Search Results

Vettes @ the Beach New London CT. September 14th, 2025 Back to Events 1/5

EAST LONGMEDOW FOUTH OF JULY PARADE 07/04/2025 Back to Events 1/3

Kim R. Baker 2025 National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame and a Member of the Corvette Club of Western Mass Kim Baker’s career racing Corvettes can best be summed up in one word: Dominance. During the 1980s, when a network of privateer racers led Corvette’s motorsports efforts, Baker assembled a team that dominated the Sports Car Club of America’s (SCCA) endurance racing division. Baker’s operation, Bakeracing, was one of the best Corvette teams in the business. He and his fellow Corvette racers so thoroughly crushed their competition that for 1988 the SCCA no longer allowed the Corvette to race in the World Challenge Endurance Series, and the Corvette Challenge Spec Series was formed for 1988 and 1989. Following two years working with the Corvette Challenge Spec Series, Baker turned his attention to the development and testing of the ZR-1, pushing the “King of the Hill” Corvette to its limits. While he later ventured into other types of motorsports, Baker’s deeds in speed made him synonymous with boosting the performance reputation of the C4 Corvette. Baker grew up in Western Massachusetts and got his start in motorsports at a young age. He took after his father, who was a service manager at a new car dealer and did a bit of racing in the 1960s. Kim began by racing quarter midgets and karts as a boy. Once he turned 16 and earned his driver’s license, he achieved success quickly, winning the national SCCA autocross championship in 1976 in the A-Modified Unlimited category driving a Super Vee. Baker piloted various cars over the next few years as he competed in SCCA road racing in the Northeast. He would typically purchase a car, race it once or twice, then sell it in order to buy a different one. Then came 1984, which proved to be a major turning point for Baker. It was the year that Chevrolet released the fourth-generation Corvette, which featured improved agility and handling compared to its predecessors. Although General Motors was not directly backing any Corvette racing efforts, the company was interested in collaborating with the privateer racers by offering some technical support and collecting feedback on the competitiveness of the C4. It was during this time of renewed interest in racing that Baker bought a new C4 to take to the track. During the 1984 racing season, Baker drove his Corvette in the SCCA’s showroom stock division. Showroom stock racing required and allowed few modifications for race cars. The rules were intended to have competitors race GT cars like the ones they could drive on the street. Both the C4 and Baker were natural fits, and he won every race entered, including the 1984 SCCA national championship Run-Offs at Road Atlanta driving his Corvette. For 1985, the SCCA added a new twist to production car racing. The sanctioning body combined six endurance races into a professional championship series for which the drivers and teams could compete. Baker assembled a new team of drivers and crew members, known as Bakeracing, to focus on the endurance events. This approach worked well during the 1985 season and Baker won the final two races of the 1985 endurance series. Each victory earned Bakeracing $50,000 in bonus money from Goodyear, and the company soon became a sponsor of the team. Baker and Team performed tire testing for Goodyear before each event. Baker’s victories also caught the attention of Corvette chief engineer Dave McLellan, who offered his team a role in Corvette durability testing. According to Baker, 24 hours of racetrack testing roughly equates to 100,000 miles of street driving for most parts of the car, making track testing much faster and more economical. Baker’s attention to detail and meticulous analysis made him well-suited for the role. Corvettes dominated the SCCA Pro Endurance Series for the next two years, winning every race, with Bakeracing leading the way. Baker and his team won the championship and four of the six events in 1986, including 24-hour races at Mosport and Mid-Ohio. For their efforts, Goodyear awarded the team a new 1987 Corvette for the next season. GM made good use of the series and was authorized by SCCA to test prototype components in the engine and braking system. Painted yellow and black the # 4, the Corvette would become the team’s most successful car. Bakeracing was even better in 1987, earning five victories in seven races and capturing another championship. The last win came at Sebring in dramatic fashion when the No. 4 was passed by another Corvette on what was seemingly the last lap. However, the new leading Corvette crossed the finish line three seconds short of the event’s allotted six hours, meaning that the car had to run one more lap. On that final circuit, the second-place car ran out of fuel, allowing Bakeracing to secure another win and the championship. With the season wrapped up, the team decided to retire the No. 4 Corvette, and it was sold to a collector. Baker recalls his championship years fondly. In a 2009 interview, he noted how those seasons featured the greatest battles between the automobile and tire manufacturers of any racing series. In addition to the Team and Drivers’ Championships, Bakeracing also earned the manufacturer’s title for Chevrolet and the tire manufacturer’s championship for Goodyear. During those two seasons, Corvettes won every race with Bakeracing winning nine of the 13 events for Corvette. After winning the 1987 Championship, Baker was contacted by the