On the SLO Vettes Road

The Monthly Newsletter of SLO Vettes The Corvette Club of Luis Obispo County

Front Page Mar 2021

The Penny Bar, McKittrick, California

Index 2021 Membership Dues President’s Column 2 On March 1, everyone who has not paid their 2021 Vice President’s Column 2 dues will be removed from the Club’s Roster, so if Minutes 2 you are in arrears (the dues should have been paid Events 4 December 1, 2020) and wish to remain active in SLO Corvette Museum News 4 Vettes, please write a check to SLO Vettes for $60.00 Sunshine 9 and mail it immediately to the address on the The Final Word 9 Renewal Form on Page 12. Even if nothing has Gilroy Garlic Festival Run 11 changed, please provide all of the information 2021 Membership Renewal Form 12 requested on the form 2021 Events Calendar. 13 Vintage C3 Advertisement 14 but hope is on the horizon. After our successful events planning meeting last month, we now have some events on our calendar that should be possible as the counties start reopening various businesses. I would encourage everyone to get their vaccinations when your Hello SLO Vettes Members, age group is available. Currently 65 and over. The state announced that 55 and over should I can’t believe it. Jan and I had lunch in Morro open up sometime at the beginning of this Bay on the 23rd, and it was beautiful outside. month. Besides the County, several 72 degrees with a slight breeze. Maybe winter pharmacies are also administering the vaccine. is starting to phase out. I think a little more rain is coming but the blue skies are welcome. On a different note. As the the weather gets better and the days longer, it’s time to get your I would again like to thank everybody who Corvette shined up and ready to hit the streets. showed up for our February Virtual Meeting. Like I mentioned earlier we have some great We covered the usual and then put together a events planned in the coming months. You will slate of events for the year. We didn’t have to not want to miss out. I also want to once again mute anybody as everyone cooperated; not remind you to mail in your membership renewal interrupting the person speaking at the time. if you have not already gone so. March is the month that anyone that has not submitted their I don’t want to step on Charles toes so I will let renewal and paid their dues will be removed him fill you in on the events for this year in his from the club rooster. There’s a renewal form at report. page 12. Please reach out to me if you need my assistance or have any questions with your I heard that tires for our Corvettes may be hard renewal. to find. Due to Covid, tire manufactures have focused on the masses. So, if you need new As of the end of February, here are our tires, you may want to check on their unofficial membership numbers. We have 32 availability. memberships including 4 life members with a total of 54 individuals. Don’t forget to reach out We have our next meeting coming up on to other Corvette owners you come in contact Friday, March 12th. I’m sure it will be a virtual with and invite them join our club. Have a great meeting so keep your computers ready. month.

Keep March 20th open for the moment. It will Doug Williamson probably be our first event of the year. VP/ Membership Chair SLO Vettes Finally, if you haven’t renewed your Cell 805-709-8253 membership, do it today.

Jon Dallons President SLO Vettes

SLO Vettes February Meeting via Zoom February 12, 2021 Location: Social Media: Zoom Happy March! Heading into the final lap of Q1 2021 we are still tied down with the pandemic, Call to order: 6:30pm

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Club Attendees: 21 Newsletter: Russ Surber All current Board and Chairs present Thanked everyone for their timely reports each President, Jon Dallons: month. Thanked everyone for participating in the Zoom meeting tonight. Merchandize: Jan Dallons V.P. Doug Williamson was requested to send out No sales last month an updated Club Roster via e-mail each Same inventory month. Will have some new colors on hats coming in soon. Membership: Doug Williamson, V.P. No new members and no changes at this time. Old Business However, there are still a couple memberships Our President, Jon Dallons announced our new due. Please have your dues in by March 1, Events Chair, Charles Shearon. 2021. Or call Doug Williamson if any questions He then said farewell to our immediate past about membership. Events Chair, Joe Berkman. Job well done and we will pass the baton to Charles for 2021. January Minutes by Secretary, Lisa Klockenteger: Suggested Runs for 2021- Looking like a No Minutes to report last month due to great line up so far! cancellation of meeting. March – Penny’s Saloon Mar/April – Wild Flowers Treasurer Report: Jan Dallons April- Vintage Cowboy Winery A Motion to accept the Proposed 2021 Budget May – Hobby Train Exhibit and Lunch Run was made by Russ Surber and seconded by (May 15?) Floyd Owens. June- Ragged Point July- July 4th Parades (Templeton/Cayucas) A Motion to accept the Treasurer’s Monthly ** July 23,24,& 25 Gilroy Garlic Festival – Report for January 2021 was made by Doug go with the Bakersfield Club (flyer coming) Williamson and seconded by Denise Surber. August- Hot El Camino Night on Aug 20 September - Mystery Tour A Motion to accept the 2020 P & L Report was October – Sculpterra Winery (Lisa will made by Denise Surber and seconded by Doug organize) Williamson. November – Toy Run December – Christmas party at Madonna Inn Corvette Museum Report: Don Allen (Dec 4) ! Interesting facts and discussion on the More information and suggested locations to GT Lemans Racing. This is the last year come! to race in this category. ! Discussed the changes going on in Note: racing because of the New Hybrid cars 2022 Annual Meeting will be January 16, coming out on the race track. 2022 ! Sales are going well with younger people interested in buying a Corvette. No 50/50

