FLAGSTAFF, AZ – In 1978, David Burroughs, CEO of Bloomington Gold, unveiled Gold Certification judging and changed the Corvette hobby forever. In 1990, David Burroughs introduced Survivor Judging, which changed the way the hobby viewed the original, untouched classic. Now for 2010, Bloomington Gold Tours is proud to introduce the Vintage 500 Tour and the Tour Certified Award.
This new, challenging certification will be available to all Bloomington Gold, Silver, Bronze, Survivor and Benchmark award winners. For participants to be eligible to become “Tour Certified,” they must complete the Vintage 500, a 4-day, 500 mile tour in a 1953 to 1973 Corvette. The vintage Corvettes will travel together and drivers must keep pace with the tour to fulfill their 500 mile quest and become “Tour Certified.”
The participants will be tested on the dependability and heart of their American classic. The 1st annual Vintage 500 is set for September 22–26, 2010 and will excite the classic Corvette owner like never before while enjoying some of America’s most beautiful scenery.
The Vintage 500 will also be open to 1953 to 1973 Corvette owners who are not eligible to become “Tour Certified.”
The tour package includes 4-nights deluxe lodging, 75% of meals, trailer parking at host hotel, security at all restaurants & host hotel, a comfort basket including a Bloomington Gold Tours cap, group photo, IMAX movie at the Grand Canyon, Vintage 500 route book, and the ultimate in Corvette camaraderie. To make the participants feel at ease, a support team (flat-bed tow trucks) will follow the entire tour.
Flagstaff, Arizona, at an elevation of 7,000 feet, will serve as base camp for the tour. “The high country of Northern Arizona has the ideal roads to expose and challenge the vintage Corvettes to many different elevations and driving conditions,” said Dwayne Bublitz, Bloomington Gold Tours’ owner. “The red rocks of Sedona and the breath-taking Grand Canyon National Park will leave participants in awe and wonder of the great Southwest.”
The Bloomington Gold 500 Tour Certified Award will finally give owners the opportunity to prove to themselves that their Corvette is more than just a “trailer queen.” It’s a complete working automobile, just what Chevrolet had in mind when they built it – a true American, road-worthy classic.
Registration available in January 2010. For more information, call 928-527-VETT (8388) or visit www.BloomingtonGoldTours.com.