Porsche Factory Racing Chief and was offered the position of official Porsche sponsored factory team. Baker declined, citing his love of Corvettes and his loyalty to GM, Corvette and the engineers who he had befriended. Because of the Corvette’s dominance, for the 1988 racing season, the SCCA moved the Corvettes to a new series, the Corvette Challenge Series, where slightly modified Corvettes competed against each other. Baker was “politely” asked by the organizers to not compete in the new series. Instead, Kim was offered an opportunity to do the development testing, and to assist all the teams with the proper setup for each track. Baker also developed an interest in attempting to set new automobile speed records. One of his record-run projects in the late 1980s was a collaboration with Zora Arkus-Duntov. By this time, Zora had retired as the chief engineer of Corvette, but he still did consulting work for automobile companies and maintained his passion for tinkering with cars. The Corvette team selected Firestone’s test track in Fort Stockton, Texas, as the site of their record attempt on March 1, 1990. They would use two Corvettes, a ZR-1 and an L98. Although both Corvettes performed well in the early hours of the attempt, the team battled cold and rainy conditions throughout the day. The L98 pulled off the track after six hours, having set new short-run speed records, while the ZR-1 continued running through the night. Hour after hour, the ZR-1 and its crew held up. By the following morning, just before 10 AM, the team had accomplished their goal of setting a new 24-hour average speed record of 175.888 mph. They even decided to run an additional four hours and 46 minutes to break the 5,000-mile average speed record, which the ZR-1 also conquered. Baker would spend the next few years keeping the C4 competitive. Corvettes were re-admitted. to the SCCA’s endurance division beginning in 1990, and Bakeracing picked up right where it left off. The team won another championship in 1991 and finished second the following season. In 1994, Baker modified a ZR-1 to compete in an open road race in Nevada. His goal for this event was to surpass 200 mph during the run, and he and his team left no stone unturned to get the ZR-1 ready to race. Over the 90-mile course, Baker averaged 181 mph, crossing the finish line at 201 mph to win the event. He would enter several other open road races in the following years, winning another two. In 1997, Baker’s wife, Patricia, encouraged Kim to acquire a Chevrolet Monte Carlo stock car. and take his racing skills to NASCAR. He had previously made a handful of starts in the NASCAR Busch North Series in 1994 and 1995, driving a Pontiac. Baker ran a total of six races with the Monte Carlo, mostly on road courses from 1997 to 1999. His best results were two second place finishes in 1997 and a win at Watkins Glen in 1998. Although Baker’s driving career was winding down by 2000, he never strayed too far from the track. He formed vintageracecarsales.com , a dealership of classic racing and sports cars, driving occasionally in vintage races. Baker and his wife also started a consulting firm to guide companies such as Panasonic, in developing motorsports marketing programs. Yet in the world of Corvette racing, Baker’s greatest legacy remains the success of Bakeracing and his triumphs in the C4. Baker’s love of motorsports and expertise on the fourth-generation Corvette made him a tough competitor, one who dominated the competition time after time. The National Corvette Museum Spire Enclave More about Kim R. Baker Kim's sketched profile on display at the NCM Kim Bakers Lifetime Career Started as a lifelong obsession with cars racing Quarter Midgets at age 5 ½ , then to Karts. At 16 armed with a driver’s license started Autocrossing, winning the national championship in the AMod, (unlimited) category Ran one season in oval track mini-stock, winning 2 races; mid ‘70s to early ‘80s raced many different cars in SCCA northeast road racing, running each car once or twice and selling it to purchase another. 1984: won SCCA national championship at Road Atlanta Run-Offs with a 1984 Corvette. 1985: raced SCCA Playboy Endurance Series winning the last two races of the 6 event series, receiving the $50,000 Goodyear contingency bonus both times. 1986: fielded SCCA Escort Endurance Corvette and the Bakeracing team won the championship and scored victories in two 24 hour races – Mosport and Mid-Ohio. Was awarded a new 1987 Corvette by Goodyear for winning the title. 1987: fielded SCCA Escort Endurance Corvette, again won the championship, including a victory at Mosport 24 hour. 1988-1989: was the Chevy development driver for the Corvette Challenge; advised competitors on driving and set up. 1990: member of the driving team that set many speed records with a Corvette ZR1 , included FIA world 24-hour speed record and fielded SCCA world challenge Corvettes, 1991: fielded championship World Challenge Bakeracing Corvette 1992: fielded 2nd place in championship World Challenge Corvette , won Mosport 24 hour. 1997-1998: drove in a few NASCAR Busch North Races with a Chevy Monte Carlo – purchased used, “the car paid for itself at the first race.” Scored seconds at Lime Rock and Watkins Glen in ’97 and won the Watkins Glen Pepsi 150 the following year. 1999 onward: operates vintageracecarsales.com and historiccarcollection.com , selling classic sports cars and vintage racing cars. Whenever time permits takes in a test day or vintage event. Kim donating his signed Baker Racing hat to the NCM Kim with the 2025 induction group at the NCM Kim's HOF Video from NCM