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Next Monthly Meeting: March 12, 2021 Location: Social Media, Zoom Happenings Time: To be announced

Meeting adjourned at 7:50pm Submitted by your Secretary Lisa Klockenteger [email protected]

Talk about a winter wonderland, well maybe Fellow SLOVettes Members, a just a little bit late but snow nonetheless. I know this isn’t a photo of the National Most of the 2021 Events Calendar was settled Corvette Museum but it is close. Almost at our Monthly Zoom meeting on February 12. just across the street is the Corvette You can see the Calendar with proposed dates Assembly Plant and as you can see, snow for each event in this Newsletter (at page 13). is everywhere. In fact, there was so much snow and freezing temperatures, both the Dale Frye from Bakersfield has done a fine job Assembly Plant and the Museum were of planning two-day run to the Gilroy Garlic closed for a few days. Neither facility Festival for July 23-25. You can see his flyer in suffered any damage but were closed to this Newsletter (at page 11). Thanks Dale. keep staff from having to brave the weather to come to work. The storm set in at just Important: When you call and reserve your about the same time as production was set Motel 6 room at 1-800-544-4866, use the to resume at the Plant after a two-week confirmation #GPXTRBZHEP and the code delay cause by a shortage of parts from COB/SLO. This code gives you a room third party suppliers. If any of y’all have a discount. If you have to cancel, use the same new C8 ordered, the delivery date just got code. If Covid closes down Gilroy, which is extended a few more days. always possible, be sure to cancel your room or you will be charged for it. New Motorsports Park Executive Director

Charles Shearon Greg Waldron will soon assume the post of Events Chair Executive Director at the Motorsports Park, [email protected] the Museum’s 3.15 mile track. He brings with him his experience of almost 30 years at Disney including new program development. While at Disney, Greg oversaw operations at the “Mickyard”, a track at Disney World that for a while hosted races for Indy cars and NASCAR trucks and finally became the home for the Richard Petty Driving Experience. I expect to see new ideas for events and driving National Corvette Museum experiences for track attendees.

Events

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2021 Michelin NCM BASH History of the Grand Sport

Registration is now open for the 2021 For all you SLO Vette Members who are so Michelin NCM Bash; the Museum’s annual lucky as to own a Grand Sport, the NCM event season kickoff scheduled for April has dedicated a video to the history of the 22-24. The Bash will be offered as both on- Grand Sport. The model has sprung up in site and virtual events. Virtual attendees various years and this movie captures all will be able to view seminars and the models including the race cars. Check presentations taking place on April 22-23. it out at: https://youtu.be/jKW26Z7IZjs Also included will be the raffles and for the first time, the Induction of the Hall of Fame Raffles nominees including Wendell Strode (past CEO of NCM), Doug Fehan (past Program Below are all of the current active raffles. Manager of Corvette Racing), Henry Haga, For additional information and rules (Corvette designer), and Mike McCagh regarding NCM raffles, Including how to (Lifetime and Past Pres of NCRS and order tickets and view the number of tickets Founding Member of NCM) remaining available in real time, go to:

Cost to register is $20. For more https://raffle.corvettemuseum.org. information and to register, go to: https:// www.corvettemuseum.org/explore/events/

Play Corvette Trivia with Alexa

Part of the National Corvette Museum’s mission is to educate the public on Corvette, and that mission is now offered in the form of a game with the help of Amazon’s Alexa. Alexa will ask you a series of Corvette history questions and the game keeps up with your points as you play. After each question are additional facts and details, allowing you to dive deeper into the 2021 Silver Flare Corvettte Convertible various stories behind Corvette through each question. Players get three wrong 3/18/2021. Price: $200.00 Tickets: 1500 answers before they are out… but don’t Tickets worry, you can play as many times as you like. If you want to prepare yourself for the challenge, watch the YouTube series “Vettecademy” (https:// www.corvettemuseum.org/explore/ educational-programs/vettecademy) to learn all there is to know about Corvettes.

