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    Sarah Fisher to Drive Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car

    Sarah Fisher to Drive Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car

    (Indianapolis, IN) - The Indy 500's fastest woman will lead the field to the green on Sunday May 29th when she pilots the 2023 70th Anniversary Edition Corvette Pace Car in the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500. 

    Fisher is a natural for the role, serving as a former team owner, driver, and pace car driver for the IndyCar Series but is perhaps better known for her setting the female Indy 500 qualifying lap record set in 2002 at a blistering pace of 229.439mph.  

    Fisher will turn eyes when she brings the highly anticipated 2023 70th Anniversary Corvette across Indy's famous yard of bricks this Memorial Day weekend.  The special edition Corvette will be available for purchase later this summer.  Per Indianapolis Motor Speedway, "this year’s Pace Car is equipped with the available Z07 Performance Package, featuring a carbon fiber rear wing, aerodynamic ground effects, carbon ceramic brakes and more, for maximum track capability.

    With a nod to Corvette’s 70-year history, the Pace Car is a model year 2023 70th Anniversary Edition Z06, finished in a special White Pearl Tri-Coat Metallic paint."  This year's pace car will also feature all the 70th Anniversary amenities that will be available to the general public this summer.  To learn more about the package, you can read about it here: 2023 Corvette 70th Anniversary Package Revealed by GM (corvettestoreonline.com)

    “The Chevrolet Team is proud to pace the Indianapolis 500 for the 33rd time, while celebrating 70 years of Corvette,” said Steve Majoros, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. “It’s only fitting the Indianapolis 500 will be the first race the 2023 Corvette Z06 paces, a truly special moment for Corvette and INDYCAR fans around the world. I’m sure Sarah will enjoy driving the 2023 Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary Edition, which is an incredible car with the performance to match its great looks.” (IMS) 

    Be sure to watch Sarah lead the Indy 500 field to the green flag in this beautiful 2023 Corvette on Sunday, May 27th at 11:00am EST on NBC! 

     

    Want to be the first to have your 2023 Corvette Z06 gear? Click here to shop the latest merchandise now!

     

     

    Thanks to IMS & Chevrolet/GM for images & quotes. 

    Official 2023 70th Anniversary C8 Images Released

    Official 2023 70th Anniversary C8 Images Released

    Chevrolet and GM have officially released images of the highly anticipated 2023 70th Anniversary C8 Corvette.  If you haven't already heard about the upcoming special edition package, get caught up to speed with our blog post about the limited edition Corvette by clicking here

    The first 70th Anniversary Edition Corvette will be hitting the streets soon, but until then enjoy these images of what's to come! 

     

    Thanks to Chevrolet/GM for images

    Customer Spotlight - Nicole Maltese & Steven Wallace

    Customer Spotlight - Nicole Maltese & Steven Wallace

       Our May Customer Spotlight belongs to Steven and his wife Nicole and their passionate, corvette loving family son Nicolas and Marie-M.  Nicole, Steven, and family are the owners of both a 2013 60th Anniversary C6 Convertible and a Custom Built 2020 C8 with a Rear Engine.  Nicole and Steven have been Customers for 3 years and has found all their Corvette care and needs can be trusted to CorvetteStoreOnline.com.

     

       Nicole & Steven have a long lineage of Corvette history that started with Steven purchasing a 1974 Corvette in 1983 just after graduating college.  As we’ve heard countless times from owners, Steven felt immense regret after selling his Corvette and knew he wanted to purchase another at some point down the line. On the other hand, Nicole owned a 1987 Corvette that she purchased and drove from Minnesota to New York where it was unfortunately stolen... but knew she had to get back behind the wheel eventually!

       After meeting and getting married the couple had gone years without sitting behind the wheel of a Corvette, nonetheless owning one!  Close family friends Karen & John Pomarico, who are fellow Corvette enthusiasts and owners of a 2005 C6, are those responsible for igniting the spark that would set Nicole and Steve down the irreversible Corvette path.  Out of the blue at an outing, John turned to Nicole and Steve to casually ask: “Why don’t you buy one and we can be a Corvette family?” 

       Later that evening while sitting on the couch contemplating the idea John had just dropped upon them, Steven asked Nicole what her ideal Corvette model and color might be.  On a whim, but without missing a beat, Nicole told Steven she had her mind set on a white Convertible.  As circumstance would have it the couple was only able to find one white convertible that was available, located a considerable distance away in Tappahannock, Virginia.  Steven and Nicole knew what had to be done.  Accompanied by their friends John & Karen the four hopped in their car, booked a hotel, and headed towards the dealership in Tappahannock.

