NEW MEETING LOCATION

Febuary

 Next General Club Meeting is... Febuary  4, 2026 @ 7:30 PM

NEW meeting place is:   Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant

Hulen Mall,  4740 S Hulen Street, Ft Worth, TX 76132

Watch emails and the calendar on the home page for future meetings

                                                                                                                                                       Kim West 

Has everyone checked out the new website? It is awesome! Thank you, James, for all your hard work and for coordinating the move to the new site.

Lee Ann has been working hard planning upcoming socials, starting with a Valentines Day museum tour. The Car and Toy Museum is so nice, bright, and clean. There is something for everyone.

I am continuing my search to fill committees and committee chairman. To ensure we have a great organization we need your help. Please let me know if you are interested in chairing or participating in a committee.

Hope to see everyone at Abuelo’s at Helen Mall on the 4th. See the website or the CTV-All email for the latest meeting location.

Kim West - President
kdcwest@sbcglobal.net

What we have scheduled coming up...

February Newsletter 2026

As I look out the window at all the white sleet still on the ground. I can’t believe it was 74 degrees a few weeks ago. Oh, but wait we do live in Texas…

It makes me thankful that I did not plan any activities for the month of January.  

Valentine's Day Saturday, February 14, 2026, is still planned for a fun day. 

We will meet at:

Mercado Juarez Cafe at 11:00 a.m.

1651 E Northside Dr., Fort Worth off I-35 

We will have a space set up for us to enjoy a wonderful meal together.  Then we will have a short drive to the DFW Car and Toy Museum. They will have a special area designated for our Corvettes to park together. So, shine up your baby, and let’s have our own mini car show in their parking lot!
The DFW Car & Toy Museum opens at 1:00 p.m. for a museum tour, which should take approximately 1 ½ hours to tour.

DFW Car & Toy Museum
2550 McMillan Pkwy
Fort Worth, TX 76137

Saturday, March 14, 2026, TX Whiskey Ranch. 

We have had several members already sign up to take the tour of the largest whiskey distillery west of the Mississippi located on the historic former grounds of the Glen Garden Country Club. Tours are available for purchase. On the tour you will see every step in the distillation and aging process that creates the distinct taste of TX Bourbon. We will hear the story behind how it is created right here in Fort Worth! The tour includes a tasting of several different varieties of their signature blends, afterwards you will have the opportunity to try a delicious cocktail from their mixologist and hang out to visit with our group. The tour takes approximately 50 minutes.

Price for a distillery tour is: $27.06 each for an Adult,

$24.36 each for Military/First Responder
$24.36 each for Seniors (60+)

If you are interested in doing the tours I have about 10 spots left since each tour can only hold 16 people in a group.  I will need to collect funds to cover tour cost for those interested.
If a tour isn’t your thing, another option is to buy a ticket to enjoy a delicious cocktail from their mixologist and hang out with our group. The price for the cocktail option is $12.00. (you can buy the day of the event). Water stations and mocktails are also available.
They will have special parking designated for our Corvettes.
Please Know that you can attend this event even if you do not want to purchase any alcohol. The grounds and distillery are beautiful and are worth a walk around. With spectacular views of Downtown Fort Worth.
A Food Truck is available on grounds for you to eat or snack to your heart’s desire.
Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in a TX Distillery tour.

TX Whiskey Ranch
2601 Whiskey Ranch Rd.
Fort Worth, TX

Saturday, April 18, 2026, Chandor Gardens in Weatherford TX

Robert Geyer will be planning a cruise for this event to leave from the usual spot in Benbrook. He will lead us to Weatherford, Texas for a tour of Chandor Gardens.

We will have a docent tour at 10:00 am to see and learn about the gardens, and the home of Douglas Chandor. It is a beautiful garden, and at this time of year, several things will be in bloom. Price is $10.00 per person (I will collect money the day of the event). We will plan to have lunch afterwards in Weatherford, TX. Restaurant TBD.

Chandor Gardens
711 West Lee Ave
Weatherford, TX 76086

Saturday, May 9, 2026, Cassaro Winery

Doug McManhan will be planning a cruise to Cassaro Winery in Ovilla TX.  Pack your yard chair as they have beautiful trees and a nice outside area for us to sit and visit while we enjoy a nice glass of wine or two.