2021 Shadow Gray Corvette Coupe 4/1/2021 Price: $150.00 Tickets: 1500 Tickets

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Rumors and TidbitCorvette C8 Paced the Daytona 500 NASCAR Race

2021 Arctic White Corvette Coupe 4/24/2021 Price: $20.00 Tickets: Unlimited Tickets

A Rapid Blue Z51 with a high wing spoiler was selected as the pace car for the Assembly Plant News NASCAR Monster Energy Series season opening race. The same color Camaro Production Delayed paced the Xfinity race on Saturday and a Silverado paced the truck race. All were The plant was shut down for two weeks due painted Rapid Blue; the same color chosen to a lack of parts and equipment from by Sylvester Stallone for his recent 2021 outside suppliers. The two shifts had been purchase. producing 92-99 cars per day. The delay will push back delivery dates for almost If you thought driving the pace car in a 2000 cars. To make matters worse, recent NASCAR race just involves leading the field, snow and freezing temps forced the plant to check out all the duties of the pace car at: shut down for a few days for worker safety. [VIDEO] Check out the Corvette Pace Car Hopefully customers and dealers will be and Other Behind the Scenes Action from understanding. the Daytona 500 - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle (corvetteblogger.com) Three Colors to be Discontinued

When the 2021 model run is complete, the Corvette Racing Finished 1-2 in GTLM exterior colors Sebring Orange, Zeus Class at the Rolex 24 – Daytona, FL Bronze, and Shadow Gray will be retired. No replacements have been named yet. I was surprised to hear that Sebring Orange was discontinued as it was the fourth most popular color choice for the 2020 model. If you want a C8 in these color choices you better hurry up and place your order. For cut-off dates, go to: Uh Oh, Looks Like These 2021 Corvette Exterior Colors Are Set To Be Retired - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle (corvetteblogger.com)

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This year’s Rolex 24 was one of the most Take Your Bike Along For a Ride memorable in the event’s history. At the checkered flag, each class found several cars still on the lead lap; something almost unheard of in a race lasting 24 hours. While competitors in the GT LeMans (GTLM) included Ferrari, Porsche, and BMW, the race was between the two Corvettes. Jorden Taylor and Tommy Milner traded the lead several times with Taylor finally getting around Milner to hold the lead until the end. Read all about it at: Corvette Racing at Daytona: Rolex 24 GTLM Victory for No. 3 Corvette C8.R - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle (corvetteblogger.com) For you bike enthusiasts, SeaSucker has developed a bike rack for your C8. It uses By the way, the GTLM classification will be vacuum suction cups to attach the rack to no more in 2022. New rules will move the car. While convenient, it would sure closer to GT3 rules and the class will be mess up the car’s aerodynamics. I wouldn’t called GTD Pro. The C8.R was not recommend any high speed runs and designed for the GTD Pro class nor does it speaking from experience, certainly no qualify in its current configuration. It would garage parking. GM Is Testing SeaSucker be costly to modify the C8.R for the new Bike Rack On Corvette C8 class. Laura Wontrop Klauser, the new (gmauthority.com) head of Chevy’s sports car program hasn’t decided what route the competition arm will take but it will definitely stay in racing. Maybe LeMans Daytona hybrid (LMDh)? This is a class where the power system is hybrid. Maybe in line with their dedication to electric vehicles?

Rumors of More Models of Corvette

The Z06 will use the Flat Plane Crank V8 from the Corvette Racing racecars. Horsepower will be increased to around Currently, the easiest option for GM would 615-625 hp, be naturally aspirated, and be to adapt the DPi-V.R racecar. The scheduled for reveal on July 18 as a 2022 Cadillac already uses a similar chassis for model. Production is planned for late 2021. the class because its current class (LMP2) is the one being moved to LMDh. The ZR1 will be a Z06 with twin turbos. GTD Pro To Replace GTLM Class That Look for around 825-850 hp. Corvette C8.R Races In From 2022 (gmauthority.com) The E-Ray will be similar to a Z06 but with added AWD and around 700 hp. Expect it

!7 to be a plug-in hybrid with motors driving cars at Harris Ranch and all the rest fitted the front wheels. Maybe released as a 2023 with charging stations. But you never model. know.

As yet unnamed All Electric model of the E- The Blogger also thinks that the C9 will be Ray is expected to use rear mounted introduced somewhere in 2024 as a 2025 electric motors to drive the rear wheels. model and it will be a smoother lined body Without the space taken up by the V8 gas on a C8 chassis. Sounds similar to the engine, hopefully there will be more trunk transition from the C5 to the C6? No need space. Maybe released as a 2024 model. for big changes because it will still have a V8 behind the driver. The Blogger doesn’t The Zora will be a ZR1 plus electric motors see a re-design until nearer 2035 when GM for AWD. This will be the 1000 hp monster wants to be gasoline-free. Electric motors rumored to be released in 2025. don’t require all the room behind the driver for the gas engine, fuel tanks, and exhausts For more info on these predictions, check so the current chassis/body designs would out these articles. be obsolete. Hopefully we still have lots of FormaCar: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 reveal years to enjoy the rumble of an American date announced V8! Electric Chevrolet Corvette due in 2024 – The Gas-Powered Corvette Lives? The C9 report | CarAdvice Corvette Picks Up Where C8 Leaves Off - Corvette Lineup Set To Expand With Five Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle Variants Including A 1000+ HP Zora And An (corvetteblogger.com) EV | Carscoops