       After a few GPS mishaps and a late drive in, the family did eventually make it to the dealership where they purchased their 2013 Corvette and drove it home directly off the lot.  The rest as they say, is history, and the friends have been what they now refer to as “Corvette Brothers” ever since. 

     

     After several years of Corvette Ownership the family went to the 2020 Corvette unveiling at Kerbeck’s in Absecon Island, NJ accompanied by some of their same fellow Corvette owning friends John & Karen.  Nicole and Steven went with no intention of purchasing a new Corvette, but once there they couldn't resist what was before their eyes.  In Nicole and Steven's own words they both threw caution to the wind and said "What the heck, we'll roll the dice and order one" not truly knowing if the order would come through.

     

       Shortly thereafter Covid struck and turned the auto industry upside down. Steven would watch the list monthly seeing Corvettes all around them be delivered to their new owners… with fate seemingly skipping over them day after day.  Discouraged, the couple cut a deal - if they could get their 2020 by December they would stick with it, but if they were pushed into 2021 they would simply have to give up the prospect of being first year owners.  As luck would have it, finally, after months of waiting their 2020 Corvette was delivered on December 8th.  It goes without saying, but Nicole and Steven are glad they stuck it out and waited. 

       To put it in their own words, Nicole and Steven simply love both their cars. “Our Vette is a true wow factor from G-force, to look and feel and is awesome from start to finish, especially our interior! The 2013 Convertible is so much fun to drive in the summer with the top down.  The 2020 is just an awesome car in every way from top to bottom!  The ride, the response, the looks, it’s got it all and then some.” 

       It’s hard to disagree with an endorsement like that… and even more difficult when so many customers echo the same sentiments!

       Not only do Nicole and Steven love driving their Corvettes – they love accessorizing them!  “We truly love all the items online and have purchased a lot. We own everything from the car covers, to clothing and accessories but one of my personal favorites has been the suitcase (carry on) to match our car. As a Corvette lover we wear it, we carry it and we accessorize in it! In our big and small purchases we have not regretted anything we have purchased from the online store.”

     

       In addition to their car covers, apparel, and luggage Nicole and Steven have also made some custom upgrades to their Corvettes.  The couple has replaced the Z51 rear wing on their 2020 with a higher after market wing supplied and installed by their dealer.  On their 2013, they’ve added a WindRestrictor with a custom Corvette 60th Anniversary logo on it, in addition to 60th Anniversary logos down the sides, 60th Anniversary branded custom floor mats, and aluminum billets in the side fender openings to cap it off.  If you couldn’t tell, these additions have made for two bad to the bone rides!

     

       Unfortunately, due to Covid and life changes Nicole and Steven haven’t been able to travel to many car shows or some of the destinations they’ve long dreamed of but hope to do so in the future. Despite this, they still have managed to add an awesome accolade to their resume.  In 2018 the couple was chosen to be one of 165 Corvettes arranged into an American Flag at a Corvette show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds.

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       Nicole, Steven, and family - thank you for sharing your wonderful Corvette story!  Stories like these are what Corvette ownership is all about... it's not necessarily about the car, it's about the total experience.  We look forward to hearing more from you in the future! 

     

    Ready to follow in Nicole & Steven's footsteps and purchase YOUR Corvette Merchandise?  CLICK HERE to shop all the latest and greatest Corvette gear & accessories! 

     

    If you'd like to be featured next, please send us an email at info@carolinaonlineretail.com!

    FIRST RETAIL PRODUCTION 2023 CORVETTE Z06 CONVERTIBLE RAISES $1 MILLION FOR TMCF

    FIRST RETAIL PRODUCTION 2023 CORVETTE Z06 CONVERTIBLE RAISES $1 MILLION FOR TMCF

    EST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The first retail production 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 convertible raised $1 million for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction on April 9. This auction and the sale of the first retail production 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary Edition in January bring the total amount of money raised for charity by the 2023 Corvette Z06 to $4.6 million in 2022.

    The 2023 Corvette Z06, which offers the highest-horsepower naturally aspirated V-8 of any production car, drove onto the world-famous auction block in support of the TMCF’s Teacher Quality & Retention Program. Representatives from TMCF, the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, were at the auction to experience this exciting moment in the organization’s history.

    One hundred percent of the winning bid from Rick Hendrick, chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group and owner of 14-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports, benefits the organization’s TQRP, a training initiative that helps aspiring K-12 educators develop their skills for success in challenging teaching environments. Hendrick will also have the opportunity to customize the first retail production Corvette Z06 convertible. This includes the selection of everything, from the body color to the shade of the brake calipers.

