is undergraduate, post graduate, or occupational school. Leisure Learning courses are not considered as continuation of formal education. Preference for scholarship(s) will be given to graduating high school seniors and recent graduates wishing to attend college or an occupational school. Eligibility: Primary member in good standing (as outlined in SJCC Bylaws), spouse, or significant other, children, grandchildren of primary member. Application for scholarship is on an annual basis and must re-apply for the following academic year. Requirements High School-must have graduated (or will graduate this June) with an overall GPA (grade point average on 4-point system) of not less than College Undergraduate-students must have an overall GPA of not less than Occupational School-students must have a scholastic standing in the top half of the class or what equates to a 2.50 GPA. Applications must be completed 100% and submitted along with the completed recommendations to the Scholarship Administrator by the posted deadline, or they will not be considered. Request for application to scholarship must be made by mail to designated address. Mail is understood to mean U.S. Postal Service or electronic mail. Funding Board of Directors of SJCC, in January, will allocate funding for the scholarship program. Event Chairperson may designate a portion of event proceeds to be allocated for scholarship program for current year with cutoff date of June 15. After this date, proceeds will be set aside for the following year s program. Administration January-President appoints three person committee with one person as committee head to accept and review applications that will be mailed to the committee head s designated address. Club Secretary will maintain administrative material and application to be presented to committee chair and Newsletter Editor. April, May, June-Publication in Grand Sport of scholarship requirements, eligibility, and designated mailing address for request of and receipt of applications. July and August-Publication in Grand Sport of scholarship deadline of August 31 st. September-September Board Meeting presentations by Scholarship Committee Chair those recommendation(s) for scholarship awards for approval by Board. It is understood that the Board may request review of completed applications. Allocation by Board of scholarship fund to be divided equally among recipients. Publication of scholarship recipients to be in the October Grand Sport that is prepared during the month of September. October-Awarding of check(s) at club meeting to those recipients able to attend and mailing to those not in attendance. 32

33 Gene Kingery Scholarship Application Sponsored by San Jacinto Corvette Club Name Last First Middle Address Name of and Relationship to SJCC Primary Member High School Graduation Date Name and Address of High School List of High School Extra-Curricular Activities: TO BE COMPLETED BYY HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR (if less than 2 years since graduation): Rank in class of Grade Point Average On Scale of Comments (Brief narrative evaluation of student that may include any intangible qualities): Signature/printed name of Counselor Date Phone IMPORTANT: attach an official transcript of high school work through last completed semester. 33

34 Gene Kingery Scholarship Application Sponsored by San Jacinto Corvette Club Page 2 Higher Education List college or occupational school to be attended and attach documentation of enrollment/admission. Name of Institution Address of Institution Currently Attending Dates of Attendance to (Attach copy of most recent record of grades and GPA) GPA Please provide a brief description of applicant s (or primary member s) involvement with SJCC. Recommendations: Attach three (3) Letters of Recommendation covering motivation, ability, knowledge, standards and integrity in your field of endeavors. Essay: Write and attach a 300 word essay outlining your goals, endeavors, and how you plan on attaining those; as well as, provide information about yourself that would influence the administrator to select you for scholarship. I pledge that the above information is correct and factual. Signature of Applicant Printed Name of Applicant Date Mail application to: Sharon Earnest, Allyson Road, Magnolia, TX

35 THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS Mark A. White Attorney at Law Law Office of Mark A. White *************************************************** 1500 McGowen, Ste. 220 Houston, TX T: F: *************************************************** General Civil and Commercial Litigation Free Initial Consultation 35

36 SAN JACINTO CORVETTE CLUB INC. P. O. BOX 13992, HOUSTON, TX PHONE: FAX: San Jacinto Corvette Club, Inc. (SJCC), established in 1957, is an organization of Corvette enthusiasts and their spouses. SJCC is a member of the National Council of Corvette Clubs, Southwest Region. SJCC monthly club meetings are held on the first Friday of each month, except December, at Mattingly Enterprises, 9426 Katy Freeway, Building #8, Houston, TX at 8 p.m. Visitors are welcome! SJCC Board of Directors meetings are held the third Monday of each month at AutoNation Chevrolet, Gulf Freeway, Houston, TX at 7pm. Yearly membership dues are required. Annual dues are $70 for a single membership and $90 for joint membership. - The Grand Sport is a monthly publication of SJCC solely for the purpose of reporting club news and other items of interest to the membership. The Grand Sport welcomes articles from the membership. Some articles may be edited before publication. Please submit articles electronically (preference is MS Word in Calibri 12). to current President: Hank Wrenn at hwrenn@mac.com. SJCC members receive The Grand Sport by each month without charge. Non-members may subscribe for $20 per year by . - ADVERTISING Advertising rates (semi-annually/annually for 2017 are: Full Page $100/$120 Half Page $80/$100 Quarter Page $60/$80 Business Card $45/$60 Trade Fair: $30/3 mos.; $45/6 mos; $60/year Corvette related items for sale by club members may be included in the newsletter FREE of charge, on a space available basis. Please submit ads in writing ( ). Ads by non-club members are billed at the Business Card rate listed above. Contact the President: Hank hwrenn@mac.com.