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Getting ready to go out on the track—Driver Doug Hooper. Corvette Grand Sport, Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, Calif.
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Bloomington Gold (112)The Corvette: the true American sports car, the dream of many. Every year at the Bloomington Gold Festival in Illinois, the "Granddaddy of all Corvette shows," enthusiasts from all over the world enjoy competitions, workshops, a swap meet, and the ever-popular road tour. First built in 1953, as many as 5,000 Corvettes appear at the festival, some of them original — never restored. The festival also features beautifully restored Corvettes, many certified under the highest standard a restored car can enjoy, the "certified gold."
With only five built, The Corvette Grand Sport is a timeless masterpiece. Built by Zora Arkus-Duntov, this lightweight racer was designed to challenge the Shelby Cobra during the 1960s. Although Chevrolet planned 125 Grand Sports, they were forced to cease operation when the Automobile Manufacturer's Association (AMA) banned factory involvement in auto racing. The five that survived with the help of private competitors went on to have many successes, including a Nassau Trophy in 1963. These days, a replica of the 1963 Grand Sport may sell for around $60,000.
Bloomington Gold Facts:
- 2003 marks the 50th Birthday of the Corvette.
- The 2003 Bloomington Gold event will be held on June 26-29, 2003 at the Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles, Ill.
- The workshops cover all aspects of Corvette restoration and how to get a Bloomington Gold certification.
- Cars certified as "survivor" are more than 20 years old, have completed a 40-mile road test and remain more than 50 percent unrestored or unmodified in at least three of four areas: interior, exterior, chassis and engine/under-hood compartment.
Bloomington Gold Resources:
Corvette: America's Sports Car
by Randy Leffingwell
Bloomington Gold®
www.bloomingtongold.com
Official site of the Bloomington Gold Festival
CORVETTE MAGAZINE.com
www.corvettemagazine.com
Online Corvette magazine
Grand Sport Resources:
Corvette Grand Sport 1962-67
by Dave Friedman (Contributor), Lowell C. Paddock
Zora Arkus-Duntov: The Legend behind Corvette
by Jerry Burton
GRAND SPORT
www.grandsportspeedway.com
Grand Sport history
CHEVROLET CORVETTE
www.chevrolet.com
Official site of Chevrolet Corvette
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