The Prez Box
by Ron Bone
We could say, without
exaggeration, that our September monthly meeting was an historic event. It was, simply put, a forum for deciding the
fate of Wild West Vette Fest 2006.
Everyone who had an interest in the decision was asked through the
newsletter to attend and participate in the discussion. It was a good turnout and a good discussion,
with many good points being raised on both sides of the issue of whether to
continue the annual show. Those in
favor cited the good we accomplish through our annual Christmas gifts to needy
families, the economic boost our show provides for West Yellowstone, and the
loss of momentum as well as participants that would probably accompany a less
frequent show. Those opposed pointed to
the burnout that is common in the relatively small core of show workers, the
primacy of show preparations over activities focused on enjoying our cars, and
the apparent indifference of most club members. These were all substantive issues, with each member assessing the
relative importance of the issues differently.
The task was, of course, to decide what would be best for the club.
A roster was circulated as an
aid in gauging the support for committing to a show next year. It listed the positions that would need to
be filled in order to minimally staff the show. This revealed several heroic members who volunteered to fill
multiple positions in an effort to save the show. Nevertheless, in the end, 10 of the 19 positions were
unfilled. That was, speaking tritely,
the camel’s nose in the tent. The rest
of the camel followed the nose in the ensuing vote, which made it official: There
would be no Wild West Vette Fest 2006. We would, during our 2006 hiatus, instead focus on uniting the
club and finding ways to enjoy our cars more.
It’s a tall order, one that an ad-hoc committee has volunteered to
tackle. The committee members implore
your support if they are to succeed.
It’s critical that we also
understand what this decision was not.
It was certainly no ill reflection on those who worked so hard to make Wild
West Vette Fest 2005 the success it was.
Bill and Dana Madsen, as show chairs, did a superb job of organizing and
hands-on massaging of innumerable problems.
I lost count of how many trips to West Yellowstone they made in order to
make sure that everything would go as planned.
They also chaired the autocross.
Tim Hobley, as assistant show chair, dove into any number of activities
so that he would be prepared for the next show. He took care of shirts and hats, and even brought one of his
workers to man a poker run stop. Bruce
and Connie Barton handled registrations, as well as taking, printing, and later
mailing, photographs of cars during the poker run. Both were huge tasks, done with the Barton’s customary
aplomb. Fred and Wanda Hughes took on
the task of trophies, and then stealthily picked off hapless competitors on the
autocross to ensure that those who won one were worthy. Doug Evancic happily volunteered for any
number of assists, from the icebreaker to the show and shine, and everything in
between. What a comfort it is to have
someone who is available to jump into whatever is needed. Bob and Yvonne Krah manned the raffle and
clothing sales, both at the hotel and at the park. Ka-ching! Tommy Taylor
chaired the show and shine, where his organizational skills were on
display. Dick and Trish Bargman covered
the poker run, managing to find a new way to do it, and do it well. Thor Miller was on-hand to help with the
poker run, including posing cars for Bruce Barton’s photos at the Sack
Cabin. Mike and Wanda Pincock and Dale
and Deena Larsen drove up for the day on Saturday and Sunday, helping as they
were needed. Many of the ladies pitched
in to count the Show and Shine votes. I
believe I saw Connie Barton, Judy Hobbs, Wanda Pincock, Mickey Peterson, Bev
Evancic, and Pam Valentine there. Our
own indefatigable ambassador, Wayne Valentine, stepped up again to serve as our
Master of Ceremonies. As busy as Wayne
is nowadays, finding the time for that had to be hard. Unflappable Jim and Judy Hobbs saved us from
certain embarrassment by rounding up, at the last minute, tables and chairs –
and delivering them to and from the park.
Otherwise, we would all have been grubbing around in the grass instead
of being our usual dignified selves.
And finally, thanks to Mickey Peterson for the show’s icon, which graced
the fronts of our shirts.
I have surely missed
acknowledging someone for their part in the show and, for that, I sincerely
apologize. When I think back, I’m
humbled by all the hard work you all put in on the show. Thank You to all of you.
Members Rides
by Ben Sanchez
In a continuing effort to familiarize Corvettes of Southeast Idaho members with each other, this month’s issue will feature Bob and Yvonne Krah, and Egon and Connie Lamprecht.