More details will be sent out as we get closer.

Cassaro Winery

704 W Main St

Ovilla, TX

Not a lot going on this time of year.

We are currently working on updating the Membership Directory, and hope to have it updated by the end of next week.

My first National Governor Meeting is February 21 and 22 in St. Louis. I hope to learn more about the new classifications and changes to the competition manual, at that meeting.

The flyer is up for the SWR Awards Banquet which will be held on March 21 at White River studios, about seven miles east of Blanco (the same place the 2017 banquet was held), hosted by LCC.

OUR first event of the year will be a 14-autocross event on 4/11-12 at TCC in Fort Worth.

I hope everyone is ready for another fun year.

Save the wave!                                                                                                                 

Norman Walker

CTV NCCC Governor

Vicki Currey - Secretary - Timing Chair

Please consider taking an active role in Cowtown Vettes in 2026.

CTV Secretary

Just a reminder, the Membership and Board minutes are located in the Members Only section.

If you have any questions about the minutes, please feel free to contact me.

Timing Chair

If you are interested in learning timing for CTV’s autocrosses, come spend some time in the trailer and join in the excitement!

Vicki Currey
vfrostcurrey@live.com 

Steve Parker - CTV Treasurer

Just a reminder, the Monthly reports are located in the Members Only section.

If you have any questions about the reports... please feel free to contact me.

 stevenp1954@gmail.com 

Doug McMahan - Social/Digital Media - Sponsorship

If you have not rec’d your 50th Anniversary Cowtown Vettes commemorative Deck of Playing Cards, please attend the next Membership Meeting and see me.  Each primary member / household receives one deck of cards.  I’ll bring a few decks on the next cruise as well.  If you’d like an extra set (or two), see me as well, we did purchase extra decks of cards- these are $5 per deck.

We will have the Events, Socials and such in the next Slideshow.   The slideshow will continue to include some Corvette Trivia along with various other Corvette happenings around the country.  

Please provide any submissions for the slideshow to me no later than Sunday evening of the Membership Meeting week.

If you have been working on or updating your Corvette with new items …or if you have taken a trip in your Corvette and have some photos to share with membership, please send those to me and I’ll include them in the monthly slideshow.  Cowtown’s Microsoft O365 account allows us to use OneDrive, which makes it much easier for you to provide high-resolution photos from events for the web and/or monthly slideshow. If you would like to share photos, please take them in high-resolution; if not, they can’t be used on the big screen since they would show grainy / blurry.  These are needed by noon, the Monday before the Membership Meeting. If you have questions, please contact me and I’ll provide you with more information and the OneDrive link to share your photos – basically use the highest resolution option you can set on your camera or smartphone.

When you receive a CTV-ALL eMail blast, we would request that you please only reply to the originator when you are replying to a CTV-ALL email. When you opt to reply, simply select Reply on the email, then remove the CTV-All entry and replace it with the email address of the originator. If you are sending CTV-ALL emails, please include your email address in the body of the email so you have that address handy.

If you change your email or home address, Corvette, or other info – please drop an email to CTV-Membership@groups.io. 

If you are not receiving CTV-ALL emails, please get with me so we can either add you or figure out why you aren’t receiving them.

More information on email distribution lists and the acceptable use of them can be found on our website.

Facebook – if you are on Facebook and not a “friend” of Cowtown Vettes, members cannot include you in tags at events; these tags show your non-club member friends all the fun we are having. Who knows, maybe some of you are in the witness protection program and don’t want to be tagged J If you are posting, be sure to tag Cowtown Vettes so it appears on our Facebook news feed.

Doug McMahan
Digital / Social Media Chairperson
macsvettes@gmail.com  

Ann Walker - Membership Chair

NEW MEMBERS 

VISITORS

 Corvette Engine Build Experience Will Return In 2026

The Corvette Engine Build Experience is officially set to return in 2026, giving owners the opportunity to personally assemble the heart of their new C8.

General Motors last offered the program during the 2019 model year for the C7-generation Z06 and ZR1, and its revival marks a significant enthusiast-focused addition to the current C8 lineup. Tagged with RPO code PBC, the Engine Build Experience will once again take place at the Bowling Green Assembly Performance Build Center, where customers will work directly alongside master engine builders to assemble their new powerplant.

