Springfest 2002 Results
Long Distance Award
Nancy Lake - Flint, Mi. 841 miles
Peoples Choice - Display Division
Early Model
1st Ray Hachell, Goldsboro, NC, Spyder
2nd Smitty Smith, Virginia Beach, VA, 64 Monza Wagon
3rd James Quinn, Marietta, GA, 64 Monza Coupe
Late Model
1st Gerald Miller - Granite Falls, NC, 68 Monza Conv.
2nd Harold & Ann Parkey - Candler, NC, 65 Corsa Conv.
3rd Wilson Lowe, Alvaton, KY, 66 Monza Sedan
Forward Control
1st Richard Jenkins, Rock Hill, SC, 63 Greenbrier
2nd Cecil Flowers, Lincolnton, NC, 64 Greenbrier
3rd Bill Rudolph, Conyers, GA, 61 Rampside
Concours de Excellence - Show Division - Judged Class
Early Open
1st Roger Smith - Gainesville, GA, 64 Monza Conv. 95.5
2nd Winston & Donna Thorton, Marbury, AL, 64 Monza Conv. 93.8
Early Closed
1st Les & Sylvia Campbell - Roswell, GA, 60 Monza Coupe 98.6
2nd Kenneth Boswell, Verbena, AL, 64 Spyder 97.0
3rd Harold & Ann Parkey - Candler, NC, 64 Monza Coupe 96.2
Late Open
1st Wayne Stutts - Nashville, TN, 65 Corsa Conv. 95.9
2nd Raymond Paul - Rome, GA, 66 Monza Conv. 93.4
3rd Jim McLott, Tucker, GA, 66 Monza Conv. 83.6
Late Closed
1st Joshua Weaver, Concord, NC, 69 Monza Coupe 95.6
2nd Wayne Whitmire - Gainesville, GA, 69 Monza Coupe 95.4
3rd Darren Grille, Belle Chasse, LA, 66 Monza Coupe 95.2
Forward Control
1st James Law, Albany, GA, 63 Rampside 96.9
2nd Raymond Paul - Rome, GA, 61 Rampside 96.7
Station Wagon
1st Ceceil & Brenda Triplett, Lenoir, NC, 61 Lakewood 94.6
Senior Division
1st Late Closed - Joe & Betty Ratledge - Loudon, Tn. 65 Monza Conv. 98.7
1st Late Open - Chuck Armer, 65 Corsa Coupe
Judges Choice
Joe & Betty Ratledge - Loudon, Tn. 65 Monza Conv.
Best Of Show
Joe & Betty Ratledge - Loudon, Tn. 65 Monza Conv.

SpringFest Wrapup

Darth and I traveled to Beautiful Alpine Helen on Thursday afternoon with many door prizes and other items which would be needed for our Corvair show. The weather was beautiful. Blue skies low 70's temp and a brisk breeze.

I had been in touch with Lon and Linda Wall on Wednesday to personally thank them for their generous support of Springfest. Lon had expressed his regrets on VV earlier in the month since he was busy with the Northwest Econo-run and we had conversed this week about how good the weather reports looked for Springfest in Georgia and how soggy they would be in Oregon.

After arriving in Helen, I soon saw the other early birds. I had stopped to pick up a door prize gift from a local Helen merchant when I hear my name being called. I look across the highway and up the hill toward an Antique shop and there sits a 1965 red convertible and "snowbird" Dick Shank waving at me. Most of you should remember this car from Daytona Beach. No, not the convention, the REAL Daytona Beach where Dick posed it for Gary Aube to photograph on the brilliant white sand. Dick and Eileen had traveled from Ft. Meyers FL (650) miles to attend the show. One of the many delights of owning and driving the Corvair marque is how many owners drive great distances in their cars to attend shows. Dick and Eileen are on their way back to their Elkhart IN home. Ken Hand was already in town and ready to assist and vend or repair for those needing "Handy" help or to offer his vast knowledge to assist other Corvair owners. I soon checked the parking lot of The Helendorf, our host hotel, and discovered other folks from Alabama and Georgia. Everything was ready to roll and so were all the Early Birds.

