The car count at Corvettes at Carlisle is always something people wonder about. On one hand, you can absolutely see over 5,000 Corvettes at the
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The car count at Corvettes at Carlisle is always something people wonder about. On one hand, you can absolutely see over 5,000 Corvettes at the show, on the other, not every one of them register for the Fun Field. So when a new record is set, it’s always fun to share that info. For 2019, Corvettes at Carlisle, presented by Corvette America, broke a year-old Fun Field mark. The official count for this year was 2,901. What makes that total even more impressive is that this was supposed to be a “down year” for the event, given that every five years there is a Corvette Caravan to Bowling Green, Kentucky. That event happens just after Corvettes at Carlisle.
So how does an event that would otherwise see a bit of a downtick during Caravan year break a record? The answer could be one of three things. First, the weather (but for a little rain Friday morning) was beyond amazing. Temperatures were in the 70’s during the day and in the upper 50’s at night. Second, the passion of every single Corvette enthusiast who comes to Carlisle from around the world keeps the event growing and growing. Oh…and Team Chevrolet brought 14 of their all-new 2020 C8 Corvettes to the show. That showcase had people standing rows deep not only at their specially built showcase display, but within the Team Chevrolet tent too.
The reality is, Corvettes at Carlisle is a one-of-a-kind event that has to be experienced in person to truly appreciate it. Cars and car lovers, vendors and concessionaires were on-site days in advance of the show. Once the gates opened Thursday, it was a non-stop sea of cars rolling through the gates. In fact, Saturday’s gate traffic saw cars coming from before 7 a.m. until about 3 p.m. It was an amazing sight to behold. Everyone at Carlisle took in all aspects of the show. Past the C8 were some amazing midway partners, while the automotive flea market was bustling too. Vendors were buying from each other, Corvette enthusiasts were shopping too and there were smiles all around.
It wouldn’t be a Corvette show without seminars and tech talk sessions via three different locations, four if you count the C8 walkarounds at the stage, it was beyond easy to get a Corvette education. Seminar hosts included Wil Cooksey, the NCRS team, Kevin Mckay and Jim Mero just to name a few. In addition, Paul Koerner of the Corvette Mechanic Team led four days of seminars at his annually expanding footprint adjacent to Building T. The Corvette Mechanic Team has become such a trusted force at Carlisle that when a showgoer has a Corvette issue, they are the first ones any staffer thinks to call.
Competitions and comradery were also prevalent. Lingenfelter Performance supported the second annual King of the X autocross competition, offering $1,000 in total prize money for competitors. In addition, there was a beauty contest, burnout contest, car club gatherings, a jam-packed downtown Carlisle Corvette parade and street party and more. On Friday night the competition gave way to the aforementioned comradery via the annual Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation dinner. Lance Miller, co-owner of Carlisle Events, took a pie to the face, well over $20,000 was raised for the CMAF and a good time was had by all!
The recap of Corvettes at Carlisle 2019 could fill two more pages based on its sheer level of amazing, but then there’d be no reason to see it in person! So…save the date. Corvettes at Carlisle returns to the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds August 27-30, 2020 and Fun Field registration is now open. Get details at www.CarlisleEvents.com or call 717-243-7855.