Become a Sponsor and have some fun in the fast lane Become a sponsor and make a difference effortlessly! As a non-profit organization, all sponsorship funds directly support our selected charities. With sponsorships starting as low as $150 for one car show or $300 for a year of shows,you can enjoy numerous benefits as outlined in the chart below. Browse through our sponsorship chart and select the level that you would like to donate to. Not only will you be helping out our club in our mission but you'll be helping others on the other end of the receiving end. Join us in our mission and help us create a positive impact! You may make your payment here on our web site using our convenient payment form or by mailing your check to the following: Corvette Club of Western MA 600 Suffield St #73 Agawam, MA 01001 Pay Here Home

Back to Home

Corvettes @ Carlisle Aug 23rd, 20205. Carlisle PA Back to Events 1/3

A Welcoming Letter from our Board of Directors Welcome to the Corvette Club of Western Mass! We are thrilled to have you join our community of passionate Corvette enthusiasts. Our club is not just about the love of these iconic cars; it’s also about making a positive impact in our community through philanthropy. As a close-knit group, we cherish the friendships we’ve built while sharing our enthusiasm for our Corvettes. Our commitment to supporting a variety of local charities is at the heart of what we do, and we are proud to organize two major car shows each year: the All Corvette Show in the spring and the All Makes and Models Show in the fall. These events not only celebrate our love for automobiles but also serve as key fundraising opportunities, all made possible thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. In addition to our car shows, we enjoy a wide array of activities, including parades, community events, and both day and weekend trips. Our calendar is filled with exciting social gatherings, from monthly lunches and dinners to picnics and festive parties, all designed to strengthen the bonds within our club. We can’t wait to see you at our upcoming events and look forward to sharing many memorable experiences together. Welcome aboard! Sincerely, The Officers and Board of Directors Corvette Club of Western Mass.

