T HE KETTLE KAPERS The Official Publication of the Kettle Moraine Corvette Club NOVEMBER 2020 NASCAR CUP SERIES RETURNS TO ROAD AMERICA Food, fireworks and road course racing will fill the July 4 calendar for NASCAR fans with Road America hosting the Cup series on that holiday weekend in 2021. See page 5 2 FROM THE EDITOR: By David Modra C7 Corvette Tech Tips & Tricks Things in car owner’s manual (often overlooked) 1) Cup holder divider is removable. 2) USB in instrument panel storage compartment. 3) Sun visors extend along the rod. 4) Turn signal will chime if left on for more than 3/4 mile. 5) "Favorites" can be used to save more than radio presets. For example, you can save Nav Destinations (like Home), contacts, tone settings, artists, songs, etc. 6) Although I love the HUD, some people find it distracting. You can turn the HUD display off by holding down the image brightness 'down' button. 7) With your windows rolled down and the alarm set, reaching into the car will trigger the intrusion alarm (enhanced alarm system). 8) Presets located in the favorites bar can be renamed under the Radio/Manage Favorites settings. 9) On the navigation screen, tap on the vehicle icon to have the current address of the vehicle overlaid on the map. 10) Tune Select - for SiriusXM only, allows you to select an artist, song or program that will alert you when playing. 3 4 NASCAR AT ROAD AMERICA IN 2021 (1956) The track takes the holiday date that had been held by Daytona International Speedway from 1959-2018 before Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the Cup Series that weekend last year. “We certainly have been working very close with (Road America) not only how we bring this to life but, ultimately, where it was going to be located on the schedule,” Ben Kennedy, NASCAR vice president of racing operations, told NBC Sports, said of adding the Wisconsin track to the schedule. “We started to really toss around the idea of hey, what about July 4th weekend and what would that look like for the track? “Just even the name, Road America, it feels like Americana and the July 4th weekend and everything. Fireworks, camping and cookout, everything that goes along with it. That track is almost synonymous with it. I think that’s where we really ended up kind of tying Road America to July 4th weekend. Working with NBC on that as well, they are certainly very bullish on it and excited about having Road America on that weekend.” Tim Flock won the lone Cup race at Road America in 1956. Flock was among nine NASCAR Hall of Famers among the 26 drivers in that race. Others included Fireball Roberts (third), Herb Thomas (sixth), Buck Baker (eighth), Rex White (11th), Lee Petty (13th), Joe Weatherly (20th), Curtis Turner (24th) and Junior Johnson (26th). (See 1956 picture above) 5 CORVETTE CORRAL IS STAFFED SATURDAY AND SUNDAY EXCEPT FOR MAY, JUNE 11-13, AUGUST 27-29 AND THE SEPTEMBER RACES 6 THE E-RAY RETURNS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE GRAND SPORT GM Authority—citing sources "familiar with the matter"—says the Grand Sport is no longer a part of Chevrolet's product plan for the C8. Instead, that gap in the lineup will allegedly be filled with a C8 Stingray augmented with two electric motors powering the front wheels, making the car all-wheel drive. As is Grand Sport tradition, the E-Ray will wear the widened fenders designed for the upcoming Z06. With the hybrid drivetrain and the familiar 495-horsepower 6.2-liter LT2 V-8 engine, GM Authority says we should expect a total output of around 600 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque from the C8 E-Ray. The battery pack will be mounted in the middle of the chassis, with components sourced from GM's new Ultium project. This isn't the first time we've heard rumors about the C8 going hybrid, but considering GM Authority's article doesn't cite specific named sources, we'd take this report with a grain of salt. We've reached out to GM to see if we can confirm anything, and will update this article if we hear back. 7 KMCC WANTS YOU TO VOTE ON November 3rd and November 4th Dear KMCC Members, This year we not only have a presidential election on November 3rd, but we also have our club elections on November 4th at the membership meeting. The members at the November 4th meeting will also be voting on changes to the club by-laws. Please take time to seriously review the changes and consider the consequences of those changes. Our club has been around for over 50 years only because our members care about how KMCC is run. That will only continue if YOU care and help support it. Thank you! Ultimate Trivia Challenge