Having said all that, GM has an out-of-the- Last Day to Order a 2021 ballpark hit with the C8 Corvette. Introduced in the summer of 2019, the new model drastically lowered the age of a new Corvette prospect, and the average income of the C8 buyer is higher than the average of C7 owners. With over 20,000 units sold by now, the car has changed a lot of minds about Corvette. By all accounts, Corvette designers really hit the bullseye here.

Corvette Blogger thinks that “although Corvette will go all-electric in our lifetime, we’ve got fourteen long years before we get to the witching hour of 2035, so there is plenty of time for C8 V2.0. With all the R&D money invested in the C8’s exotic According to a recent GM memo, the last architecture, we predict that GM will want day to order a 2021 will be June 17th. upwards of ten years of production to Production of 2021 C8s is expected to end maximize the return on its latest brainchild. in mid-August. Maybe that date will get Let’s be crystal clear here though, there will extended to make up for the work days lost not be another gas-powered Corvette due to shortages in components provided developed after the life-cycle of the current by outside resources. The Last Day to car expires.” Order a 2021 Corvette is June 17th - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle I wonder if this is just hype to promote (corvetteblogger.com) sales of current models. A lot can happen in fourteen years. It is hard to visualize only about 20 parking spaces for gas powered

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COVID Strikes C7 Grand Sport and Z06 Tire Production

If you own a C7 Grand Sport, Z06, or ZR1 and are in need of new rear tires, you might be out of luck. When COVID hit, tire production slowed or stopped. As factories began to start back up, the most popular tire designs and sizes were made first. Standard C7 tires are readily available but not the 335-25-20s used on the rear of the performance models. Those are facing a real shortage. You might want to check with your local retailer right away if you think you will need new tires soon. Tire Shortage Currently Impacting Corvette C7 Owners (gmauthority.com)

In Closing

To learn more about the Museum, upcoming events, exhibits, membership, and to plan your next visit, please contact me directly or visit the NCM website at www.corvettemuseum.org. In the meantime, drive safe and enjoy the Corvette experience.

Don Allen, National Corvette Museum Ambassador SLO Vettes

The Last Word

It seems like ages since the Club did anything together, but in fact we had a great day only last September when Lisa Klockenteger organized a run to the Scupltera Winery east of Paso Robles. This year, with vaccinations taking place and the sharp decline in new Covid cases across the county and nation, we may be facing a much brighter future. If you look at what the 2021 Events Calendar has in store for us, you can see this could be a busy SLO Vettes year.

!9 Denise and I are working on a run that would take us from our old reliable starting point at the Santa Margarita Park & Ride out through California Valley and over the hill to McKittrick, home to the Penny Bar. It’s a small place that gets its name from the thousands of pennies that cover the Saloon’s walls, ceiling, and floor. There’ll be food and drink at the Penny Bar and a nice ride back either by going north on Hwy 33 to Hwy 46 or back the way we came, over the mountain to home. The photo on the cover this month is of the Penny Bar! You can see the entire 2021 Events Calendar on the website, or on page 12 of this issue of the Newsletter.

So, here’s to a better year for, not just SLO Vettes but for everyone in the entire world, because all of us have had to wrestle with forces that only come one or twice in a hundred years. Keep smiling, keep happy, and most of all keep well.

Happy Trails,

Russ Surber Editor, SLO Vettes Newsletter Then, in April, we hope to make our sixth visit to Pozo’s Vintage Cowboy Winery. We’ve settled on Saturday, April 20 for the run. We’ll take the Pozo road from Santa Margarita and, as is the tradition, we’ll all be asked to bring an appetizer we can share with others. The drive to Pozo is one of the real treats of the year. It’s an ideal Corvette road, well maintained, and it winds through some of the most beautiful land in the north county. Even better, the gang at the Vintage Cowboy are delighted to have us visit and know how to make a cowboy (or cowgirl) feel at home.

Events Chair Charles Shearon has a nice run laid out for Saturday, May 15, that includes a train ride and lunch in the south county. It should be a terrific day. For the few of you who are not fascinated by railroads, this will still be an trip not to miss. We’ll ride on a train pulled by a locomotive that was originally built to run in the Allied trenches in Europe during World War I. It’s been fully restored and is a grand piece of machinery, which should be enough for any Corvette enthusiast.

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