Bradan Donaldson
Grand Sport Registry Welcomes Builder, Racer and Grand Sport Legend John Heinricy
Celebrate the History of the Grand Sport at Corvettes at Carlisle August 26-28, 2021
For Immediate Release
March 25, 2021
Carlisle, PA – Corvettes at Carlisle and the Corvette community have marveled at the design, power and elegance of the Grand Sport since the “first five” were introduced in 1963. 2021 Corvettes at Carlisle (August 26-28), presented by Top Flight Automotive, celebrates 25 years of the consumer-based Corvette Grand Sport. This display will not only highlight some of the best from the 1996, 2010 and 2017 offerings, it welcomes the Grand Sport Registry (GSR) to the event AND special guest, retired GM Engineer, John Heinricy.
2017 Corvette Grand Sport With a 1963 Corvette Grand Sport
The Grand Sport Registry is an active automotive enthusiast organization with approximately 800 members dedicated to all things Corvette Grand Sport related. Its mission is to help owners and enthusiasts get more enjoyment out of these very special Corvettes by sharing information and participation in local and national Corvette events. The group is a dedicated Lifetime Club Member of the National Corvette Museum (NCM) and Two-Acre Member of the NCM Motorsports Park. While its focus is on all generations of the Corvette Grand Sport, GS ownership is not required for membership. In addition to a huge Grand Sport Corral at the Fairgrounds, the GSR will host a Carlisle welcome party for its members, co-sponsor the Chip Miller Benefit dinner, and participate in the downtown Carlisle parade as part of its 25th anniversary celebration.
Heinricy is no stranger to Grand Sport fans, as he’s the owner of the first ’96 Grand Sport off the line…an iconic Z51 coupe which carries VIN #0001. This car WILL be available for display at Corvettes at Carlisle in 2021. To the faithful he’s known as the “Father of the Grand Sport,” working as the Assistant Chief Engineer for Corvette and Director of the GM Performance Division during the time of its production. Not only will he be available for guests to mix and mingle with, he’ll make a special appearance at the Grand Sport Registry tent, be part of the Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation dinner on Friday, August 27 AND he’ll be downtown in Carlisle as part of the returning Corvette parade and street party.
A job title and the first car of its kind only scratches the surface of Heinricy’s resume. An inductee into the NCM Corvette Hall of Fame, John has won 11 SCCA national championships driving a Corvette, was intimately involved in developing the Corvette showroom stock racing program and the Corvette Racing C5R effort. He was a key member of the team that set 12 international world time / distance speed records, averaging as high as 175.885mph over a 24-hour period. Most recently, “Heinrocket” set multiple lap records in a Cadillac CTS-V at tracks in China and the Middle East.
This appearance is just one of many special features at Corvettes at Carlisle in 2021. In addition, don’t miss every generation of Corvette, 50 years of the 1971 Corvette, a nod to law enforcement by way of the Chip’s Choice display in Building T, the incredible NCRS Gallery display plus the Solid Axle Corvette National Convention comes to town as does a 7-sanctioned NCCC judging field.
Carlisle Events is COVID-19 compliant and follows current guidelines suggested by state officials as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). A detailed Health/Safety Measures summary is available on CarlisleEvents.com. While on the web, be sure to learn more about Spring Carlisle, register to become a vendor, sell in the car corral, or purchase discounted spectator tickets in advance of the event or call 717-243-7855 to learn more today.
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Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of over a dozen annual collector car/truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and Carlisle Expo Center (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA) and the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes five automotive flea markets of varying size, four auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Chryslers, trucks, imports, tuners and performance sport compacts. Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.
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