Bob & Yvonne Krah joined the club in the summer of 2003 after finding out about it in the local newspaper. They currently own two ‘Vettes, a 2004 white/red convertible and a 1953 white/red roadster (reproduction).
Bob’s introduction to Corvettes stems back to 1958. In Napa CA., he lived behind a Chevrolet dealer where he saw his first ‘Vette. He just had a feeling he would one day own one. That time was realized in 1983 when he bought a 1978 coupe with merely 30,000 miles on it. The car was great, but…yep, there always seems to be a yeah but in there. He saw a brand new C4 at Smith Chevrolet and just had to drive it. He didn’t buy it opting for a new white with bronze interior that Taylor Chevrolet just happened to have and he just happened to fall in love with. The ’78 was quietly traded-in as part of the deal and Bob drove the ’84 until 2001. That’s when he sold it to add to the savings to procure the ’53 reproduction.
It was after getting the ’53 they joined Corvettes of Southeast Idaho and found out about road trips. Oh, yeah! The ’04 Convertible wasn’t bought until after Bob sold his cabinet making shop -- a 37-year business. Their immediate plans are to sell the reproduction ’53 and possibly spring for a 2006 convertible. Sounds like a good plan to me.
Bob says he would like to participate in more events, but he has a slight problem -- Yvonne still works part-time. They were able to make the trip to Glacier National Park this past summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. According to Bob, the scenery and weather was great and they enjoyed getting better acquainted with their newfound Corvette friends.
But, ‘Vettes aren’t Bob’s only interest, you see he also races motocross whenever he can and has done so for around 37 years. He is a past president of the Eastern Idaho Motorcycle Association. He held this position for four or five years. Hmmm. Give anybody any ideas? It’s obvious that Bob is a pretty active guy and that Yvonne needs to cut back on her part-time hours. I also noticed that there is no mention of getting rid of the ’04 should the ’06 show up in their garage. Now, these are definitely my kind of people.
Egon and Connie Lamprecht have been members for more than 10 years, and in that time they have attended countless shows and supported the club in various ways. Connie is a past president and Egon regularly contributes to the newsletter with his very informative articles entitled, “Did You Know”. They have owned two Corvettes, both red. They picked up a really nice ’86 coupe in 1989, and recently purchased a 2001 coupe. Now, I’m not sure why both of them have been red, but I suspect because Egon says the Corvette is Connie’s; maybe, just maybe she likes red ‘Vettes. Hmmm, what do you think?
Egon credits me for his introduction to and subsequent joining of Corvettes of Southeast Idaho. I didn’t realize I had influenced anybody, so thanks for the compliment. By now you may have guessed that Egon and I have known each other for a while and you would be right. You see, we both worked for the Department of Energy and have subsequently retired from that illustrious organization. Egon could tell you lots of stories about the development of the “Site”. Further, he has been interviewed for the “History” channel on an incident that happened in the early sixties and is a veritable wealth of information on a variety of subjects.
Did any of you realize or maybe remember when he had a Saturday morning radio talk show? Yes, it dealt with cars. Of course, what else?
Egon and Connie have more cars than just the Corvette. In fact, I don’t even know how many cars they have. Get Eg to tell you about his latest street rod. He has a name for it. And, of course, there’s a story behind it too. They are past members of the VMCCA. I think, basically, Eg just likes to build stuff and make it better. Connie on the other hand makes absolutely beautiful quilts. We’ve had the good fortune for her to design and complete quilts that have been raffled off at past Wild West Vette Fests.
It’s active members like Egon and Connie and the support they provide that makes Corvettes of Southeast Idaho the successful organization it is today. If you haven’t had the opportunity to meet and talk with Egon and Connie, take advantage the next time you see them. Connie’s a live wire, and Egon, well, he’s a real character.
Minutes of the September Meeting
by Peggy Bone
The meeting was held at The
Relay Station in St. Anthony on September 22. There were 27 members present.
President Ron Bone called the meeting to order at 8:00 P.M. He thanked
everyone for coming and acknowledged the September birthdays.
