2006 Funfest, Mid-America Motorworks, Effingham, Illinois

Strictly in the interest of covering the story for the
Solid Axle Corvette Club, we attended the
Friday evening art reception at Mike and Laurie
Yagers's house.

This is David Chapple, the artist who was
commissioned to paint the '64 World's Fair
GM show car.  You can see the pool patio 
where the shindig took place.  Behind 
David is the World's Fair '64 car.  It is truly
a one-of-a-kind.  This car was the theme
of this year's Funfest.

We ran into Jack Grossman.  Jack's company will
take many, many pictures of your car, then
create a collage poster like the one you see
here in the picture.  This is class
art work, and it would enhance any Corvette
garage, family room, or on an easel next to your
car at a car show.

Here's the cars entering the Mid-America
grounds.  It was all smiles as the cars
arrived at their destination, some from
hundreds and hundreds of miles away.

At the opening ceremony, Mike is given the
Corvette Museum Ambassador at Large Award
by Larry Martin.

There was a celebrity autograph session.
The line was long, this doesn't happen
every day.

Tech sessions:
far left - Gordon
Killebrew. 
left - shark seat
restoration.
There were many other
sessions.

Denny and Judy Coughlin were in attendance.

And also here was Dennis Fontana with his
Tasco Turquoise ''60.

And Dick and Connie Krueger drove their red '62 to 
the show.  It was acquired in 1990, and he restored
it himself.

Ken Susnjara brought this Silver Blue/Inca Silver
beauty to the show from Indiana.  
It was acquired three years ago, and received a two year restoration.

I ran across this not so stock '62.

This is not your ordinary C-1.  Standing is 
Charlie Pray of Trim Parts, maker of this
hybrid C1-C5.  In the passenger seat is 
SACC president Max Brockhouse and 
in the driver's seat is Tony Norris, 
Vehicle Assembly Engineer at the Corvette
plant in Bowling Green.  Both Tony and 
Max are checking out this stunning
creation.

Jim and Sharon Clayton won a Celebrity
Choice with their eye catching '62.

Gary Copeland, soon to be a SACC member, 
also won a coveted Celebrity Choice award
with this '61 with the goodies in the trunk.  Here
you see Gary taking a bottle of Coke from an
ice bucket.

Not everybody brought a Corvette to
Funfest.  And not everybody wore
conventional clothes, either.

This is  Kerrie, who is representing
Harry's Dairy, who was providing
ice cream and other dairy products
to the visitors attending.  I can
personally attest that the ice cream
from Harry's stand was first rate.

We ran into Dennis Gunning, the curator
and restoration official of the MY Garage
and Museum, right on the Mid America
campus.  Here you see the '64 World's
Fair Corvette, the GM show car of the
fair.  This is truly a one of a kind, and it
was the centerpiece of this year's Funfest.

And SACC President Max Brockhouse took this picture.  
This is a room in the MY Garage, Mike Yager's museum. 
Note the Solid Axle Corvette Club metal sign in this
glass buffet case.

This is the Installation and Restyling Center, opened
officially during Funfest.

The Effingham County Chamber of Commerce was present with a most informative display showing "Made in Effingham County."
Chamber president Norma Lansing (Rt.) is shown promoting
products to Clara Koester.

And enough can't be said about the
entire Mid America Motorworks team.
They are super, first class.
Here you see Lisa, who helped us
at the Vendor and Media check-in.

The entertainment kicked off with Matt Poss
and the Wild Bunch.  This was a first rate
enjoyable country show.  They performed
many original songs.  I hope they come back.

Then
REO
Speedwagon
entertained
over
50,000
fans in one
of the best
concerts I
have ever
attended.

And here's who made it all happen;
Mike Yager, Chief Cheerleader
of Mid America Motorworks.  Mike
and his lovely wife Laurie are shown
here personally greeting some of the
50,000+ concert go-ers.

Well, that's a wrap-up of what I experienced at Corvette Funfest 2006.  It will go down in the history books as one of the greatest events centered around the greatest sports car in the world, America's Corvette.