March 2022
Registration
for all events is
OPEN!
Leman’s CHEVY CITY Celebrating 59 years of Corvette sales. 59 years ago, Sam Leman started his Chevrolet dealership in the small downstate town of Roanoke, Illinois. With his family, he built a successful Chevrolet dealership that would at one point be the number one Corvette dealer in the region. Over time the business grew to encompass other brands, but Chevrolet always remained part of the family along with the Corvette at the center of it all. The family has remained Corvette fans and owners since the beginning, and they continue to be excited to take part in the vibrant community of Corvette owners. From Roanoke, Illinois to the Bloomington Gold, the Leman family welcomes Corvette owners and fans alike to celebrate this American icon. We look forward to seeing several hundred come through Bloomington once again and look forward to seen them come again in the future. Safe Travels and a beautiful drive to you all, Benjamin Leman Sr.
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(309) 663-4311 1602 Morrisey Dr, Bloomington, IL 61704 lemanchevy.com
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Thursday, June 9th
6:00pm Gold Gala Reception unveiling the 2022 50th Event Gold Salute to the Gold Collection in the Bone Student Center (ticketed event)
Friday, June 10th
7:30am Gold Field Parking Opens 8:00am Gates Open Gold Salute to Gold Collection Certification in Redbird Arena Swap Meet GoldField Chevy Dealer Indoor/Outdoor Vendor Displays Special Displays Seminars Beer Garden with Music 6:00pm Show Closes
Saturday, June 11th
7:30am Cars & Coffee Gold Field Parking Opens 8:00am Gold Salute to Gold Collection Certification Continues Swap Meet GoldField Chevy Dealer Indoor/Outdoor Vendor Displays Special Car Displays Seminars Beer Garden with Music 3:00pm Certification Awards 4:30pm Line Up for Gold Tour 5:00pm Gold Tour on Route 66 ending at Block Party in downtown Normal Hosted by BN Visitors Bureau
Evening Festivities - Gold Member Reception at Medici’s
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Bloomington Gold’s 2022 Featured Artist: Dana Forrester How many of us knew what we wanted to be as an adult when you were in grade school? As in an actual career that you pursued well into your adult life? Meet Dana Forrester who at age 10 was already following his passion to be an artist. In 5th grade his parents would give him money each Saturday to take a drawing class. One class lead to another and soon he found himself taking as many drawing and art classes that he could as he made his way through middle school and high school. After receiving a college degree in Art Education, Dana spent two years in the army where he served in Vietnam. Upon returning to the States, Dana began teaching High School art. He continued teaching for the next 15 years, including summer workshops for various universities. In 1975 Dana painted his first Brick Wall painting. Then, one day he painted a Corvette in front of the brick wall and ‘Boom: There it was’. From there, his painting career took off. He now typically paints 25+ paintings a year, most of them under consignment. He has also painted a number of 1963-1970 paintings for Bloomington Gold including Bloomington on the Bricks and Bloomington Black and Blue. Be sure to stop by Dana’s booth in Horton Field House at Bloomington Gold this June. In the meantime, you can view his gallery highlighting his favorite series and individual paintings at https://danaforresterart.com.
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1969 Corvette L88 Convertible Owned by: Frank Stech Jr., Pitman NJ
This fully documented 1969 Corvette L88 is entirely original, with only 13.600 miles. In addition to the required L88 options, the car has a 4.11 positraction axle, M22 four speed transmission, side mounted exhaust and a tilt/telescopic steering column. The car was originally purchased from Traders Chevrolet in Greensboro, North Carolina for its 16 year old owner who lived in nearby Burlington NC. The car was ordered in December 1968 as a birthday present by his father. He kept the car for a year and a half, accumulating 10,000 miles, but lost the use of the car in the summer of 1970 when his driver’s license was suspended. The car was traded back to the dealer for a four-door sedan. The Corvette was quickly purchased by an accountant for his wife to fulfill her dream of owning a red Corvette. They had no idea of what they had just bought! It really couldn’t be used on the street, and overheated constantly. They kept the L88 for 8 years, adding only 3,200 miles. Since 1978 the car has been owned by collectors, and has had virtually no additional mileage. I am the car’s 6th owner, and have owned the L88 for 26 years. Because of its low mileage, the car drives and handles like a new 1969 Corvette. Awards include Bloomington Gold Certification and an NCRS Top Flight. The L88 has been featured in Bloomington Gold Special Collection events in 1989, 1998 and 2008, inducted into the Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame in 2001 and featured in the 2018 and 2020 Gold Collection events. Page 6
1963 Corvette Convertible
Built by GM Styling for Harley J. Earl, VP of Design - General Motors Owned by: Rare Wheels Collection, Windermere FL