Essentially, the program will allow participants to assemble their own engine for a hands-on, factory-backed experience. Confirmation of the program’s return was recently posted online by Corvette Plant Director Ray Theriault, who shared details in a LinkedIn post celebrating the program’s revival.

In his post, Theriault emphasized the emotional connection that is made by building your own engine, describing the experience as a deeply personal milestone that has left a lasting impression on both customers and plant employees alike. He also noted that the roots of the program stretch back decades, from Wixom, Michigan, all the way through the more recent C7 era.

Corvette Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X models. Participants will be able to assemble either the 5.5L V8 LT6 (Z06) or twin-turbo 5.5L V8 LT7 (ZR1, ZR1X) engine, depending on the vehicle ordered. The experience also includes a custom engine plaque, an “exclusive gift,” and a professional photo keepsake to commemorate the build. 

Availability will likely be highly limited, although Chevrolet has confirmed the Engine Build Experience is scheduled to launch this coming Spring. Pricing has yet to be announced for the revived program, but for reference, when the Engine Build Experience was last offered during the C7 generation, it carried a price tag $5,000. 

Visit our website  Cowtown Vettes of Ft Worth, Texas 

Robert Geyer - Cruiser/Equipment Chair 

     Hello cruisers 

As I write this the weather is turning bad after many days of mild temps. Yep it's still winter.  As I wrote last month, I have no planned cruises for February.  However I will be traveling to Galveston for the Chevrolet-Corvette EXPO in March. The EXPO will be held in the Galveston convention center.  This an indoor show with many custom Corvettes as well as all types of Chevrolet cars and trucks. Many vendors will be present too. For the ladies there will also be an arts and crafts show happening in the same convention center during the car show. For more information about the show, Google Chevrolet-Corvette Expo in Galveston.  I strongly suggest booking ASAP.

This is not a CTV planned and organized cruise. I am simply traveling there myself and if you would like to follow me, you are welcome to do so.  I plan to leave around 10am on Friday the the 6th and return Sunday the 8th. 

So if you are interested, meet up with me in the parking lot of the Cinemark theater in the Mansfield Town Center. Also you will be responsible for your own accommodations. If you have any questions, text me at 817 819 6798.

                                    See you at our February club meeting. 

Your Cruiser Chairperson 

Robert Geyer 

Larry Currey - Low Down Editor

Forget Ferrari!  2026 Corvette Zora is Chevrolet's Game Changer Hypercar 

Description:

The 2026 Corvette Zora is finally here, and it’s rewriting the rules of performance. With a twin-turbo hybrid V8, dual electric motors, and 1,000 horsepower, the Chevrolet Corvette Zora isn’t just another Corvette—it’s the ultimate American hypercar. In this Corvette Zora review, we dive into the insane 2026 Zora specs, its 0-60 in 1.9 seconds, and a quarter mile under 10 seconds. 

From the aggressive Corvette Zora exterior to the futuristic Corvette Zora interior, this car screams domination. With Zora AWD and torque vectoring, it annihilates corners while boasting a Corvette Zora top speed of over 220 mph. Whether you’re looking for the Corvette Zora sound, Corvette Zora exhaust, or the insane Corvette Zora horsepower specs, this review covers it all.

We’ll break down the Zora engine, cutting-edge Corvette Zora features, and exclusive Zora Founder’s Edition customization options. This Chevy Zora hypercar is taking the fight to Ferrari, Bugatti, and Tesla. From Corvette Zora acceleration to Zora hybrid performance, this is the new Corvette 2026 the world’s been waiting for. 

Get ready for the ultimate Corvette Zora launch, a full 2026 Corvette Zora walkaround, and in-depth Corvette Zora comparison vs Ferrari, Bugatti, and Tesla. This is the Zora Corvette test drive, POV, and full tour you don’t want to miss.

