Random Corvette Fact of the Month: Competitive Driving Mode

Did you know that your C5 Corvette has a Competitive Driving mode?  The Competitive Driving mode allows more wheel spin than standard driving mode, while leaving the Active Handling intact.  This makes the car more responsive and more nimble without completely removing the stabilizing protections of the fully automatic Active Handling system.

To activate the Competitive Driving mode, hold down the Traction Control button for 5 seconds.  It's that easy.  The words "Competitive Driving Mode" will appear on the Driver's Information Center on the dash.  Push the button again to return to standard driving.  Standard driving also resets when the car is turned off.  

 

Random Photo of the Month: Crazy Woman Creek

This "big sky" picture was taken in northern Wyoming near Crazy Woman Creek close to the Big Horn Mountains (mountains seen in the distance).  There are numerous local legends and myths explaining how the Crazy Woman Creek got its name. The most plausible of these tells the story of a trader's widow who survives a hit in the head with a tomahawk and is secretly nursed back to health by women of the Crow tribe.     

Corvette Racing Greats: Meeting Four Legendary Racecar Drivers

I had the rare opportunity to meet four Corvette Racing celebrities this past summer at the Road America ALMS race at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.  Friends and I met Johnny O'Connell, Tommy Milner, Ron Fellows, and Bob Bondurant.  What a treat!

Johnny O'Connell signing autographs at a Corvette Racing seminar

Johnny O'Connell
Johnny O'Connell was Corvette Racing's most prolific driver winning more races for Corvette than any other driver during his 10-year career.  He has a record number of Sebring 12-hr class victories (8) and  38 career ALMS wins.  Johnny recently moved from Corvette Racing to the newly-formed Cadillac Racing Team in 2011 as the leading full-time driver for the new team.

Race car driver Tommy Milner meeting fans during the pre-race festivities.

Tommy Milner
Tommy Milner is the newest driver on the Corvette Racing Team starting his first full year on the ALMS circuit in 2011.  Tommy is taking the place of Johnny O'Connell in the #3 car.

Ron Fellows answering fan questions at the Corvette tent before the ALMS race.

Ron Fellows
Legendary driver Ron Fellows has retired from a full racing schedule with Corvette, although he still races in selected events.  Ron has the distnction of winning the fan-favorite ALMS Popular Driver Award for 4 consecutive years from 2004 to 2007 in addition to winning numerous ALMS races and championships.  Currently, Ron is an Ambassador and Technical Advisor to the Corvette Racing Team.

Bob Bondurant and his wife Patricia meeting fans and signing autographs.

Bob Bondurant
Bob Bondurant was a racecar driver of Corvettes and Shelby Cobras in the 1960s.  However, Bob is best known as the founder and owner of the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Arizona that utilizes Grand Sport and ZR1 Corvettes as training vehicles.  Bob has trained several famous actors for racing movie roles over the years including James Garner, Clint Eastwood, Robert Wagner, Tim Allen, Tom Cruise, and Nicholas Cage.  That's cool.

A Johnny O'Connell autograph on a promotional C6.R Racing brochure.

Random Corvette Fact of the Month: C5 Trunk Space

Surprisingly, the C5 has more trunk space than one might think.  Two full sets of golf clubs in luxury golf bags fit easily inside.  There are also three "cubby holes" with covers that open up below the floor of the trunk.  These can hold smaller items like shoes, coats, etc. 

However, this doesn't mean that other model years of the Corvette do as well.  The C4 and the C6 both have less space, especially the coupes.

Random Photo of the Month: The Nos Car

Saw this badge on a yellow C5 Corvette at a show in 2005.  The car was actually equipped with Nitrous Oxide.  A yellow bottle was installed in the trunk which was open for viewing by the public (show off!).  I really don't understand the need for rocket propellant on a car that already comes standard from the factory with 350 horsepower.  Ok, I lied, maybe I do.  Wow. 

Random Corvette Fact of the Month: The Corvette Name

The Chevrolet Corvette was named after the corvette, a small manuverable warship.  Corvette warships are commonly used today by a number of modern navies, although some do not the use the term corvette.  Corvette ships are typically armed with small- to medium-caliber guns, surface-to-air missles, and underwater weaponry, and are typically used in conjunction with gunships during battle. 

Random Photo of the Month: The Tuxedo Dragster

I call this car the "The Tuxedo Dragster."  It's a highly modified C1 Corvette drag race car that I photographed at a Corvette event in 2004.  Wow.  Check out that engine. 

The car attracted quite a crowd.  The engine had a nice growl and the fat tires gave the car a nice bounce.  Didn't get to see it race, though.

News about the C7 Corvette

Here's a link to news about the C7 Corvette coming in 2014:

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs/autosblogpost-ros.aspx?post=f9c648a2-1632-48d0-98b6-21fda42c5e0c&icid=autos_2103&GT1=22017

Photo Gallery: A Weekend at the Races

Welcome to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin!  These photos are from the ALMS race weekend that was held in August 2011. 