JOIN OUR CLUB ! Joining the Western Massachusetts Corvette Club is more than just driving your Corvette. Connecting with fellow enthusiasts and building friendships in a close-knit community of passionate Corvette Owners. Enjoy camaraderie, shared adventures, and a love for these incredible cars that brings us all together. Become a part of our vibrant family! Benefits of Joining our Club The Western Massachusetts Corvette Club is a very active club with over 60 events throughout the 2025 season. We start activities in April with our first cruise of the year, and will run right up until December with the Laying of the Wreaths across America in the Agawam Veterans Cemetery. In between these months we are busy holding two car shows to raise funds for our philanthropy to which this past season we have donated $8,700.00 to various charities as selected by the members and board of directors. Last years recipients were Baystate Childrens Hospital and The Springfield Resuce Mission, Jimmy Fund, Belchertown Lions Club, and the Melha Riders. Below is a sample list of activities and events that we hold and attend during the year, I'm sure you'll all agree that we just love to drive our Corvettes, everywhere and anyplace! Cruises - Local areas of interests, such as Saratoga Car Museum, Old Orchard Beach, Car Shows, Breweries, Wineries. Car Shows for Veterans- Last year attended the Northampton VA Medical Center, And The Holyoke Soliders Home Car Shows- Corvettes @ Carlisle, Vettes on the Beach, in New London CT., Corvette Night @ the Daily Grind in Southwick, Corvette Night @ the Moose Club, Corvette Night @ Buttery Brook in South Hadley, Misquamicut Cruise Night at the R.I.Shore, Corvette night @ the K of C in Chicopee. Parades- The club does participate in various local parades such as The Memorial Day Parade in Ludlow, The Fourth of July Parade in East Longmeadow, and the Veterans Day Parade in West Spfld. Social Events- We hold many social events around the area for members to attend, just to hang out and have dinner at some of our fine local establishments in the Western Mass area. These are just some of the events that were held and one is not obligated to attend. We know people have other activites with family events, but as you can see we are a busy club year round. Other membership benefits as being a member of the Corvette Club. As one of our Corporate co-sponsored businesses that being Central Chevrolet in West Springfield, Massachusettes, offers an array of benefits to club members, such as the following: Member Discounts at Central. • 15% discount on service for any make or model vehicle up to $500 per visit. • 10% discount on GM parts in-stock only. • 10% discount on GM accessories • 10% discount on Detailing and Ceramic coating. • $500 towards the purchase of any new or used vehicle. On top of all offers. Membership to the club is a $50.00 fee per member, which also includes one significant other. Membership is good for one 1 year and is renewable every January for the next calendar year. You can click on the link below to sign up and pay your membership fees safely through our secured web site. Membership Form & Payment Contact Any questions or comments, please e-mail or call me. Tom Patnaude President cfourvette@comcast.net 413-231-4979

CCWM RALLY EVENTS Join us for our exciting Rally Events hosted by the CCWM, which are held four times a year! You are an essential part of the club, and we need your help to run an event or by giving back to those who have supported our organization through a local car show at their venue. Together, we can create memorable experiences and strengthen our community and club. Mark your calendars, and we look forward to seeing you there! #1. All Corvette Car Show Sun May 17th, 2026 We will need all club members to join and help out where needed. This is only one of two of the four events that we request you to be a part of the show. Help is needed in all areas. Some of the areas are as follows: Set up and take down Parking Attendants Gate Cashiers and Greeters 50/50 Ticket Sellers Raffle Ticket Sellers Assist Photographer #2. K of C Corvette Car Show Chicopee June 3rd 2026 June 3rd,2026 K. of C. Cruise Nite Rally Event for all CCWM Members to attend ! June 3rd is Corvette Night this year as this has been our designated Cruise Night to participate in this summer. 3 Corvette Trophies will be awarded as well as the K. of C. that will be awarding 3 Trophies as well. Lets support the K.Of C.for everything that they do to help out are own Corvette Club of Western MA. Start time will be 5:00 P.M. til Dusk So after all that work at the last car show, well here's one that that will let you just sit back and relax and show off your nicely washed Corvette at the K of C's Corvette Night car show. This is a really easy rally just show up, pull up a chair and relax and as the other cars come in you can always just get up and wander around and look at the vintage and classic cars. We're asking everyone to please make a concerted effort to attend this event, The K of C kindly offers there facility for us to hold our monthly meetings and it's this show that will bring out more people to the club to view our shiny Corvettes Click here to RSVP Events Page Photos from last years car show at the K of C #3. Vettes at the Beach New London Ct. September 13th, 2026 Rally Event for all members to attend! Vettes at the Beach is more than just a All Corvette Car Show it's a Premiere show along the coastline of the Ct. Shores This show is offering a $1,000 prize to the club that brings the most Corvettes to the show. Last year CCWM brought down 30 Corvettes and this year we have to top that number better. And we can do it! We have so many members now and there is no reason why we can not win this top prize to add to our contributions to our charities. It's an easy drive to New London and all we have to do is show up and show off our great looking Vettes. RSVP here at the Events Page 2025 Season Photos from the Beach 1/3 #4. All Makes & Models Car Show Sun Oct 3rd, 2026 We will need all club members to join and help out where needed. This is only one of two of the four events that we request you to be a part of the show. Help is needed in all areas. Some of the areas are as follows: Set up and take down Parking Attendants Gate Cashiers and Greeters 50/50 Ticket Sellers Raffle Ticket Sellers Assist Photographer Home