Hashtags:

#CorvetteZora #2026Corvette #ChevyZora #AmericanHypercar

#NextGenCorvette #HybridSupercar #Zora #CorvetteReview

#chevrolet  

James Swaringen - CTV Webmaster 

james@swaringen.us  - cell:  817-832-9812

February 2026

The new Cowtown Vettes website has seen a significant amount of traffic this past month, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

I welcome your suggestions and questions. Please send them to me via email at webmaster@cowtownvettes.org or by using the form on the new site.

I will be addressing your questions at the upcoming membership meetings, so please come ready to ask them!

If you are a leader of a CTV activity, event, or are responsible for scoring rules, please check your respective sections on the new site and send me any necessary updates.

For historical information, the old site is now archived at www.1st50.cowtownvettes.org and fixed a few of the links on the archived site.  Also linked from the new website.

Thanks,

The Corvette ZR1X Clears The Quarter Mile In Under 9 Seconds

This isn't Just Fast...This is crazy fast!!

                                                           Click to view video:     https://youtu.be/fWj5qKQ8oAk

Chevrolet’s 2026 Corvette ZR1X, a 1,250-horsepower hybrid, has officially clocked a quarter-mile sprint in 8.675 seconds at 159 mph, claiming the title of America’s quickest production car, beating the Lucid Air Sapphire. This feat didn’t require a seven-figure investment or specialized racing fuel; it was achieved using standard pump gas and factory Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. For a starting price of $209,700, the ZR1X delivers acceleration that humbles exotic hypercars costing millions. 

The magic stems from a brutally effective hybrid powertrain. A twin-turbocharged 5.5L V8 LT7 mounted amidships delivers 1,064 horsepower, joined by an electric motor driving the front axle that adds 186 horsepower, creating an electrified all-wheel-drive system. Frick harnessed this fury using the car’s standard Custom Launch Control, fine-tuning parameters from the cockpit for optimal grip off the line. “We were all motivated by the mission to break into the eights,” Frick noted, highlighting the collective engineering effort. 

Even on an unprepared surface with the available ZTK Performance Package, the Corvette ZR1X proves shockingly capable, achieving a 0-60 mph time of 1.89 seconds and an 8.99-second quarter mile. This performance places the Bowling Green-built Corvette in rarified air, out-accelerating legends like the Bugatti Tourbillon and Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut in elapsed time for a mere fraction of their price. It demonstrates that hypercar-breaking speed no longer demands a hypercar budget. 

Larry Currey / On-Line LOW DOWN Editor

larrycurrey@yahoo.com

Mary Pittman - NCM Ambassador - 2025

LowDown Article - NCM Ambassador

Sept 2025

“The mission of the National Corvette Museum is to educate worldwide

audiences on the evolution of the Corvette --America’s Sports Car-- through collections, preservation, and celebration of its legacy.”

At the museum’s 31st anniversary celebration that was just held on August 28 - 30, 2025, Zora Arkus - Duntov’s, only Corvette, fully restored was debuted.  Who, you ask, is Zora Arkus - Duntov?  Depending on where you read he is referred to as either the “Father of the Corvette” or the “Godfather of the Corvette” although Harley Earl was the original designer of the Corvette.  After seeing the 1953 Corvette on display in New York City, Arkus - Duntov wrote General Motors that he found the car “visually superb, but was disappointed with what was underneath”.  He went to work at GM in May of 1953 as a staff engineer with the idea of changing that perception and was “pivotal in elevating the Corvette into a world class performance vehicle”.  The only Corvette Arkus - Duntov owned was a retirement gift from Chevrolet. You can read more about his life and work on the museum’s website or other online sources.

For the latest on museum happenings you can go to the website for info. Museum members can log onto the website for more news and info. As always the museum offers car raffles, NCM insurance, shopping and event info as well as article about exhibits.

Mary Pittman, NCM Ambassador

To visit the NCM website... Click

National

Corvette Museum

Cowtown Vette’s 23rd Annual Car Show is behind us and although Mother Nature didn’t exactly cooperate, it was still a great show.  We had 58 pre-registered cars, and we’re told that was the most pre-registered cars we’ve ever had.  A total of 72 cars joined the show. 

Congratulations to our Best of Show winners:

Early model: Paul and Mary Wolter, C1 1962 Satin Silver Convertible

Late model:  Eudale Bell, C8 2023 Black Coupe

We learned a lot about putting on a show at our new location, and the good news is that Jerry’s Chevrolet has invited us back again.  That’s a great start for planning the 24th annual show!

