Sharing a passion for a car called Corvette About Corvette Cleveland

The year was 1957. Corvette was in its 5th year of production. Andy Boumgardner and a group of guys that included Bob Ruth, Hal Schlemmer, Dennis Litchenstine, Ken Kavalchek and Dick Shea started meeting at various Cleveland East-side Chevrolet dealerships to share their excitement and passion for their Corvette's. Post-meeting cruising through drive-ins would cap the evening.

That was how Corvette Cleveland was founded, based on Andy's 1955 Corvette and a desire to share the enthusiasm with others. We are proud of our heritage.

Our club was listed in the first directory of Corvette clubs in Corvette News (Volume 1, #4) published in 1957. We have celebrated our 25th Anniversary (1982), our 50th Anniversary (2007) and our 60th Anniversary (2017).

Discover more through our historical documents.

The excitement is not all in the past, however. Our club is thriving and today we boast nearly 200 members. Even though our Cleveland weather causes most members to tuck their 'vettes in for a winter nap, the season is never over. Activities and events continue throughout the year.

Community

Corvette Cleveland proudly supports OhioGuidestone. OhioGuidestone has served the Cleveland suberb of Berea Ohio since 1864 when Wilhelm Ahrens founded a home for orphaned children whose fathers had been killed in the War or quarries. Today, the organizations has an impressive list of expanded family services and an extended service area that envelopes multiple Ohio counties.

In addition to our OhioGuidestone support, the club participates in a number of community parades, homecomings and other events. Our Corvettes are showcased for others to enjoy, while providing valuable community services.

Shows

The Crown Jewel of our car show season is our Corsa Performance show, hosted by Corvette Cleveland. This hugely popular show draws Corvettes and Corvette Clubs from all over Ohio and some neighboring states. Hundreds of Corvettes are on display. All proceeds from this show are donated to OhioGuidestone with pride and satisfaction.

But that's not all. Corvette Cleveland will support through attendance no less than sixteen shows this year. Through this friendly competition, we continue to cultivate relationships with our fellow clubs in the East Ohio Region of the National Council of Corvette Clubs.

Racing

In 1975 Bruce Springsteen sang out his now lendary lyrics from the song:

Born to Run

Bruce Springsteen

Corvette has a deep tradition in racing. Corvette Cleveland makes sure that tradition is sustained. From Autocross to High Speed driving, many of our members completely enjoy the thrill of their cars doing what they were built to do.

We participate in several Autocross events each season. The past few years, the East Ohio Region has been fortunate enough to participate in something we call 'TrackX'. This is an ultimate High Speed event held at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY on the incredible Motorsports Park track.

The need for speed has captured several of our members who have also attended the Ron Fellows Driving School in order to have the exhilarating experience they offer.

See more Vintage Racing Videos »

Rallies

If there's a form of competition that we can use a Corvette for, you can be assured that we will be there. The road rally is another great form of entertainment where more than one person at a time can enjoy the thrill of riding in a Corvette.

Drivers partner up with a co-pilot in an attempt to follow a set of written instructions designed to navigate public roads and highways. Along the way, you will be hunting for clues or markers to answer a pre-definded set of questions.

Your objective is to complete the course in the shortest amount of time possible (and here's the tricky part) without breaking any traffic laws. Your time and the ability to answer the questions correctly will combine to determine the winner.

At the close of the day, it all ends with Friends

Yes, we joined for the car, but we stay for the people.

The members of Corvette Cleveland can think of a lot of ways to enjoy themselves. Our social team schedules everything from group dinners, to Pig Roasts and weekly Ice Cream Socials (even in the winter!). And our Christmas Awards Banquet and Party is second to none.

The places we've been, the things we've seen and done, the memories we've made. And the best part is - WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED!

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