Friday morning's weather was awesome and the soft wind which blew all night eliminated any need to use a car cover on Darth Vair. A few passes with my California Duster to remove the pollen accumulation and a few squirts of Windex for the dead Bug carcasses on the windshield and I was off and running. I soon was at the Festhalle where the nerve center of every Springfest is set up. This year we had the CORSA tent display to help promote membership at the national and local level. This was my first experience with the "Puzzle" of assembling this display. We soon had it up at the entrance to the Festhalle and inside the halle so as anyone entered they would immediately see it to the right. I had asked Harry and Mike for some recent copies of The Communique which they had provided. They must have ESP but that will be revealed later. The issue provided was August of 2000.

We were soon processing preregistrations, on site registrations, selling door prize tickets and allowing inside vendors to get a head start on setting up their tables full of Corvair goodies. We had 20 vendors this year. About 12:30 or so I noticed their was a chill in the air and it was getting dark outside! The weather front that wasn't due until Sunday afternoon had suddenly arrived very unwelcome a full two days early. It was evident that the open areas that normally overlook the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River were going to have to be closed with the transparent heavy vinyl curtains that are used during cold weather. We soon had to crank up the 6 gas furnaces to return the halle to a more comfy temperature. Soon our patriotic theme was being laid out on the many dinner tables that would be used the next two days. We would soon be feeding 165 hungry folks during our Friday Hospitality supper. This year the world famous Varsity would be catering our meal and providing all with fresh hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and fried onion rings. Our Corvair Atlanta ladies provided fresh salads, baked beans, drinks and homemade deserts. No one would leave hungry that night. In addition we had a lively musical show which featured Colonel Banjo who did a one man show of Banjo music covering over 80 years and extending to 1959-60, the introductory year of our beloved Corvairs. We later opened the host hotel's "Beverage Room" and concluded the night with a brew or two and many Corvair stories.

Saturday was overcast but NO rain! Everyone was scurrying around with cleaning equipment and towels and chamois trying to detail their Corvairs for the show. Soon safety inspections were underway and cars were being staged for Concours and Car Display. It always amazes me that our show has so much variety in years and body styles represented for the public to view. This year we had 48 Corvairs in the show and every body style except a Loadside was either entered or present at the show. There were also two Ultravans in attendance. The show went smoothly and 25 trophies were awarded at the banquet Saturday evening. Formal display of the cars was over at 3 pm and we all took a break before the afternoon cruise. We had over 20 Corvairs pull out of Helen with lights ablaze to take a leisurely route through the main highway of Helen and into the beautiful countryside and winding two lane roads that beckon any Corvair driver. We toured for an hour and returned down Helen's main drag for all to see and admire our Corvairs as we drove slowly back to the festhalle.

Corvair Atlanta's 19th Annual Springfest was a huge success. We had attendance of 197 with 14 states represented. On behalf of the host club, I thank each of you for attending, enjoying, helping and once again visiting us in our Alpine village of Helen. For those who visited us for the first time, I hope you enjoyed yourselves and will return for many years. I invite everyone to see pictures of Springfest at Corvair Atlanta's newsletter site or at our newest member's, Scott Trunkhill, wonderful Corvair site . The pictures should be up no later than May 6th.

Oh, by the way, that ESP I told you about earlier was indeed a precursor to coming revelations. That beautiful 1965 red convertible which was the cover page car and the feature article for August of 2000, belongs to Joe and Betty Ratledge of Loudon TN. It is an outstanding Corvair and is as near perfect as I have ever personally seen. It won Best of Show and Judges Choice as well as 1st place in Senior class late open. There were only two Senior cars present and Darth Vair was the other one. Darth was late closed and the judges scored him at 98.7. Joe and Betty missed last years Chicago convention because they presented their Corvair at the national ACCA's where it won 1st place. I can assure you that it deserved to compete in Senior class and is as close to a 100 point car as I have seen in my 10+ years in CORSA. We were pleased to have the Ratledges bring this beauty back to Helen.

Chuck Armer
President
Corvair Atlanta

I will be adding comments and information about the photos over the next week or so. If you see any errors or would like to include some information about a car send an email to editor@corvaircentral.com.