Ken
Gone but not forgotten
From Bowling Green Daily News:
2004 Corvette Homecoming
[font=arial,verdana,helvetica][size=-1]Festivities continue today with seminars, judged car show[/size][/font]
[font=arial,verdana,helvetica][size=-2]By Courtney Craig, ccraig@bgdailynews.com -- 270-783-3243[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Sans-serif]Saturday, July 17, 2004[/font]
[font=times new roman,new century schoolbook,palatino][size=+0]They came in all colors and models, but the hundreds of Corvettes that paraded through Bowling Green on Friday night all had at least one thing in common – a proud driver. [/size][/font]
[font=times new roman,new century schoolbook,palatino][size=+0][/size][/font]
The parade was the finale of the first day of the 2004 Corvette Homecoming, an event that draws hundreds of car lovers from all over the country. Drivers and passengers, their smiles as bright as their vehicles, waved to spectators as the caravan snaked through downtown Bowling Green, ending up at Fountain Square Park just as the night’s Concert in the Park was beginning.
“I think it’s great,” said Frank Hamilton, a 2002 Corvette convertible owner from Lexington. “It’s fun to get this many Corvettes together.”
Hamilton, who has been to several homecomings, said he doesn’t believe in keeping his prized car parked in a garage – he insists on driving it every day. His car is only three months old and has already racked up more than 7,000 miles.
“When I was 10, that was the year the ’53 model came out,” he said. “My dad took me to a showroom, and I’ve loved them ever since.”
Standing nearby, Mark Demetry of Columbus, Ohio, was talking about how he custom-designed his own Corvette.
“I do design work, and I saw a ’97 model in a Detroit show once, and I redesigned it and I’m trying to sell the parts now,” said Demetry, who is visiting Bowling Green for the first time.
Like the Corvettes they arrived in, Bowling Green’s visitors this weekend vary in shape, size and age – but they all love their cars.
“I just like them,” explained Mike Hosier of Saginaw, Mich. “They’re fast and good-looking.”
Hosier owns a 2000 C-5 that he’s taken to a few other parades, he said.
“He’s wanted one since high school, but it took him awhile to get one,” laughed his wife, Sharon.
But the Corvettes aren’t just fun for their drivers – many Bowling Green residents walked around the parking lot next to Fountain Square, admiring the cars that were made just a few miles up the road.
“It’s good to see them come home,” Donna Workman said. “I like the old ones.”
Donna and her husband, Dusty, came downtown for the Concert in the Park, but ended up spending a good amount of time admiring cars instead, although they are not Corvette owners themselves.
“They’re good for the economy, but bad for mine,” Dusty joked.
Even those not yet old enough to drive got in on the fun.
“I really like them,” said Amy Smith, 13, who just moved to Bowling Green from Canada with her family.
Amy was trying to convince her father, Jamie Smith, to buy a blue Corvette, but he insists he wants a red one.
“Once I see one and it clicks, I’ll buy it,” he said.
While plenty of people spent time admiring the cars, others were content to enjoy another Concert in the Park – sitting back, eating hot dogs and listening to the live music of Five Man Trio.
“We love it. It’s very nice,” said Diane Lewis of Bowling Green. “The Corvettes are a nice touch.” The Corvette Homecoming will continue today, beginning at 8 a.m. and ending with a cruise-in at Holiday Inn University Plaza Hotel at 6 p.m. Other events will include seminars on Corvette parts, a judged car show, an awards ceremony and more.[/size][/font]
2004 Corvette Homecoming
[font=arial,verdana,helvetica][size=-1]Festivities continue today with seminars, judged car show[/size][/font]
[font=arial,verdana,helvetica][size=-2]By Courtney Craig, ccraig@bgdailynews.com -- 270-783-3243[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Sans-serif]Saturday, July 17, 2004[/font]
[font=times new roman,new century schoolbook,palatino][size=+0]They came in all colors and models, but the hundreds of Corvettes that paraded through Bowling Green on Friday night all had at least one thing in common – a proud driver. [/size][/font]
[font=times new roman,new century schoolbook,palatino][size=+0][/size][/font]
[font=times new roman,new century schoolbook,palatino][size=+0]
[/size][/font]
[font=times new roman,new century schoolbook,palatino][size=+0]Clinton Lewis/Daily News Corvettes as far as the eye can see parade down State Street from Lampkin Park to Fountain Square Park during the Corvette Homecoming Parade.[/size][/font]
[font=times new roman,new century schoolbook,palatino][size=+0]
The parade was the finale of the first day of the 2004 Corvette Homecoming, an event that draws hundreds of car lovers from all over the country. Drivers and passengers, their smiles as bright as their vehicles, waved to spectators as the caravan snaked through downtown Bowling Green, ending up at Fountain Square Park just as the night’s Concert in the Park was beginning.
“I think it’s great,” said Frank Hamilton, a 2002 Corvette convertible owner from Lexington. “It’s fun to get this many Corvettes together.”
Hamilton, who has been to several homecomings, said he doesn’t believe in keeping his prized car parked in a garage – he insists on driving it every day. His car is only three months old and has already racked up more than 7,000 miles.
“When I was 10, that was the year the ’53 model came out,” he said. “My dad took me to a showroom, and I’ve loved them ever since.”
Standing nearby, Mark Demetry of Columbus, Ohio, was talking about how he custom-designed his own Corvette.
“I do design work, and I saw a ’97 model in a Detroit show once, and I redesigned it and I’m trying to sell the parts now,” said Demetry, who is visiting Bowling Green for the first time.
Like the Corvettes they arrived in, Bowling Green’s visitors this weekend vary in shape, size and age – but they all love their cars.
“I just like them,” explained Mike Hosier of Saginaw, Mich. “They’re fast and good-looking.”
Hosier owns a 2000 C-5 that he’s taken to a few other parades, he said.
“He’s wanted one since high school, but it took him awhile to get one,” laughed his wife, Sharon.
But the Corvettes aren’t just fun for their drivers – many Bowling Green residents walked around the parking lot next to Fountain Square, admiring the cars that were made just a few miles up the road.
“It’s good to see them come home,” Donna Workman said. “I like the old ones.”
Donna and her husband, Dusty, came downtown for the Concert in the Park, but ended up spending a good amount of time admiring cars instead, although they are not Corvette owners themselves.
“They’re good for the economy, but bad for mine,” Dusty joked.
Even those not yet old enough to drive got in on the fun.
“I really like them,” said Amy Smith, 13, who just moved to Bowling Green from Canada with her family.
Amy was trying to convince her father, Jamie Smith, to buy a blue Corvette, but he insists he wants a red one.
“Once I see one and it clicks, I’ll buy it,” he said.
While plenty of people spent time admiring the cars, others were content to enjoy another Concert in the Park – sitting back, eating hot dogs and listening to the live music of Five Man Trio.
“We love it. It’s very nice,” said Diane Lewis of Bowling Green. “The Corvettes are a nice touch.” The Corvette Homecoming will continue today, beginning at 8 a.m. and ending with a cruise-in at Holiday Inn University Plaza Hotel at 6 p.m. Other events will include seminars on Corvette parts, a judged car show, an awards ceremony and more.[/size][/font]
