Corvettes at Carlisle August 25-27, 2022
Not everyone can make the trip to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, so we thought we’d re-cap with some of the items posted on Facebook. Wayne Ellwood brings this report on the Corvettes at Carlisle 2022, presented by Vette Vues Magazine, which includes an exhaustive rundown of all the Corvettes on display.
Visiting Corvettes at Carlisle? Here is What You Can Expect!
Table of Contents
- RACE CARS in CHIP’S CHOICE (T Building)
- CALLAWAY 30TH ANNIVERSARY
- C3 CUSTOMS FROM THE MAKO2/C3 CUSTOM CARS GROUP
- THE ZR-1 CORVETTE (1989-1995)
- C8 CUSTOMS
- CORVETTE DEALER DISPLAY
- GM DISPLAY
- JEFF NOWICKI DISPLAY
- CORVETTES AT CARLISLE 2022 FUN FIELD & CARS FOR SALE
- NCRS DISPLAY, THE 5OTH ANNIVERSARY DISPLAY, AND JUDGING
- CORVETTES AT CARLISLE PARADE TO DOWNTOWN
- CORVETTES AT CARLISLE VENDORS
- CORVETTES AT CARLISLE LOCATION
RACE CARS in CHIP’S CHOICE (T Building)
The Chip’s Choice is an annual display in Building T that was started by one of the original owners, Chip Miller, and continues today as a tribute to him and his favorite classic sports car.
A “race car-themed” display at the Chip’s Choice display is fairly common. This year, there were multiple race cars on the “show” circuit, so several owners already had their cars prepped for events outside their homes. Also, GM is promoting both its Corvette C8 and the new 2023 Cadillac LMPh race cars. And finally, there is the introduction of the new 2023 Z06, which stands to benefit from the performance of the Pratt & Miller cars. Take all of this, and you’ve got ample justification for a synopsis of the Pratt & Miller Corvette race cars for ALMS/IMSA.
CALLAWAY 30TH ANNIVERSARY
You will recall that Callaway and Corvette have been performance partners for 35 years. Callaway hosted a special anniversary party this year at the Carlisle event by reservation.
You will also recall that RPO B2K was issued in 1987 for the Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette and again in 2012 for the limited-edition 25th Anniversary Callaway Corvette. For the 2022 model year, RPO PCY specifies the Chevrolet “B2K 35th Anniversary Package” on Corvette order documents, vehicle build sheets, and Monroney/window labels.
For 2023 Callaway is also developing the TripleCooled® Supercharger-equipped Callaway C8 Corvette. The supercharged upgrade for the mid-engine sports car includes its 2.3L twin-screw Triple-Cooled supercharger, which utilizes an in-house design with Eaton TVS 2300 rotors, and promises to “reliably increase the already-outstanding performance” of the C8 Corvette Stingray. Callaway declined to offer a power estimate in its press release, but this same supercharger system could produce up to 627 horsepower in the 6.2L LT1 C7 Corvette Stingray. A development (prototype) car was displayed at Corvettes at Carlisle, and production is scheduled to commence in early 2023.
C3 CUSTOMS FROM THE MAKO2/C3 CUSTOM CARS GROUP
The C3 era was a hotbed for widebody, and “Mako” themed cars. John Silva was the first custom shop to produce a version of the Mako Shark, and he, in turn, was re-interpreted by Joel Rosen with his MOTION cars. The Greenwoods (and several others inside GM) introduced the widebody theme to racing. From there, it just exploded. Ecklers, ACI, Corvette Image, Mold Kraft, and others brought widebody kits to market. Today, the hard-core fans are still at it.
THE ZR-1 CORVETTE (1989-1995)
Each year the ZR-1 club organizes a wonderful display of the “King of the Hill.” The number of modified cars will vary yearly, but there is always a display of incredibly well-preserved stock LT5s.
C8 CUSTOMS
Each generation of Corvette draws considerable public attention. It makes sense, therefore, that the “customization” of a new model represents a new and prospective field for new entries to the marketplace. A successful custom car often generates more business for the shop that built it and sometimes a “series” of offerings to other Corvette owners. The rush of C9 widebody treatments at ‘last year’s SEMA event is a good example. The cars here at Carlisle were more “individualistic,” but the principle applies.
CORVETTE DEALER DISPLAY
Vendors have become a tradition to be on the leading edge of what’s new in Corvettes. The mainstays are always GM and KERBECK Corvette. Somehow, KERBECK always manages to get delivery of the newest offering and put it on display at Carlisle…sometimes weeks before the official release. Of course, KERBECK is one of the largest sales outlets for Corvette in the USA….and, hence, the world. This year the supply of Z06 cars was amazing.