Harley J. Earl was the Vice President of Design for General Motors. He joined GM in 1928 and retired in 1958. Over his 30-year career, Harley Earl became one of the most influential automobile stylists in the world. Earl is often considered the second most important man in the history of the American automobile, commonly known and accredited as the man who brought design and color to the American Auto Industry. As the father of the Corvette, it was his designs in the 1950’s that brought the Corvette to the attention of the American public and the world. This car was presented as a gift to Earl, sent straight from GM styling to the driveway of his Palm Beach home. Earl used the car as a personal driver for two years in addition to running it as the parade car at the 1965 Daytona 500 when he served as the Grand Marshall. The trophy for winner of the Daytona 500 remains “The Harley J. Earl Trophy” to this day. While the car bears a 1963 serial number, it is fitted with several 1965-vintage components and a number of items that were never Corvette production pieces, such as the unique side-exit exhaust system. The interior is modified, with instruments installed in the glove box panel, metal foot well plates and custom leather seats and door panels. The exhaust intrudes into the area for the battery, which was relocated behind the passenger seat. There is extensive use of cast brass emblems and other details, including the console trim. It is equipped with factory air conditioning and a four-speed manual transmission, and while certainly a 1963 model, its chrome trim, exterior emblems, interior control knobs and fourwheel disc brakes are all 1965 parts, as is the hood.
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The excitement begins on June 10th, right here in Bloomington-Normal! We are thrilled to be hosting the 50th Anniversary of this coveted event at Illinois State University. Your time in Bloomington-Normal will be filled with plenty of entertainment, unforgettable memories, and of course, Corvettes. Just for you, we will be hosting a Bloomington Gold celebration in Uptown Normal with music, food, and more, giving you all the opportunity to cherish this milestone together. On Saturday June 11th, we hope you take part in the scenic Road Tour that will lead you through our beautiful Twin Cities and up to Lake Bloomington. Many portions of this drive will take place on historic Route 66. We are delighted to have this prestigious event back in Bloomington-Normal, where it all started. We look forward to seeing our streets filled with Corvettes, sharing in the enthusiasm for these sports cars, and welcoming home this “Granddaddy of Corvette Shows”.
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2022andRoad Tour After Party! Saturday, June 11 5:00pm
The 2022 Road Tour will start from the Show grounds at Illinois State University and head North toward Lake Bloomington. Along the way, the route will include historic Route 66! After cruising around beautiful Lake Bloomington, the route will head back to downtown Normal for a Hometown Celebration hosted by the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Cost: Road Tour - $10 per car. After Party- FREE!
The first 250 registrants will receive a commemorative license plate that can be picked up at the information booth during the Show.
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THE GOLD STANDARD®
of Judging
Providing recognition and incentives by the way of awards to demonstrate excellence in the field of automotive restoration.
BENCHMARK®
America’s most prestigious Corvette award. Getting BENCHMARK® Certified documents the ultimate standard for unrestored vehicles. Our standards for authenticity and condition are simple but difficult. The goal is to attain historic perfection - not cosmetic perfection. Our highly qualified judges are known for their knowledge, courtesy and consistency for over 30 years. Gold Certification influenced the direction that organizations, collectors and our industry have followed ever since. To achieve BENCHMARK® status, an unrestored Corvette must attain GOLD CERTIFIED® and Silver or Gold SURVIVOR® in the same weekend.
GOLD CERTIFIED®
GOLD CERTIFIED® means that a Corvette has been “preserved in” or “restored to” within 95% of the way it appeared when it left the factory...no better, no worse, no different. A GOLD CERTIFIED® car appears as it would have just after completion of ‘Typical Factory Production’. This does not necessarily mean that a Bloomington Gold car is cosmetically perfect. Factory cars weren’t. Instead, historic accuracy is the goal. In short, every car left the factory qualified to receive a Gold Certificate. However, age, use, repair, and/or inaccurate restorations all take their toll. Therefore, unrestored original cars may do as well (or better) than inaccurately restored cars.
SURVIVOR® Certified
SURVIVOR® recognizes Corvettes that have been preserved and highly unrestored. These Corvettes are “worn in but not worn out”.
Resto Mod Certified
Resto Mod recognizes the seamless integration of today’s possibilities into yesterday’s performers by applying today’s capabilities and styling enhancements that result in improved styling, handling, performance, and comfort to modern standards while retaining a classic original design. A Bloomington Gold Certified® Resto Mod is a Corvette that is modified more than 50% in all four of the following sections: engine, chassis, exterior and interior.
