In its 42 years of existence, the Corvette Expo has seen its share of changes, in regard to the venue, the age demographic and the quality of cars in attendance. Byron Cooper and his crew at Cooper Events work tirelessly to improve the event, and a big step involved moving the event to the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in 2018. The giant facility offers plenty of room for Corvette-lovers to gather, or so we thought, as the 2019 Corvette Expo exceeded everyone’s expectations. By mid-morning on Saturday, the Corvette “Park N Show” area was filled to capacity, and the indoor portion of the show had been sold out for weeks leading up to the event. The intense growth was a product of the continued improvements, and the sunny weather forecast encouraged folks to get out of the house for one of the first big events of the season.
The Corvette Expo has always featured a great balance of show cars and Corvettes that get driven regularly. Inside the LeConte Center was an awesome selection of show cars, ranging from the earliest of C1’s to beautifully modified C7’s and just about everything in between. Restored original cars are mixed in with modified custom builds, giving every level of enthusiast something to enjoy.
One of the most fun aspects of the Corvette Expo is the Friday afternoon cruise. This year, it kicked off in Pigeon Forge and traversed the newly opened “Missing Link” section of the Foothills Parkway. This twisty section of brand new asphalt offers breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountains and plenty of chances to test the handling capabilities of your Corvette. From there, the cruise made its way over to Highway 129, a famous mountain road known as the Tail of the Dragon. This insane road features 318 curves in only 11 miles as it snakes its way into North Carolina. A total of 252 Corvettes participated in the cruise on Friday.
Another great feature of the event is the wide variety of vendors that display new parts, as well as a sea of original parts in the swap meet, for the Corvette enthusiast who is always chasing correct stampings, matching date codes or simply looking for a bargain. Al Knoch Interiors was performing interior installations all weekend long and the NCRS crew had a special area to judge restored Corvettes and beautifully preserved survivors. Whether you like vintage Vettes or the modern mechanical marvel of a supercharged C7 Z06, there was something for everyone at the Corvette Expo, and we’re certain that next years event will be even bigger and better. Mark your calendars now and join the fun in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on March 20-21, 2020. Vette
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