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Corvette Funfest 2005 Best
Ever "Customer Appreciation Party"
Corvette Funfest 2005, Mid America Motorworks' annual "customer
appreciation party" certainly lived up to its theme of, "Lets Have
Some Fun."
Highlight of this year's Funfest was a Beach Boys concert on
Saturday night. The free concert drew more than 20,000 people to the
Mid America Motorworks campus.
Overall, an estimated 12,000 Corvettes, and up to 50,000
enthusiasts, attended the three day Funfest celebration, Sept.
16-18. Attendance broke last year's record of 10,600 Corvettes and
45,000 enthusiasts.
Mike Yager, the founder and Chief Cheerleader of Mid America
Motorworks, admitted he was nervous and excited prior to the
concert.
"I remember being 12 years old, listening to Beach Boys songs, and
dreaming of some day owning a Corvette. Now I am able to bring the
Beach Boys to Corvette Funfest for everyone to enjoy," he said.
Corvette Funfest 2005 was the debut of Mid America Motorworks new
"Big Book" Corvette catalog. The Big Book is Mid America Motorworks'
most comprehensive, easiest to use Corvette catalog. It covers all
Mid America Motorworks products, accessories, and lifestyle items
for every Corvette from the C1 to the C6.
Corvette Funfest 2005 supported several worthy causes.
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"Vets with Vettes" took
Center Stage Parking at Funfest with Veterans parking their
Corvettes in a special location. "Bravo" Company, 2nd Battalion,
130th Infantry of the Illinois Army National Guard,
headquartered in Effingham, was deployed earlier this year to
Iraq. The proceeds from Center Stage Parking were donated to a
local support group that helps families with loved ones on duty
in Iraq.
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Mid America Motorworks and
the Corvetteforum.com teamed up to collect donations for
Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
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Funfest this year featured an
exclusive art show at the home of Mike and Laurie Yager.
Proceeds from the art show were donated to a local foster
children program.
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The on-site Red Cross blood
mobile was busy throughout Funfest with people who donated blood
for relief efforts.
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"Corvette enthusiasts once
again proved they are the greatest people in the world because
while they were at Funfest they generously contributed to those
in need," said Yager.
Among the special displays at
this year's Funfest were:
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The 2nd Official Place of
Issuance for the new Corvette Commemorative stamp. Mid America
Motorworks was honored by the USPS for its "STAMPede" efforts in
2001 that resulted in petitions with tens of thousands of
signatures being sent to the USPS requesting the commemorative
stamp. In addition to the stamp itself, USPS sold a special
"Funfest Cancellation" issue at the show.
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Noland Adams' 1953 Corvette
was the model the USPS used for the stamp. Both Adams, and his
car, were displayed during Funfest.
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Corvette picked Funfest 2005
as the first public appearance of the C6 Z06. The cars were on
display from the Corvette plant in Bowling Green.
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Yager, claiming, "I've got
too much stuff," held a silent auction for more than 70 pieces
of Corvette artwork and more than 30 pieces of automotive
memorabilia. Included in the memorabilia was the 1991 Corvette
that was the project car used by Mid America Motorworks and
Dream Car Garage.
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An expanded art show on the
Funfest grounds, with many new pieces created specifically for
Funfest.
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New displays in the MY Garage
Museum, including The Bill Mitchell 1964 World's Fair Car, a
1963 Big Tank, Big Brake Z06, a ZR-1, the XP-819 research
vehicle, and the last C5 Z06.
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Club Parking—Corvette clubs
were able to park as a group. Nearly 20 clubs took advantage of
the free program, setting up tents and soliciting new members.
"I am not sure how we will top
Funfest 2005, but I know the Mid America Motorworks team will come
up with new ideas to make Funfest 2006 even better," said Yager.
"Every Corvette enthusiast should plan to be here for Corvette
Funfest 2006, Sept. 15-17, 2006."
Winners of our various Funfest raffles and
drawings were:
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The
St. Anthony Corvette Raffle - ticket #327, Joseph D.
Simko, of Sharon, PA.
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The "Increase Your Odds" First Prize Winner - ticket
#288, Wayne Hodge of Myrtle Point, MD.
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The "Increase Your Odds" Second Prize Winner - George
Christine III of York, PA.
Click
to read
"What You
Thought About Funfest"
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