Is Back 1) When the first three Grand Sports were smuggled out of GM to Chevy’s racing friends, what key ingredient did not go with them? A) the lightweight body B) special handmade frames C) Halibrand knock-off wheels D) 377 cu. In. V-8 2) What ‘63 feature made the Corvette more comparable to sports cars of Europe? A) fuel injection B) disc brakes C) independent suspension (answers on page 9) 8 2020 KMCC Calendar At A Glance Nov: Town and Country Golf Course 7:30 PM Wed. the 4th W 1943 County Road J, Sheboygan, WI KMCC Elections and Membership dues are due. NOTE: At this point, the club events will be determined by the spread or lack of spread of the virus within the state. Adjustments may have to be made accordingly. We will try to keep everyone advised to any changes as soon as possible. In case of inclement weather: Members will be notified by email no later than 5:30 pm should a membership meeting be cancelled due to weather. Corvette Trivia Answers: 1) D, the 377 cu. In. V-8 2) C, independent suspension 9 Dedication of the Clif Tufte Statue at Road America Friday, October 09, 2020 Continued on the following page 10 Dedication of the Clif Tufte Statue at Road America Friday, October 09, 2020 For those of you not familiar with Clif Tufte, here is some of the many quotes: American road racing was very fortunate to have Clif Tufte in the Elkhart Lake area in the ‘50s after SCCA people decided this would be a great place for a national road race circuit. Clif was part of this process from the beginning, with his knowledge of local business people, property owners, plus his background in sand and gravel and road building were excellent ingredients in solidifying the accomplishments of creating our wonderful Road America. The grading began in April of 1955 and the first race was in September of that year. Clif was a good organizer and with his PR ability which was so important in early years, he got the job done. It is wonderful that this sculpture has been created to maintain the memory of this special person. Bill Wuesthoff, 1963 RA 500 Champion, Road America “Thank you Clif for providing racing fans and drivers with one of the World’s best circuits and in my mind, clearly the best circuit in North America.” Bobby Rahal, RA Board of Directors Emeritus On a personal note, my first race at Road America was in 1956. I couldn’t drive so I had my Dad take me there for the day. Anxiously standing along the picket fence that separated the track from the race fans, sometime falling over because too many people were leaning on it, I watched the race. Years later, a number of us couples would gather coolers and small grills and make our way from the parking lot to corner 12 for the day. We even made a “beer can” tree by decorating one of the small evergreens. In those days, rest rooms were at a premium and located some distance from any viewing area. I think I have missed only a couple of years since then, enjoying every one of them and seeing how much RA has evolved to this day. It was good back then, but it is spectacular now! Each year, more and more people are finding out what a fabulous track we have in our own backyard. David Modra, KMCC Editor 11 Class Action Lawsuit Filed On Behalf of All Persons in the United States Who Purchased or Leased Any Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (2015-Present) or Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Vehicle (2017-Present) – Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. Investigating Consumer Claims on Behalf of Vehicle Owners and Lessees Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is making consumers aware that a class action lawsuit was filed on March 31, 2020 against General Motors LLC in United States District Court, Northern District of California, on behalf of all persons in the United States who purchased or leased any Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (2015 to present) or Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport (2017 to present) vehicle designed, manufactured, marketed, distributed, sold, warranted, and/or serviced by General Motors LLC (“GM”). The vehicles are equipped with wheels (a.k.a., rims) that are prone to bending and cracking, necessitating costly repairs and replacements. In addition, cracked rims can cause punctures of the tires, causing air leaks and tire blowouts (collectively, the “Rim Defect.”) On information and belief, the Rim Defect occurs because Chevrolet in designing and/or manufacturing these specific vehicles, which are sub-models of the Corvette line, used rims that are of a cheaper cast material, rather than forged.