Month: May 2015

Getting ready to steer toward some fun, these attendees can’t wait to get into their ‘Vettes!

The fourth annual George Matick Chevrolet 2015 Corvette Caravan Experience to the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix was once again a huge success.

Some 100 Corvette owners and their favorite passengers wheeled into the dealership’s huge parking lot early yesterday (May 30) morning, anticipating a day of car fun. The local WJBK Fox 2 News station even promoted the event earlier in the week. Check out the segment here.

 

Guests fill up before heading to the races.

Corvetteblog.com joined the car enthusiasts over plates of bacon & eggs (and all the accoutrements) and met up with folks like Zack Trajzevski of Shelby Township, Mich., who drove his 2002 zippy yellow Corvette coupe into Matick’s lot with cousin Nick, of Canton, Mich.

“Ever since I saw a Corvette, when I was 9 years old, I thought that it was the coolest car I’d ever seen,” Zack recalls. And now a proud owner of a ‘Vette, Zack is all about Corvette events such as the Matick Corvette Caravan.

These Corvette owners are ready to roll at the 2015 Matick Chevy Grand Prix Caravan.

“Matick puts on a great show here … the hospitality … everything … it’s a topnotch operation,” says Zack, who with his cousin Nick and dozens of others would soon pull out of the lot and ribbon their way onto I-96 for a police-escorted caravan down to the exciting Grand Prix races on Belle Isle in Detroit.

Joseph Williams (right) and his son Lawrence.

In line for the breakfast buffet were Joseph Williams and his son, Lawrence, of Detroit and Redford, respectively. The father-son duo pulled up in Joseph’s candy apple red C6. “It’s running real well,” shares Joseph, who’s participated in the caravan every year since it started four years ago. “I love the grand Prix and I love speed.” Indeed, Joseph says he’s hit 120 on a certain Sunday morning — of course we won’t reveal where.

Banker Mary Karey and husband Joe Karey wheeled in in a C6 cyber gray convertible. Residents of Oakland Township, the couple once lived in Texas and enjoyed sharing tales about their ‘Vette club in the Lone Star state and their current ‘Vette event goings-on.

Steps from the Kareys were Gregory Frost, decked in a sharp race-themed shirt that he bought at the Grand Prix last year, and friend Sonja. The two arrived in Gregory’s 2008 red Corvette.

 

Gregory Frost came decked out in his favorite shirt.

After satisfying their morning appetites and enjoying hot cups of coffee, the eventgoers settled back for a short presentation by Ken Lingenfelter, who showed various race films and also mentioned Matick-sponsored Corvette racecar driver Danny Kellermeyer of DJ Racing Enterprise in Ortonville, Mich. Danny, too, enjoyed the day’s event.

The Collection raises money through tours and other private showings to help benefit these types of charities. While the Collection currently is not open to the public, it is available for corporate and charity events, silent and live auctions, and car-club specialty showings. For more information, call 248-486-5342, ext. 10.

Ken owns Decatur, IN.-based Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, which he purchased from his race driver cousin, the former John Lingenfelter. The company also has a fascinating collection of cars in southeast Michigan. In addition to a passion for collecting rare and unique automobiles, the Lingenfelter Collection is also actively involved in many charities, including breast cancer research and the  the Ronald McDonald House in Detroit affiliated with the Children’s Hospital, which he talked about during his presentation.

Mike Richardson drove his ’78 Corvette.

Meanwhile, Mike Richardson of Farmington Hills, and son Brett, rolled up in Mike’s 1978 silver-anniversary beauty. “It’s running well these days,” Brett reports.

As the sun shone outside (and there were quite a few downpours later in the day, but luckily that held off for these cruisers), enthusiastic ‘Vette owner Isaly Szetla, of  Southfield, Mich.’s Vettestorations, and her cruisin’ pal, Liz Fretz, both of Novi, Mich. (both regular fixtures at these types of events), jumped in to Isaly’s ’82 red convertible. Revving up the engine, the friends pulled into the colorful line of shiny metal zipsters, waving as they went and looking forward to a day at the races!

Isaly Szetla (left) and her cruisi’ pal Liz Fretz are regular fixtures at Corvette events.

Update: This event sold out, reports George Matick Chevrolet’s Ryan Essler. To attend next year’s event, be sure to contact the dealership well before race weekend, which is usually near the end of May. Corvetteblog.com will feature stories on the 2016 caravan beginning in January.

Did you attend the Corvette Caravan? Did you enjoy it? Please share!

Posted May 31, 2015