Collaboration to grow and increase awareness, cross promote
With nearly 300 Corvette clubs totaling over 17,000 members in the U.S., the National Council of Corvette Clubs is the largest non-profit, all volunteer Corvette organization in the country. The mission of the group is simple – promote Corvette ownership, but even more-so, encourage others to participate in the enjoyment of using the car. When the NCM Motorsports Park opened, NCCC President Dave Heinemann saw an opportunity for their organization to get more use out of their cars while encouraging visits to the National Corvette Museum.
At his first official meeting as President of NCCC, Dave presented to the board the idea of sponsoring a garage at the NCM Motorsports Park. “Having a sponsorship of a garage at the track is a great way to get our name out in front of Corvette owners who like to have fun with their car,” Dave said. “We use the car, not just show it. I see this as a collaboration and an opportunity for not only us to grow our membership, but for the Museum to grow theirs as well.”
NCCC will be hosting their first event at the Museum and Motorsports Park Memorial Day weekend, providing three-days of Corvette fun at both facilities. The event is sold out, and according to Dave, participants are coming from 15-20 states or more. “I’m a firm believer in the Museum. There is nothing else like it in the world, yet our organizations have a lot in common,” Dave said. “We complement each other and I wanted to be a part of the excitement that’s been grown at the Museum and track.”
As President of the NCCC, Dave also represents the organization on the National Corvette Museum’s Board of Directors. Even prior to that, Dave joined the Museum as a Lifetime Member and also took delivery of he and wife Joan’s 2014 Blade Silver Stingray through the R8C Corvette Museum Delivery program last year. “Dave’s energy for the Museum and Motorsports Park is infectious,” Wendell Strode, Museum Executive Director said. “We are thrilled to have him on our board and are looking forward to exploring ways to partner with NCCC, cross promote our offerings and grow both of our memberships. We are excited to welcome their group to Bowling Green for the Memorial Day weekend event.”
Dave echoed Wendell’s sentiment. “Our motto has always been ‘We joined for the car, we stay for the people’ and I think NCCC and the Museum are going to make new friends and have even more people to stay around for.”
Membership for the NCCC is $35 the first year, and $25 renewal annually. NCCC is comprised of regional clubs, each offering their own events and activities to participate in. To learn more about NCCC and become a member visit www.corvettesnccc.org.