Camaro Gold Certified®
1st Generation Camaros will be judged using the same guidelines that are used for Corvettes: A Camaros Gold Certified® car appears as it would just after completion of “typical factory production.” It means that a Camaro has been preserved or restored within 95% of the way it appeared when it left the factory – no better, no worse, no different. Bloomington Gold’s standards for authenticity and condition are clear – the goal is to attain historic perfection, not cosmetic perfection.
For more information, see BloomingtonGold.com/Judging Page 12
It’s almost springtime and you’re getting nervous:
Will your Corvette be ready for judging in 2022? Wise Guy Wednesdays are back and here to help you be ready. For the next few months, every Wednesday we will help you with tips, reminders ,and details of what you can do to help your Corvette achieve the highest level award possible at Bloomington Gold, and at other events. Wise Guy will cover topics that may help you prepare and/or be a bit less nervous about whether you’ve covered everything or not. Upcoming topics will include: • Original or Replacement Parts – does it matter? • What do I need to bring with my car – Don’t Miss the Easy Points • My First Time Judging - What do the judges look for? • Do I have a Real SURVIVOR®? • Numbers Matching vs Original • Does Cleanliness Matter? • Not Original Paint - what is accepted? • Practice Judging your own car
The primary purpose of Bloomington Gold Certification is to ‘encourage the continued preservation of authentic Corvettes, their histories, and Corvettes that have been restored to factory original condition’. A Bloomington Gold Judge’s primary mission is to ‘Help the owner get a Gold, not keep them from it.’ In the coming weeks and months, Wise Guy’s aim will be to help owners achieve the ultimate goal for their car…. To achieve Gold! If you have any questions, please contact Wise Guy at: Guy@BloomingtonGold.com Page 13
For Exhibitors and Swap meet Vendors
*Any company that sells C5-8 accessories and C1-4 parts is encouraged to display everything from exhaust installs to cup holders.
Why Bloomington Gold?
• • • •
Reach thousands of Corvette and Camaro enthusiasts over two days. Company name, website and contact info listed on Bloomington Gold website and listed in both the electronic and print 2022 program. A unique indoor/outdoor venue that isn’t affected by weather conditions. Your competitors will be there!
Why this event is NOT one to skip!
• • •
It’s our 50th Event back in Bloomington which will be a huge draw to both vendors, car enthusiasts and the general public. People are hungry to get out and BUY! Your competitors will be there!
Vendor Set up:
Thursday, June 9, 7:00am - 6:00pm
Show Hours:
Friday, June 10, 8:00am - 5:00pm Saturday, June 11, 8:00am - 5:00pm
Display Location Options: Swap Meet Lot - The traditional swap meet will return in 2022! Spaces are on asphalt and are offered in 18’ wide and 18’ deep increments. Some of the spots offer shade from trees. Tent rental is also available. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE! Horton Field House - Horton Field House will house a majority of the vendors for 2022. Located directly across from Redbird arena, this location will be protected from the elements and secure at night. Patio - Rigs & larger displays that request or require to be outside will be located on the North side of the East parking lot as well as in between Redbird and Horton Field House. There are also a few 10x10 spots on grass available. GOING FAST! Show Program - Run an ad in the 2022 Show Program to be handed out leading up to the show.
Please read the 2022 Vendor Contract as it will answer a lot of your questions!
Click Here! Page 14
Reserve Space online in the Store at BloomingtonGold.com!
2022 REGISTRATION FEES AND LINKS TO REGISTER TICKETS:
Single Day Pass Weekend Pass
GOLD MEMBERSHIP:
Membership with 2 weekend passes Membership with no passes 5 Year (Lifetime Membership) Additional Gold Member Polos
PARKING:
Attendee Parking Trailer Parking Motorhome Parking
$25 $45 $400 $310 $1,750 $50 FREE! $75 for entire weekend $25 per day
CERTIFICATION: Benchmark® 1953-1982 $1,475 Includes Certification and SURVIVOR® Registration Benchmark® 1984-2002 $1,400 Includes Certification and SURVIVOR® Registration Corvette Gold Certified®
$675
SURVIVOR®
$575
Camaro Gold Certified (1st Gen Only)
$675
Resto Mod Certification
$650
GOLD EVENTS: Gold Tour
$10
Gold Gala
$20 per person
Club Parking Gold Year 1972 Includes single day admission
FREE! $25 per day
To Register, click the buttons or go to BloomingtonGold.com and choose SHOP. Page 15
OFFICIAL SPONSORS:
® ®
and Founding Members Mia Pia and Joe Cacciatore
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• GOLD CERTIFIED® • SURVIVOR® Certified • BENCHMARK® Certified
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