A Special Relationship: Queen City Corvette Club and Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet
How “America’s Sports Car” Brings People Together
There is a famous song by the late Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers entitled, “The Waiting.”
“The waiting is the hardest part,” Petty’s famous song exclaims. “Waiting is the … hard-est … part.” I know. You’re already listening to the song in your head right now. Thank us later.
It’s also an exceedingly true statement if you are a diehard Corvette enthusiast and have the opportunity to pick up your new C8. The first ever mid-engine version of “America’s Sports Car.” Dick Gwilt was one such person, as the Mooresville, North Carolina resident’s newest ride had arrived at Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet from Bowling Green, Kentucky and was ready to go.
However, he decided to wait. As the president of the Queen City Corvette Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, Gwilt was hoping to share the delivery with a special group of friends.
“When the C8s first came out, he and Paul Mitchell (former club president) put their orders in the same day,” said Rick Accurso, lead Corvette salesperson at Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet in Charlotte. “I put them in the factory the same day and they were built just about the same time. Dick’s (C8) showed up about a week before Paul’s did. Every third day he was down here looking at it. I was like, ‘why don’t you just take it?’ However, they made a pact with each other to pick up the cars at the same time. They wanted to have a club event, with 25-to-30 people at the dealership.”
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“We were really excited and picked them up at the same time,” Gwilt said. “They were both in the same color, but different cars. His coupe and my convertible that I had.
“For me, the car came in pretty quick,” Gwilt added. “It was always, ‘where is Paul’s, where’s Paul’s?’ Of course, you never really know when they come in on the truck. It was January, and I won’t be driving it that much (at that time) anyway. I will just hold it there (at the dealership).
“I told Paul that I was going to wait for him, but I don’t know if he would have waited for me,” Gwilt joked.
World-Class Delivery Experience
While the original event for the club’s first two C8 Corvette deliveries was a special one, that moment is something that is also very important to company Chairman, President and CEO Rick Hendrick and the team at City Chevrolet. Delivering on the customer experience is the top priority of any Hendrick Automotive Group dealership – especially at the company’s flagship.
“The delivery of these Corvettes never, ever gets old,” Accurso said. “Every customer is unique. Every customer is excited.”
“For me, the delivery experience is awesome,” Gwilt noted. “I’ve done three (Corvette) Museum deliveries, but Rick (Accurso) knows more about these cars than anyone. It is more of an event to go (to the museum), stay overnight, tour the factory. It is just nice to come here, the cars are ready in the showroom. It is like a big party. When they see you pick up your car and have a great experience, they want to do it as well. It just works great for everybody.
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“It’s just awesome to come down here, especially with Rick,” Gwilt added. “City Chevrolet is ready for you when you arrive.”
Joining the Party
Established in 1968, the club currently boasts more than 400 active people within its membership. Started as a gathering of high-performance enthusiasts, it transitioned to more of a social club at the turn of the century, when financial risk started to outweigh the joys of competition.
“The original club was created for tracking and racing cars,” Gwilt said. “Eventually, it became more social when the C5 came out. It was becoming too expensive to go tracking these cars. So, everybody started switching over to the social club.”
The club meets on a monthly basis throughout Charlotte to plan get-togethers, traveling events and its big annual October car show on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports, with this year’s edition set for Saturday, Oct. 21. It is one of the more active Corvette clubs in the United States.
That being said, it still took a bit for Accurso to join, uncomfortable becoming a member until the moment was right.
“For the longest time, Paul tried to get me to join,” Accurso recalls. “At the time, I didn’t have a Corvette, but he wanted me to come in as a social member. I didn’t because I felt that the members would have thought the only reason I joined was to sell cars. I don’t join clubs for that reason.
“Then I bought an ’82,” Accurso continued. “Paul asked me about (car). I start talking about it and he gets up, goes behind me, grabs a club application off the rack I have in my office – hands it to me and says, ‘Now you don’t have a reason not to join.’ Hindsight being 20-20, it was the best decision I’ve made. That car has paid off tenfold in friendships and personal relationships.”
While the club meetings are great opportunities to talk shop and plan, it’s also a time for gratefulness and comradery.
“Every club meeting, Dick affords me five minutes or so – its me saying “thank you,” Accurso said. “I just want them to know how much we appreciate them – not only on the service side but also on the parts side, accessories side and the sales side. We’ve gotten to know a lot of people in the club. We go out to dinner with them. Its not only been a good business partnership, but its been a terrific friendship – more importantly.
“Lorri (Accurso’ wife) and I joining the club made us realize that it was a bunch of people who love Corvettes, has the same passion, and they also drive them,” Accurso continued.
At the end of the day, car enthusiasm is about people. Oh … in case you are wondering, Accurso now has a C8 as well.
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