    “The 2022 Palm Beach Auction is a community event that we are very proud to be associated with,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. “Through the generous support of GM, Chevrolet and Barrett-Jackson, we raised a significant amount of funds and awareness of our TQRP initiative, which provides opportunities for students of color in the K-12 educational environment and beyond.”

    “General Motors and Chevrolet are honored to support the Thurgood Marshall College Fund on its mission to empower students and educators for success,” said Scott Bell, Chevrolet global vice president. “The proceeds from this sale of the first retail production Corvette Z06 convertible will support high-caliber training for future educators studying at HBCUs and PBIs across the nation.”

     

    Ready to purchase your 2023 Corvette Merchandise?  CLICK HERE for all our newest arrivals!  

     

    Photo And Story Credits to GM/Chevy Pressroom 

    Customer Spotlight : Stan Krafft

    Customer Spotlight : Stan Krafft

       Our second CorvetteStoreOnline.com Customer Spotlight belongs to passionate Corvette enthusiast Stan Krafft.  Stan and his wife, Jennifer, are the Social and Membership Directors respectively of their local Corvette Car Club in Lodi, California.  With the aid of his own Z06 & Stingray Corvettes, Stan has been featured on his local Fox News station as the promotional ambassador for the Lodi Corvette Club.  In addition to his dedication to his cars and the Lodi Corvette Club, Stan annually leads and plans roughly 20 or so Corvette Club & Event runs a year that are known to host as many as 160 Corvettes!  

       For someone as involved in the Corvette Community as Stan is you'd probably think that his obsession began at an early age, but that's not quite the case.  Though he's long been a fan of the car, Stan's love for Corvettes actually started with his true love, his wife, Jennifer.  “Jennifer actually got me very interested in Corvettes back in 1985 when we first got married” Stan says. “She owned a 1975 Corvette as a young woman and really enjoyed the Corvette experience." 

       Stan and Jennifer purchased a new Corvette Coupe in 2002 and found great enjoyment in their shared hobby.  Unfortunately, a combination of work and life unexpectedly took the wheel shortly thereafter resulting in a period of very limited use or enjoyment of their beloved Corvette.  Not wanting to leave an American Classic sitting unused on the sidelines the couple sold their Corvette in 2011.  "We regretted selling our 2002 [Corvette], [we] really missed driving it and the Corvette experience." 

       After three years self-proclaimed sellers’ remorse eventually got the best of Stan and Jennifer.  In 2014 they purchased a C7 Stingray Coupe – a car they enjoyed so much that they began "arguing" about who would get to drive it!  The solution?  Buy another Corvette of course! 

       In 2018 Stan and Jennifer bought a Z06 Coupe so that neither would have the opportunity to feel deprived of their passion.  Their enthusiasm for Corvettes eventually overflowed into the lives of those around them.  Stan says he didn’t realize the influence his passion had, going on to add “…two of my neighbors, one close friend, and my cousin, have all purchased Corvettes and joined our Club due to seeing how much [Jennifer & I] enjoy the Corvettes and Club events together." 

       As a CorvetteStoreOnline.com customer, Stan recommends the C7 Corvette Z06 Supercharged Carbon Fiber License Plate Frame and Lloyd's Floor and Cargo Mats as his go to custom appearance items.  It's easy to understand why, Stan says complements, photographs, videos, waves and dozens of questions are not uncommon at a given show or gas station when someone gets the chance to see his Corvettes up close.  While you might not be able to ask him a question about his Corvettes right now, rest assured knowing Stan’s cars have never experienced mechanical issues and have plenty of horsepower! Simply put, you better believe the amenities are just as exquisite as the cars and their performance.  

       When asked about his passion for Corvettes, and his love of the Corvette lifestyle, Stan's quote is remarkable: "In my opinion and many others, no other Sports Car regardless, of price paid, can deliver the overall satisfaction, performance, road manners, appearance and [the] pride of ownership than…….'The All American Bad Boy Corvette.' You never get tired of the Corvette experience, and this is all part of it.  Remember: they don’t write songs about Porsches or Ferrari’s…... but they do about Corvettes." 

     

    Thank you for sharing your Corvette story with us Stan & Jennifer - seldom things are as satisfying as sharing stories about people as passionate as you! 

     

    If you'd like to be featured with your Corvette in our next Customer Spotlight, please send an email to help@corvettestoreonline.com 

     

    Ready to purchase your Corvette merchandise?  Click HERE to browse our full selection!