Thanks to everyone who volunteered on the committee and the day of the show!  We couldn’t have done it without you!

Your 23rd Annual Car Show Committee

Bill Buehler and Cliff Holden

Car Show Committee Co-Chairs

James Swaringen - NCCC Events Coordinator 

james@swaringen.us  - cell:  817-832-9812

February 2026

I am busy planning this year's NCCC events.

I am currently developing a valve cover racing track for use at our Scramble events. I would greatly appreciate any assistance with this project. If you have any spare Corvette valve covers you'd like to donate, or if you are interested in building a few valve cover racers for others to use at the event, please let me know.

I am looking for volunteers to help with the scramble in a few specific areas:

● Funkhana Games: I need ideas for the Funkhana games or help running them.

● Rallies: Assistance is needed to set up and judge the rallies during the event weekend.

Additionally, as the date gets closer, I will be seeking Cornerworkers and other volunteers to help put on these events.

Please reach out so we can discuss how you can help. Thank you for your support.

The dates for 2026 are now set for the year:

Spring AX - April 11-12 (14 sanctions)

Spring Scramble - April 25-26   Sat Only (7 sanctions)

Fall AX - Sept 26-27  (14 sanctions) this date has changed

Fall Scramble - October 17 with CTV Car show  (7 sanctions) 

Watch how fun Autocrossing can be. 

Donna Forsythe - CTV Logo Merchandise

Hello and welcome to the Logo Merchandise store.

There are lots of great things for sale with the Cowtown logo on them:

Caps.Visors, Sweatshirts, Long Sleeve T-shirts, Short Sleeve T-shirts, Men’s & Women’s Long Sleeve Denim Shirts, Polo shirts Name Tags

(Please note that on all shirt orders, 2XL and up sizes are slightly higher)

If you want your name added to your shirt, Or a Cowtown logo or a certain year Corvette added to your shirt.

We also have stickers, patches and koozies

So stop by the Logo table before and after the meeting to place your order.

You’ll get your order by the next meeting.

Donna Forsythe CTV Logo Mechandise
dforsythe817@gmail.com 

Mary Pittman - Historian

 LowDown Article - Historian

I had great fun putting together the Cowtown Vettes 50th Anniversary scrapbook.  I tried to encompass a great deal of what happened during the decade of 2015 to 2024... it was fun looking back through pictures, the website and LowDowns from that period of time. 

This era was dissected by the Covid pandemic of 2020 which brought about a myriad of changes to how we operate on a daily basis in life overall as well as as a club. 

First of all our membership is getting older not only locally, but regionally and nationally, also.  Venues for racing or events are not as readily available or affordable. 

From a historical point of view, going forward I feel we will be relying on our digital LowDown for club info and memories as well as the new website (when it is available) where our current activities as well as past activities, etc will be archived. 

The historian will still be responsible for gathering misc. info, club trophies, etc.

Thanks again to Mack Maxwell for storing our physical archives.

Mary Pittman, Historian

The “WELCOME TO COWTOWN” Committee PRESENTS

COWTOWN 101

February 4th, from 6:15 to 7:00

   Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant

Hulen Mall,  4740 S Hulen Street, Ft Worth, TX 76132

We welcome newer and future members to attend 101, before the Club Meeting starts at 7:30. You’ll have time to order food and refreshments before you are seated at the Cowtown 101 table.

This discussion group will share how Cowtown works, the activities offered to members and what the acronyms and abbreviations mean.  Plus we want to talk about what you are looking forward to doing with your Vette and your new Cowtown friends!

Please contact me by email:  barbsc6@sbcglobal.net if you plan to attend so I can prepare the handouts for you.  I’d appreciate getting your phone number and any specific questions you may have so my husband, Red, and I can be ready to help you.

We’ve been members of Cowtown for close to 25 years.  The club has grown and changed to become an even better way to meet the needs of our membership.  We look forward to meeting with you and sharing some of the great events and places we have shared with Cowtown Vettes!

Barb Greenfeder

817-917-0975

Welcome to Cowtown Chair

Barbsc6@sbcglobal.net

                      THE END