Carlisle Events
Carlisle, PA – The Aerolarri Wheels Fun Field at Corvettes at Carlisle is always populated with a great mix of Corvettes. In fact, this year’s event, August 22-24 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, can confirm at least one Corvette from every generation of production. Of those generations, some will be stock, some will be modified, and some…will be iconic! As icons go, it doesn’t get more otherworldly to Corvette enthusiasts than the Corvette Challenge Series and at this year’s events, many of the popular cars from the series will be on display, and just confirmed, a group of drivers will be on-site too.
Of the drivers, some names stand out over others, but each played a role in the success of the series, while also being a champion for the Corvette brand in the ‘80s as well. Below is a brief synopsis of each driver; with each planning to be part of a Racer’s Roundtable Q&A Session, sign autographs, pose for photos, and maybe…just maybe, get behind the wheel of a Challenge Car one more time for laps on the Carlisle track.
Bill Cooper: Cooper was a steady driver during the 1988 season and series champion in 1989. During the ’88 season, Cooper managed four top-5 starting spots, including a pole at Riverside. Starting good is one thing, but being consistent and finishing good is even better. He parlayed those starting grid spots into five top-5’s, including three top-3’s spanning consecutive weeks. During the ’89 championship season, he only finished one race out of the top-5 and did so because the car broke down. Otherwise, he finished no worse than fourth.
Peter Cunningham: Cunningham is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin native who has nearly 100 wins under his belt dating back to 1990. His racing portfolio is diverse, having raced in a variety of series, but the Corvettes at Carlisle spotlight shines on him due to his Challenge Car resume. During the 1988 season, Cunningham earned eight top-10 finishes, including a podium spot at Road America. In addition to his success at Road America in the Challenge Car Series, he’s seen success on tracks like Sebring, Daytona, Watkins Glenn, and more.
Robert Carradine: Maybe you have never seen Robert Carradine drive, but there’s a good chance you’ve heard him laugh. Carradine comes from a long line of actors and is famous for his role as Lewis Skolnick in the Revenge of the Nerds comedy films, but according to him, his first love is auto racing. It’s this passion that drove him to the Corvette Challenge series in the 1980s. In fact, in 1988, Carradine drove Challenge Car #97, logging two top-fives (Dallas and Sears Point), while earning the pole at Brainerd. He also raced the #65 car in 1989. During that season, Carradine is credited with six top-10 finishes, including a season-best fourth at Sears Point. He’s logged countless laps on tracks around the country, including at the famed Daytona International Speedway and the Rolex 24 in 2000. Still active as an actor, Carradine was part of a 2024 film called The Night They Came Home, and is attached to a few more projects, all currently listed in pre-production.
Stu Hayner: Stu Hayner was a force to be reckoned with during the 1988 and 1989 Challenge Car seasons. During the 1988 season Hayner was the series champion in the #98 car, and in 1989, raced in the rebranded #1 car. During the ’88 season, he notched nine top-10 finishes, including a victory, two second-place finishes, and a third-place finish. The Yorba Linda, California native not only won the Challenge Series title in 1988, he also captured the SCCA Endurance Championship too. Hayner has the distinction of being the first driver to win races in two different series, in two different types of race cars, in two different countries, within a single 24-hour period. Things will be a little more low-key in August at Carlisle, but as he sits amongst his Challenge Car brethren, expect the competitive blood to still be flowing through his veins.
Kenny Wallace Sr. and Kenny Wallace Jr.: The Wallace name is famous in racing for a variety of reasons. For NASCAR fans, they know Rusty and his brother Kenny, but for Corvette Challenge Car fans, these Kenny Wallaces aren’t related to those Wallaces, though both have a tie-in to going fast. Kenny Wallace Sr. and Kenny Wallace Jr. each played a role in the series, with Sr. owning Valley Chevrolet of Wilkes-Barre, PA, a dealership that helped secure ALL of the Challenge Cars, while, Jr. was a driver in the series.
Shawn Hendricks: Shawn Hendricks of Piedmont, South Carolina was part of the ’88 and ’89 series. The ’89 year saw Hendricks pilot the #7 Valley Chevrolet car and along the way, logged six top-5 finishes, eight top-10 finishes, and three poles. When running, the car was so dominant that it completed 92% percent of its laps. There were only two races in 1989 where the #7 had issues, crashing out at the Des Moines, Iowa race, and having differential issues at Road America course in Wisconsin.
Peter Lockhart: Peter Lockhart is a Canadian Motorsports Hall of Famer who piloted the #11 Sony car, taking 2nd in 1989. His success in 1989 only scratches the surface of his career accomplishments. Lockhart has competed in and won in a variety of race cars and series, including SCCA Formula Ford, Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship, along with the aforementioned Challenge Car Series just to name a few. From short, sprint type races to longer, endurance based ones, Lockhart has done it all. A team owner and operator as well, Lockhart worked in tandem with major companies such as Esso, Sony, Sunoco, and Magna.
Corvettes at Carlisle starts at 7 AM each day and culminates with a family-friendly downtown Carlisle Corvette Parade, Park, and Party. In between, enjoy the special guests, displays, activities, and parts shopping in the automotive flea market. Fun Field registration is available online through Monday of event week, while discounted spectator admission tickets are available throughout event weekend. Each can be secured at CarlisleEvents.com or call 717-243-7855 for details. As always, kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.
Carlisle Events, celebrating 50 years in 2024, is a partner or producer of over a dozen annual collector car/truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA), and the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes automotive flea markets of varying sizes, multiple 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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