Tommy Taylor volunteered to
store the club’s trailer in his barn.
The first item on the agenda
was Wild West Vette Fest 2005.
Ron stated that the show has cleared approximately $4,000 to date. There are still some people who have not
submitted their expenses. Please do so
soon. After an extended discussion,
Yvonne Krah made a motion to vote on whether to have the show every year or
every other year. The motion was
seconded. A count of hands for every
year was 7, and for every other year was 14.
The motion for every other year carried. Ron will contact the Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone to inform
them that we will not be hosting a show in 2006 and to try to reserve the
Holiday Inn for the last weekend in August 2007.
Club participation was also
brought up. A steering committee was
formed to explore ways to increase club participation. Doug and Bev Evancic, Bob and Yvonne Krah,
Egon and Connie Lamprecht, and Dick and Trish Bargman volunteered to serve on
the committee, with Ron and Peg Bone chairing.
The next order of business
Ron discussed was whether the club’s present insurance policy would cover an
accident during the competitive driving event at Wild West Vette Fest. Also, in the event that it might not,
whether the waiver that is signed by participants would stand up in court. Dennis Peterson volunteered to review the
club’s present policy and advise the club.
Ron said that membership in the National Council of Corvette Clubs
(NCCC), which includes insurance, could be an alternative to our current
policy. Don McAndrews, of the Snake River
Corvette Club, has offered to present to the club the benefits of NCCC
membership. It was decided that the
club would hear the NCCC proposal for comparison with our present insurance. Ron will arrange for the presentation at our
next monthly meeting.
The next meeting will be
October 12 or 15, depending on when Don McAndrews can attend. See the Calendar of Coming Events. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 P.M.
(Condensed from an article written by Frank F. Smith
for the C6Registry)
Strong rumors of a “Super corvette” have been around since the turn of the century (2000) or longer.
This Super Corvette is to be like no other, a Ferrari beater, a world class speedster, competition for the Ford GT! This super car has been given the name “Blue Devil”.
Lately, these rumors are back, stronger than ever! An article in the June 29, 2005 edition of Autoweek magazine got us all fired up again with an article entitled “Blue Devil Lives”. When GM’s vice chairman speaks of an ultra-performance Corvette, we listen. The article has photos of a blue Z06 in Nurburgring, Germany.
Autoweek did NOT go on to say this photo was or is the “Blue Devil”. In fact, the article says:
“Spied on the Nurburgring, Blue Devil appears to be
living up the earlier hype. Eyewitnesses said the car sounds supercharged,
confirming reports the engine is likely a blown version of the Z06’s 7.0-liter
V8, producing upward of 600 hp. Look for lightweight carbon fiber body parts to
reduce weight to about 2900 pounds.”
The article goes on to say:
“Also, a ‘Blue Devil’ Corvette is also being rumored to be an exotic “Vette with over 700 horsepower and a carbon-fiber body. This Corvette will not only dominate the Viper, but will also compete with and/or beat Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes, and BMW products.”
In the new 2006 Z06, already “a car like no other”, and already “world class”, possessing a certified 405 HP, were to be fitted with twin turbo chargers, and a little more carbon fiber and lexan added to lighten the already extraordinary 3130 lbs, would it generate 600 or 700 HP, and if it sold for $100,000 would it be the fastest vehicle for the money? You bet!
So, was the Z06 photographed on the track in Nurburgring the famous “Blue Devil”?
Calling All Show Committee Shirt Owners
by Ron Bone
If you received a show committee polo shirt (black with red collar and sleeve accents), and you have not yet paid for it, please send a check for $18 to Connie Lamprecht or bring it to the next monthly meeting.
Our 2005 Sponsors
ABM Corporation
The Real Estate Agency, Yellowstone
Townhouses
P.O.
