A special celebration to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the 1996 Grand Sport Corvette and the creation of the Grand Sport Registry, this will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration that is not to be missed.
September 15-18, 2016
Mid America Motorworks, 2900 North 3rd St, Effingham, Illinois 62401. Click here for
Google map.
Not just for owners of the 1996 GS,
all Grand Sports of every generation (C2, C4, C6, C7) are invited to participate.
Event Registration info is listed below. Grand Sport owners who plan to attend the celebration are encouraged to contact Maureen “Mo” Waller, the Grand Sport Registry Events and PR Coordinator, to confirm their attendance at the event via via email at
[email protected].
All participants must
REGISTER ONLINE for Corvette Funfest. Be sure to select the
GRAND SPORT EXCLUSIVE PARKING option. The cost is $60.00 for one Grand Sport Corvette and two people for the entire weekend. This option also entitles to you to additional GSR goodies, automatic entry into the GS-only car show, etc. If you have any difficulty with the online registration process, call the Mid America Motorworks Sales Center at 866-350-4540 and they'll be happy to help.
In 1996, Chevrolet released the Grand Sport Corvette to commemorate the end of the fourth generation model run. That same year, the Grand Sport Owners Registry was formed to help owners and enthusiasts get even more enjoyment out of this very special car. Some 20 years later, the Registry is celebrating the Grand Sport’s 20th Anniversary with thousands of other Corvettes at Corvette Funfest, Sept. 15-18, 2016.
The anniversary celebration kicks off Thursday, Sept. 15th with a special Grand Sport Owners banquet on the Funfest Grounds in Effingham, Ill. Exclusive Grand Sport Parking is available throughout the weekend to registered attendees, along with special Grand Sport 20th Anniversary goodies. There will be a special Grand Sport show, along with awards presented to Grand Sports, as well as a commemorative photo with Mid America Motorworks’ founder and Chief Cheerleader, Mike Yager.
“We look forward to welcoming a record number of Grand Sports and their owners to Corvette Funfest 2016,” Yager said. “The 20th Anniversary of any vehicle is an important milestone. As the 1996 Grand Sport was a tribute to Zora Arkus-Duntov's 1963 Corvette Grand Sport racer, we’re expecting a truly must-see display.”
In 2006, the GSR pulled together over 120 1996 Grand Sport Corvettes to form a virtual sea of blue 'n white cars at Carlisle. This year the GSR hopes to far exceed that number with the largest gathering of C2, C4, C6 (and C7?) Grand Sports ever assembled. Make plans now to attend this historic event!
Only those that select the
GRAND SPORT EXCLUSIVE PARKING registration option may park with all the other Grand Sports in our huge GS Corral. This GS exclusive area will be right out front adjacent to the main entrance to the show grounds. The Grand Sport registration option also gets you a few extra GS-specific items in your event goodie bag and enters you into the GSR's Grand Sport Only Car Show competition.
All weekend long the GSR will have a large Hospitality Tent set up to give members a place to congregate, socialize, and get a little break from the sun. This is also the place to place your bids on several great Silent Auction items with all proceeds going to charity. Bids will be accepted from Thursday thru 2PM on Saturday. Return to the GSR Tent often to check on the status and see if you won!
The Grand Sport Registry will host a Banquet on Thursday night for 250 GSR Members and invited guests. The banquet will take place in the VIP Hospitality Tent on the grounds of Mid America Motorworks immediately following the Fun Run. Besides great food and drink, we will have some outstanding gifts and door prizes to give away.
Sorry... the GSR Banquet is now sold out. No more tickets are available.
- WHAT: Grand Sport Registry Banquet Celebrating GS 20th Anniversary
- WHEN: Thursday, September 15, 2016
- TIME: Drinks 6:30 PM; Dinner app. 7 PM
- WHERE: VIP Tent on Mid America Grounds
- DRESS: Casual Corvette Attire
The Banquet will be served Family Style to include:
- Chicken Béarnaise & BBQ Pulled Pork
- Layered Salad
- Red Skin Potatoes
- Corn on the Cob
- Baked Beans
- Corn Bread, Dinner Rolls
- Beer, Wine, Lemonade, Iced Tea
- and - THREE Dessert Stations: Cheesecake, Cobblers, Tortes & Ice Cream Sundaes
*** GRAND SPORT SHIRT NIGHT! ***
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All GSR Members are encouraged to wear their favorite Grand Sport shirts to the GSR Banquet. Old or new, any generation, just wear it and show your GS pride!
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Trailer/truck parking is available on
Mid America grounds, Gate #5, at no charge. Huge area, room for everyone but we need to keep MA updated on how many trailers will use the space. Please contact Maureen Waller at
[email protected] if you want to be included.
Here is some basic information for those trailering:
- You do NOT need parking passes to park your truck/trailer on MAM grounds. Just show up. There is NO charge to park.
- There IS Security 24 hours on the grounds.
- Entry to parking area is via MAM Gate #5 (SEE map below).
- Parking is a nice flat area but it IS NOT paved.
- There will be an attendant to guide you when you arrive at Gate #5.
- We have a point of contact at MAM in case of emergency - Ben Olmstead who is in charge of MAM Grounds. 217-540-4380 Direct to MAM or 217-273-2353 Cell. He is there for us for our trailer parking needs only.
There are quite a few cars being shipped professionally or trailered by owners so MAM will be well prepared for you when you arrive. The majority of the hotels are approx 4 miles from MAM. If you want to leave your car on the grounds that's fine, you can also store it in the trailer or drive it in the evening.
The GSR's Hotel Room Blocks are nearly full. GSR Members should contact Maureen Waller via email at
[email protected] to enquire about availability. There are many other hotels in the Effingham, Illinois area but in town hotels tend to fill up fast. You may need to check with hotels in nearby cities for vacancy, most of which are an easy drive into Effingham. For help in finding accommodations, visit the Mid America Motorworks list of
Area Hotels.
There will be special Celebrity Choice and Longest Distance Driven awards for GSR Member Grand Sports (C2, C4, C6, C7) parked in our Grand Sport corral.
Late afternoon on Thursday, Sep 15th, our host Mike Yager will lead the annual Fun Run of Corvettes through the Illinois countryside ending in downtown Effingham. This year the caravan will be led by all the Grand Sport Corvettes!
