• November is Military Appreciation Month
• John & Mary Ellen Nist Join One Acre Club
• 2013 "Build Your Own" Z06, 427 or Grand Sport Winner Drawn
• Racing Legend John Fitch Passes
• Corvette Store Feature
• Christmas Order Deadlines for Custom Gifts
• Upcoming Car Shows
• November Calendar Wallpaper

November is "Military Appreciation Month" at the National Corvette Museum and all military personnel, fire fighters, police officers and their immediate families receive free admission during the entire month of November. All American branches including active, retired and reserve members will be honored with this promotion when presenting a military or service ID.

In addition to free admission to the museum, several special events and exhibits will be featured at this time:

5th Annual Vets ‘n Vettes – November 8-10, 2012 This three day event offers a number of new ways to enjoy camaraderie with others who have served. Vets ‘n Vettes features road tours, a poker run, pizza party, military history team trivia, participation in the Bowling Green, Kentucky Veteran’s Day Parade and more.

Special Displays and Activities

• Aviation Heritage Park, a local group who acquire and restore military aircraft, have display cases of memorabilia on Corvette Blvd.
• Holiday greeting cards will be available for people to write messages for the troops.  The cards will be sent overseas in late November by Bowling Green Municipal Utilities.

John and Mary Ellen Nist of Cream Ridge, NJ have been supporters of the National Corvette Museum for a long time. Mary was a charter member back in 1993, and they became Lifetime Members in 1997. “We’ve always owned a Corvette, and always had a passion for the Corvette and the Museum.”

When asked about why they are supporting the Motorsports Park, John says that a lot weighed into their decision. “We’ve been hearing a lot about how important this is to the future of the Museum from Wendell Strode, and from the Chairman of the Board, Jack Matukas. We have a lot of respect for their decision making skills and their judgment.”

John and Mary Ellen are two donors who are joining the ranks of many who are NOT planning to use the Motorsports Park. “We don’t plan to use it ourselves, but we do want to come and watch others enjoy it at the Bash and Labor Day events. When you talk to different club members who like to autocross and drive on road courses they are some of the ones who will really benefit from it which in turn, helps the Museum.”

As a closing thought, John hopes that their involvement will inspire others. “We also want to do our part to keep this subject on the front burner and maybe peak someone’s interest who has not contributed yet.”

At the age of 95, legend John Fitch died on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 from Merkel carcinoma, a rare skin cancer, at his home in Lime Rock, Conn. A true pioneer of Corvette racing, Fitch was the first Sports Car Club of America national champion and a star in European sports-car racing in the 1950s and '60s. He was the only American ever to drive for the Mercedes-Benz factory team, and also raced the Corvette "SS" and the test mule, which later became the Sting Ray Racer. He was the first manager of Connecticut's Lime Rock Park Raceway, and is noted as one of the prime movers behind the project's beginning, and was still involved with the raceway's operations.

After retiring from racing, Fitch became a successful specialty car builder and safety engineer, and developed the "Fitch Barriers", the familiar yellow crash barrels we see on highways and racetracks, which have saved the lives of many motorists. Fitch was also responsible for conducting the world's first Advanced Driving School.

John Fitch was inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame on September 1, 2000.

C6 Corvette Mogul Polo. Moisture wicking DryTec polo with a three-button placket, raglan sleeves, side vents and an embroidered C6 Corvette emblem. $58.00