Corvette Racing at Road America: Aug 18-21

The Corvette Racing Team will be competing in the ALMS race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin this weekend.  The weekend caps off with the Corvette World Tribute to 100 Years of Chevrolet on Sunday.

Here's a link to the American Lemans site highlighting the race:  http://americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=news%7C16100

Additional race info is on the Road America site.

Excellent Corvette Event Website

Corvette Events is an excellent website that includes photo slide shows, news stories, and upcoming Corvette events.  There's also an interesting article describing the upcoming 2012 Corvette model changes.  Here's the link:
http://www.corvette-events.com/node/7351

New Product: Curb-Alert

New product to prevent scraping the front end of the Corvette when parking.  Here's the link:

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette?frame=11564&utm_source=Corvette_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=V07116

Corvette Car Wash

Today was car wash day for the Corvette.  Driving from Wisconsin to South Dakota and back on our recent road trip left the car full of bugs, locusts, road tar, and grime. 

Before Pictures

 

Rinse, Wash, Rinse, Dry

 

After Pictures

D's Car Wash Tips:

1.  Use two buckets of soapy water. 
Use the first bucket for wiping down the dirtiest areas, typically the buggy front end and the lower rocker panels.  Give these areas a pre-wash.  Reserve the second bucket for washing the entire car.  Use a bucket with a raised grate for the second bucket.  This will reduce the chances of scratching the car because the grit will drop to the lower section of the bucket away from the washing mitt.

2.  Keep the car continuously wet during the washing phase to reduce water spots. 
Re-rinse liberally, as needed, to prevent water spots.  Installing a soft water spigot will also help battle the spotting.  A single connection can be installed that will deliver hot and cold softened water.

3.  Get a wheel/rim brush and rim spray cleaner. 
Scrub hard-to-reach spaces inside the rims and brake calipers by using a wheel brush.  This is an effective and efficient approach that doesn't cause hand bruises.  Also, use rim spray cleaner for the best sparkle without water spots.

4.  Open the trunk, doors, and hood as a last step when drying.
Water will collect on the inside edges of the trunk, hood, and door jambs on a Corvette.  Open these areas and dry the water with a soft towel.     

D's Recommended Car Cleaning Products:
Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash
Meguiar's Hot Rims Aluminun Wheel Cleaner
The Absorber, drying skin
Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer
Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/Conditioner
Stoners Invisible Glass Premium Glass Cleaner
Mother's California Gold Clay Bar
Meguiar's Quik Detailer
Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Show Car Glaze
Meguiar's  Hi-Tech Professional Yellow Wax

The Original California Duster

A Weekend in Deadwood

Welcome to Deadwood, South Dakota.  Deadwood is a thriving tourist town in the Black Hills with a Wild West kind of charm.  With numerous restaurants, hotels, casinos, and nearby outdoor activities, the place is a tourist's dream.  There's something for everyone here.  Shoppers, historians, and gamblers alike will find something that peaks their interest at this old time gold mining camp in the gulch.

We spent a weekend in Deadwood for the last leg of our trip to the Black Hills Corvette Classic car show that began with Hot Summer Nights in Sioux Falls.  The destination did not disappoint. 

Favorite Activity:
My favorite activity of the weekend was a wine tasting at the Belle Joli' Winery shop on Main Street in Deadwood.  The wine tasting included a range of six locally-produced South Dakota wines that ended with a unique cherry dessert wine that was served with dark chocolate.  My favorite wine of the six was the Days of 76, a full-bodied red blend.  Very good.  The shop sells wine-related gifts in addition to wine.  There's also a patio with umbrella tables in front of the shop--a great place for relaxing with friends over a bottle of wine.

Favorite Casino:
My favorite casino was The Lodge, main reason being was that I won a little money here.  The Lodge is a full-service Vegas-style resort just outside of Deadwood on US Highway 85.  The casino is spacious offering table games and a large selection of the newest slot machines.  This casino doesn't have the small town charm of the Main Street casinos in Deadwood, but it does have generous player's club rewards and an open atmosphere.  The only negative of this place is the location. 

Favorite Hang Out:
My favorite hang out of the weekend was the veranda at the Franklin Hotel.  This is a great outdoor place to relax and socialize.  We met an interesting couple from California who were on a cross-country road trip. 

Overall, I'd rate our trip as an 8 on a scale from 1-10.  A longer stay would have been better.  I felt too rushed with our short stay from Thursday night to early Sunday morning, especially with long drives on each end of our stay.  Odds are high that we will return some day.  I'd like to ride the George S. Mickleson trail with our bicycles.  From what I've read, the trail is 109 miles of moderate riding that skips across the scenic wonder of the Black Hills.  Sounds awesome.

The Sights of South Dakota

Traveled the state of South Dakota from Sioux Falls to Deadwood on Thursday last week for the Black Hills Corvette Classic.  A slide show of the drive follows:

Hot Summer Nights: Slide Show