Corvette Market Will Join the Festivities at 2007 Corvette Funfest

Funfest takes place on the sprawling site of MidAmerica Motorworks
EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS -Corvette Funfest, one of the country’s largest gatherings of Corvettes and Corvette enthusiasts, will be held in Effingham, Illinois the weekend of September 21-23, 2007. Now in its fourteenth year, Corvette Funfest is a free customer appreciation event hosted by Mid America Motorworks, the country’s largest supplier of aftermarket parts and accessories for Corvettes and air-cooled Volkswagens. Last year’s event drew over 14,000 Corvettes and 45,000 enthusiasts to Mid America Motorworks’ sprawling corporate campus. With featured guests including George Barris, the ‘King of the Kustomizers’, and popular rock band Three Dog Night, record crowds are expected for 2007.

The theme of this year’s event will be ‘Celebrating a Corvette Summer,’ with the customized 1973 Stingray from the movie ‘Corvette Summer’ serving as the featured vehicle. The ’73 Stingray, driven by Mark Hamill in the 1978 movie, is one of many Corvettes in the personal collection of Mid America Motorworks founder Mike Yager. Yager’s extensive collection, which also features the priceless CERV-1 (Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle) and a 1964 World’s Fair Mitchell Styling Corvette, will be on display throughout Funfest.

After checking out the ‘Corvette Summer’ car, attendees are invited to attend a seminar hosted by George Barris, one of Hollywood’s most famous vehicle creators. Included on Barris’s list of credits are the original 1966 Batmobile and the Munster Koach. As the creator of these legendary vehicles, Barris is uniquely qualified to serve as a judge for the Funfest Corvette Show, where he will bestow a special “Barris Kustom Award” to the customized Corvette of his choice. In addition to his judging duties and seminar hosting, Barris will participate in autograph sessions throughout the weekend. Other seminar hosts for the weekend will include noted automotive write Dave Emanuel, National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame inductee Gordon Killebrew and technical guru from the Speed Channel’s hit show ‘PINKS’, Ken Herring.

The sounds of classic rock will complement this year’s celebration of the classic American sports car. Music legends Three Dog Night will take the stage for a free concert on Saturday, September 22. Between 1969 and 1974, Three Dog Night had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits and 12 straight gold records. By late 1975, they had sold nearly 50,000,000 records. Corvette enthusiasts who grew up to songs such as “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” and “Joy to the World” will undoubtedly enjoy this special performance.

Given the number of Corvette enthusiasts and media expected, renowned publisher Keith Martin will launch the new ‘Corvette Market Magazine’ at 2007’s Funfest. Martin’s ‘Sports Car Market’ is a widely recognized leader in the industry. His new quarterly publication will cover collecting, investing, valuations and trends in the Corvette world. Mid America Motorworks founder Mike Yager will be a regular contributor to the magazine.

‘Corvette Market Magazine’ will not be the only publication celebrated at 2007 Funfest. ‘Corvette Bible’, co-authored by Mike Yager and John Gunnell, will have its public debut at the event. Published by Krause Publications, ‘Corvette Bible’ offers a year-by-year review of each Corvette model with insider information and tips provided by Yager. Featuring a comprehensive look at techs and specs, collector pricing and common aftermarket products, not to mention tips on buying, selling, repair and restoration, ‘Corvette Bible’ is a must read for Corvette enthusiasts.

Auto aficionados interested in attending Corvette Funfest can visit www.mamotorworks.com/funfest or call 800.500.1500 for more information.