GM DISPLAY
The GM display at Carlisle follows a trusted format. On one side of the aisle in “vendors row,” there is a prominent display of new models for presentation. On the other side is a tent with all the models for that year, some designed as cut-aways or open=hood displays to show off the technical merits of the car. GM engineers and trained spokespeople are on hand to answer any and all questions.
JEFF NOWICKI DISPLAY
At the Nowicki Autosport display, Jeff Nowicki presented his “Concept 8″ Corvette. It features Michelin’s Pilot Sport PS4S tires 285/25×20 front and 355/25×21 rear sizes. The wheels are Forgelines’ Carbon Forged CF203 in a titanium finish, and their sizes are 20×10.5 front and 21×12.5″ rear. They are substantially lighter, stronger, and a fitting upgrade for America’s supercar!” Covering the massive wheel-tire combination are bespoke design 1.5 in larger flares.
Nowicki’s Concept8 Corvette Stingray features Mobil 1, Brembo, Michelin, and SKF Bowman Chevrolet-inspired graphics. Carbon fiber restyling enhancements, manufactured by Nowicki Autosport Design in Michigan, include the following: Bespoke fender flares w/integrated rear lower canards, front splitter, Concept8 rocker panels, door bezel “boomerangs,” Concept8 rear wing, rear diffuser, Targa bar, Concept8 Mirror caps, carbon fiber Stingray fender, and decklid emblems, engine cover, rear license plate graphic, decklid overlay, camera bezel, backlight vent bezels, American Racing Headers and cat back exhaust.
CORVETTES AT CARLISLE 2022 FUN FIELD & CARS FOR SALE
As always, there are thousands of cars on the Fun Field at the Carlisle Corvette car show 2022. There are various specialty displays, such as the 50th anniversary of (model year) Corvettes and the NCRS. Other clubs will gather their members or specialty models, for example…the C4 Grand Sport series. There are “for sale” cars mixed into adjoining sections of the fairgrounds.
So, you might wonder, what if I am not in a special display? May I still participate in the Fun Field? The answer is absolutely! There are 5,000 Corvette Enthusiasts that come every year to show their Corvettes and make new friends. Corvettes include every year Corvette from the C1 to the C8.
Fun Field
Corvettes for Sale
NCRS DISPLAY, THE 5OTH ANNIVERSARY DISPLAY, AND JUDGING
A special display of cars celebrating their 50th anniversary each year is always a favorite at Carlisle. This year focused on the 1971 model.
Likewise, there are special displays of NCRS cars in the NCRS Gallery. This features Corvettes that have achieved special awards.
CORVETTES AT CARLISLE PARADE TO DOWNTOWN
Corvette Parade – Park – Party! The downtown parade is a Saturday special with its good side and, maybe, its “not so good” side. But, really, it’s a zoo. The line-up to get the parade started is pretty much unbearable, and the actual drive is an exercise in frustration. But each year, the faithful line up to participate. It’s just another small-town parade for the participants, bringing life to downtown Carlisle for more than a few hours.
CORVETTES AT CARLISLE VENDORS
There are lots of vendors in the automotive flea market. The Corvette swap meet is the largest in the world! If you can’t find it here, they probably don’t make it.
CONCLUSION
That’s it for our coverage. Anyone visiting Carlisle will notice that the show seems to go on and on. But, for this feature, we just wanted to bring some publicly posted photos from various sources for your enjoyment. I hope we succeeded.
CORVETTES AT CARLISLE LOCATION
The Corvettes at Carlisle event is held every year at the Carlisle Fairgrounds located at 1000 Bryn Mawr Rd., Carlisle, Pennsylvania. this is the Largest Corvette event of the year!
The Cumberland Valley is where Carlisle PA is located. If you combine the annual Corvettes at Carlisle with the serene and stunning landscapes, rich history, and charming downtown you are guaranteed a memorable trip.
Now that Corvettes at Carlisle 2022 is done is time to start thinking about next year. Next year’s Corvettes at Carlisle is August 24-26 of 2023 so book your hotels soon and join in on the fun!
PHOTO CREDITS:
Where possible, we have included photo credits in each file title. Since these are generally not visible on screen, we would like to thank those who posted their photos on Facebook without restriction. Not all photographers were clearly identified, so we thank those contributors too. Photographers included: Lance Miller, MAD VETTES, Galo Santos, Jeff Nowicki, Callaway, Johan Boer, Kris Collins, Joey Washington, Roberta Bauhaus, Tuler Thurn, Mark Ferguson, Luc Nart, Randy Hammit, Tony Zucco, Vito Cimiculla, Alain Smith.
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