The Corvette hobby doesn't seem to like judging anymore. Having a group of people examine every bolt head and date stamp no longer holds much appeal, and the endless arguments over what is truly original have gotten boring. The fake cars and the forged numbers have gotten to be just a little too much. Are we learning anything from this?
Every major Corvette show that emphasized fun and enjoyment hit record attendance numbers during the summer of 1997. The biggest Corvette gathering in the country, Corvettes at Carlisle, had another record year and it's never had a serious judging activity.
The FunFest sponsored by Mid America Designs also broke attendance records this past year. It's now the second or third largest Corvette gathering in the country. They've never had real judging, either. Rather, they've borrowed the celebrity judging concept that proved so successful at the Carlisle show.
The National Corvette Museum's Labor Day event in Bowling Green is becoming another giant gathering for Corvette owners. This year, they simply encouraged people to drive their Corvettes on over to Kentucky and have some fun, and next year even more enthusiasts will go to Bowling Green.
Then we have the great show that began it all ¾ Bloomington Gold, the only private corporation in the automobile hobby founded on the principle of judging. When this grandfather of all Corvette shows suffers an attendance decline, there's a problem. The siren call of Bloomington Gold certificates used to bring people from afar. Now, when offered the opportunity to compete for the Corporate Seal of Approval, they answer with a resounding, "No thank you."
We're all having a whole lot more fun than we used to. The judging will continue, but it'll be mainly about the original cars, not the restored ones. The shows that recognized the Corvettes are about the people who own them more than about the cars themselves will continue to grow. When you make your travel plans for the coming summer, have at least one show on the calendar where no one will judge your car. Just drive your Corvette there and have a good time.
There'll be plenty of time for waxing when you get home Sunday night.
*Used with the permission of the author. Originally published in Corvette Fever, February 1998