Corvette Club of Western Mass Philanthropy Endeavors Welcome to the Corvette Club of Western Mass! We are more than just a group of Corvette enthusiasts we are dedicated to giving back to our local community. Last year, we proudly raised over $10,800 through our car shows, and we are committed to donating our proceeds to local organizations that make a difference. Join us in our mission to support our community! For 2025 The Corvette Club of Western Mass has designated The Baystate Childern's Hospital, and The Springfield Rescue Mission as this years beneficiaries. Below are some photos showcasing the incredible charities we have had the privilege to support. Each organization plays a vital role in our community, and we're proud to contribute to their important work. Thank you for being a part of our journey and helping us make a difference! For 2026 we have donated $7,330 Dollars to the Soldier On Facilities in Agawam,MA. Soldier On is a non profit organization that provides housing and guidance to homeless veterans to maintain a stable foothold. An additional $1,000 Dollars was also presented by For Corvettes Only of Southern Ct. And with there generous contribution put this donation at over $8,000 dollars, by far CCWM's largest single contribution yet in its lifetime. Soldier On Check Presentation June 29th, 2026 On Monday Evening June 29th, 2026 The Corvette Club of Western Mass presented a check to the Soldier On organization in Feeding Hills, MA. The check was in the amount of $7,330 dollars that was raised at our annual All Corvettes Car Show that was held on May 17th. An additional check for $1,000 was also presented to Soldier On by the For Corvettes Only of Southern Ct. This was a generous gift from them to help out our charities and we greatly appreciate their donation to our cause. Our visitors here will be able to help us raise more money this fall when we host our Annual All Makes and Models Car show in Oct. Click on the link below for more information. Click here for more info Springfield Rescue Mission November 5th, 2025 The Corvette Club of Western Massachusetts is proud to announce a donation to the Springfield Rescue Mission in Springfield Mass, on November 5th, 2025. The club proudly donated $4,300 dollars that was raised from our Fall All Makes and Models Car Show. Although the weather did not cooperate as usual we still made a generous contribution due to our sponsors. We extend our sincere thanks to our generous sponsors. The support from our sponsors allowed us to continue our commitment to this important cause in helping others less fortunate. Thank you for helping us make a difference for our communities that we serve. Baystate Childrens Hospital June 11th, 2025 The Corvette Club of Western Massachusetts is proud to announce a donation to the Philanthropy Department of Baystate Children's Hospital, a check in the sum of $4000 dollars was presented to the Director of Philanthropy Kathy Tobin. We extend our thanks to our generous sponsors, whose contributions made this possible. Although this year’s All Corvette Car Show was cancelled due to inclement weather and could not be rescheduled, the support from our sponsors allowed us to continue our commitment to this important cause. Thank you for helping us make a difference in lives of children in our community. UMASS Memorial Hospital MS Clinic July 8th 2024 Today was a very special day for the members of CCWM. I’m delighted to report that we presented a check for $2300.00 to the UMASS Memorial Hospital MS Clinic with the funds we collected from our All Corvette show held 5/18/24. The check was presented to Dr. Carolina Lonete Director of the MS Clinic. Presenting the check for our Club was Judy and Lenny’s Allen daughter Lisa who is a patient at the Clinic. A special thank you to Alexandra from the UMASS philanthropic office. 1/1 One Call Away Foundation & The Ludlow Veterans Services November 12th, 2024 On November 12th, 2024, The CCWM proudly presented a donation from our car show efforts to two local charities. We believe these organizations can make a significant impact in helping others within their communities. It's a true testament to the power of collaboration and giving back. We are excited to support their mission and look forward to seeing the positive change they will create. One check was presented to The One Call Away Foundation for the sum of $6,000, while The Ludlow Veterans Services received a check for $2,000. This achievement is made possible by the hard work and dedication of the members of the Corvette Club of Western MA, who put in tremendous effort to raise these funds from a single car show. We are proud of what we accomplished together and the positive impact it will have on our community. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this success! 1/1 Home Page

All Makes and Models Car Show October 12th, 2025 Moose Club Chicopee Ma Back to Events 1/14

Back to Home Back to Home