Box 867, West Yellowstone, MT 59758
Auto Stop
Brook Adamson
1019 W. Bridge, Blackfoot
785-5151
Auto Trim Design of East Idaho
Vaughn Kendle
369 E. Anderson, Idaho Falls
529-8746
Bear Mountain Contractors
Tim Hobley
223 E. 200 N., Blackfoot
785-2834
Betty’s Cafe
Riverside Plaza, Blackfoot
785-6423
Dura-Brite Carpet Cleaning
Jim Hobbs
P.O. Box 34, St. Anthony
624-3801
Firehouse Grill
2891 S. 25 East, Idaho Falls
524-1740
First Security Bank
Mike Polkowske, Bank President
106 S. Electric, West Yellowstone
406-646-7646
George & Jesse’s Les Schwab Tire, Inc.
126 S. State Street, Rigby
745-7722
The Gusher Pizza & Sandwich Shoppe
40 Dunraven St., West Yellowstone
406-646-9050
Les Schwab Tire Center
970 E. 17th St, Idaho Falls
524-7360
Les Schwab Tire Center
900 W. Bridge St, Blackfoot
785-1942
Madison Women’s Clinic
Dr. Bruce Barton and Dr. Max Crouch
15 Madison Professional Park, Rexburg
356-6185
Many Teepees, Inc.
Brandin’ Iron Inn, City Center Motel, Pony Express Motel
P.O. Box 580, West Yellowstone, MT 59758
Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy
50 South 2 West, Rexburg
356-4481
Petersen, Parkinson & Arnold, PLLC
Dennis and Mickey Petersen
305 N. Capital, Idaho Falls
522-5200
Ray’s Chevron Service Station
Steve Oakey
279 N 2 East, Rexburg
356-4991
Realty Quest
Judy Hobbs
117 W. Main St., Rexburg
356-8787
The Relay Station Dining
593 N 2600 E, St. Anthony
624-4640
Robinson Auto Glass Experts
495 First Street, Idaho Falls
525-3230
Snake River IBA
Ken Olsen
323 W 145 N, Idaho Falls
542-5072
Smith Chevrolet
Rex Allred
Holmes & Yellowstone, Idaho Falls
522-9800
Taylor Chevrolet, Olds, Buick
David Taylor
819 S. Yellowstone Highway, Rexburg
356-6600
Teton Grille
Trisha and Robert Martin
3 N. 3800 E., Rigby
522-3444
Upper Valley Building Contractors
Association
Parade of Homes
310 N. 2nd E., Suite 143, Rexburg
390-1459
Wingers Restaurant
475 N 2 E, Rexburg
356-4542
October Birthdays
| Wanda Pincock | 3 |
| Wendy Farmer | 6 |
| Wanda Hughes | 12 |
| Barbara Bell | 13 |
| Wayne Campbell | 15 |
| Lori Lawrence | 17 |
| Dennis Peterson | 20 |
| Jeff Staffon | 22 |
2005 Calendar of Coming Events
by Ron Bone
October 6: Drive-in at Scotty’s, on the Northgate Mile in Idaho Falls, 7:00 P.M, weather permitting.
October 8: Rally to deliver sponsor shirts and letters of appreciation. Contact Ron or Peg Bone at 522-5838 if you would like to participate.
October 12: Monthly Meeting at Denny’s Restaurant, 950 Lindsay Blvd, Idaho Falls, at 7:00 P.M. There will be a presentation on the benefits of joining the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC).
October 16: Trip to Fort Hall for Bingo night. If you are interested in going, please call Peggy Bone at 522-5838.
October 20: Drive-in, 7:00 P.M, weather permitting. Location to be announced by the Calling Tree.
Did You
Know
By
Egon
The other day I stopped at
a filling station to spend many bucks. Filling stations have two different
types of pumps.
One type has three hoses, one for
each grade of fuel. You select one of the three hoses and start
filling. The other type has only one hose. You select the grade you want by
pushing a button corresponding to a grade – regular, premium, etc.
A repairman was working on one of
the one-hose types. I asked him how it worked. He said there are three electric
valves that direct which tank to pump from -- one for each grade of fuel. When
you select the grade you want, the grade valve opens and away you go.
Not so fast. Let’s say the last
buyer purchased regular grade and now you select the premium grade. Because the
lines and pump are full of the choice of the last buyer, you get that fuel
first before your choice starts flowing. The repairman said that usually is
about one gallon. So you get one gallon the regular, then the better grade.
The next buyer gets one gallon of super grade regardless of what grade he chooses. Just thought you should know.