Plateau Corvette Club

Corvette — "The Great American Sports Car" e-mail: plateaucorvette@gmail.com- Club Sponsor " Dave Kirk Automotive"

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The Plateau Corvette Club is based in Crossville Tennessee.

  • PCC Tech Talk March 2026

    (By; Kathy Johnson) Tuesday, March 24th twenty‑nine PCC club members, two guests, and thirteen shining Corvettes rolled into Monterey under bright, cheerful skies for our March Tech Talk. It was the perfect day to gather at Las Agaves, where the staff once again treated us like family. We were seated immediately, orders taken with a smile, and plates of delicious food arrived piping hot. Their service is always over‑the‑top wonderful, and they never fail to make our group feel welcome.

    From there, we caravanned over to the home of our gracious hosts, Jerry & Marsha Hoover, for this month’s Tech Talk. A Circle of Chairs, Curiosity, and Corvette Camaraderie

    Tech Talk is our “come‑as‑you‑are” gathering—bring your chair, bring your questions, and settle into our relaxed circle‑sharing setup. One by one, members jump in to share, listen, and learn. The conversations wander in the best possible way, full of laughter, tips, and those “I never knew that!” moments.

    And let’s be clear—it’s absolutely not just a “guy thing.” Our ladies show up strong every month, adding smart insights, great questions, and plenty of fun to the mix. The circle wouldn’t be the same without them.

    March’s conversation was lively from the first question to the last sip of refreshment. Highlights included:

    •  Parts and accessories worth grabbing while they’re still available

    •  The Corvette Black Book—soon to be out of print and suddenly a collector’s treasure

    •  Essential Torx socket sets for those who wrench on their own C8s

    •  Solar Performance throttle control options

    •  The smartTOP module for C8 convertibles

    •  The best glass cleaners for streak‑free sparkle

    •  And of course… those unpredictable, always‑entertaining road‑warrior stories that pop up out of nowhere!!

    The energy never dipped—engaging, spirited, and full of laughs from start to finish. Jerry and Marsha kept everyone refreshed with drinks and snacks as ideas, tips, and stories flowed around the circle.

    One More Before Corvette Season Takes Over

    Next month brings our final Tech Talk of the season, and it’s shaping up to be a good one. Once the warm weather settles in, it’s time to slide behind the wheel, feel that rumble, and go play in the sunshine and curves where Corvettes truly shine. Tech Talk will take its summer nap until the days grow shorter, the evenings cool off, and we’re ready to circle up again.

    If you’ve been thinking about joining in—or you’ve got a question you’ve been saving—next month is your moment to jump into the circle before Corvette season steals us all away.

    Moments like these—gathering together, swapping stories, learning from one another, and simply enjoying the company of good friends—are what pull us closer as a true Corvette family.

    A huge thank‑you to everyone who joined in this month. Tech Talk wouldn’t have had the same “spark” without you. And to those who couldn’t make it, you were missed—we hope you can slide into the circle next month for our season finale.

    And of course, a big, warm shout‑out to Jerry and Marsha for hosting. Your hospitality, your heart, and everything you do for the club mean more than you know.

    Until next time… see you carving through the curves, dancing through the shadows, and letting those Corvettes do what they were born to do.

  • Club Pop-Up Ride / March 13, 2026

    Friday, March 13th was beautiful and sunny when we met together at Casey’s in Cookeville Tennessee for a pop‑up ride to Sugar’s Ribs and the International Towing Museum in Chattanooga. Our group must have been experiencing a little cabin fever (it’s been a month since our last ride!!) because we rolled out with 15 beautifully gleaming Corvettes carrying 28 Plateau Corvette Club members.

    And honestly… it seems our little poem must have scratched an itch, because everyone showed up ready for sunshine, backroads, and a whole lot of fun.

    The drive down was smooth and spirited, the kind of ride where the line of Corvettes in the mirrors looks like a ribbon of color winding through the hills. Sugar’s Ribs didn’t disappoint—great food, great views, and plenty of laughter drifting across the tables.

    After lunch at Sugar’s, our caravan naturally branched into three cheerful directions. A few Corvettes headed home, windows cracked and bellies full, enjoying an easy glide back up the mountain. Another group peeled off together for a special destination farther down in Georgia — and let’s just say something very exciting happened there. Les and Kelly Rhoades purchased a 2024 Corvette Z51, HTC in Cacti Green.

    The rest of us pointed our hoods toward the International Towing Museum, where the afternoon unfolded at an easy, curious pace. It’s one of those places you don’t expect to love as much as you do — rows of vintage wreckers, heroic rescue stories, and machines built with equal parts muscle and heart.

    Inside, we learned something that stopped us in our tracks: a tow truck operator is killed every 6–10 days while helping or rescuing stranded motorists. It’s a sobering reminder of the danger behind the flashing lights — and it gave even more meaning to the museum’s tributes.

    Chattanooga is the birthplace of the tow truck, thanks to Ernest Holmes, who designed the original twin‑boom wrecker in 1913 and later patented the very first tow truck. Standing among his early creations felt like stepping right into the moment an entire industry was born.

    We also got to see the world’s fastest tow truck, officially clocked at 109.330 MPH (NASCAR timing) on August 1, 1979 at Talladega, Alabama — a quirky, grin‑worthy surprise tucked among the history.

    Our final stop inside the museum was the deeply moving Wall of the Fallen, brought into existence on February 9, 2006 to honor towing operators killed in the line of service. The purpose of the memorial is:  “To honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to generate public awareness of the dangers involved in the towing and recovery industry and to permanently record and commemorate those involved in fatalities in the towing and recovery industry.”

    Standing before the names, stories, and etched tributes was a quiet moment of gratitude — a reminder of the courage behind a profession most of us only think about when we need help.

    As we headed home after the museum, we couldn’t resist one more bit of fun: a drive‑by of the famous Spaceship House on Signal Mountain. And of course, no “Roger ride” is complete without its signature finale — ice cream. Our last stop was at the Udder Yum Ice Cream Shoppe, where we happily upheld tradition. (Some of the folks who headed home after lunch clearly had the same idea — because they also stopped for ice cream. After all, that’s how you end a Roger ride!  – check the comments for the photo of where they enjoyed their sweet treat!)

    It was the perfect ending to a perfect day with truly awesome people!  If you missed this ride, you missed a great day together — and we missed you!

    Thank you to everyone who came out, showed up, and participated. It wouldn’t have been the same without you. We can’t wait to see you on our next Plateau Corvette Club Adventure!! 

  • Small Projects Make a Big Difference

    Here at the Plateau Corvette Club, we have some DIY mechanics that are not afraid to get their hands dirty and make some modifications and repairs to their own corvette. Yes, even on a clean car, dirt will find its way in to the cracks and joints. On this project day, we had several tasks to perform. We installed the protective guards in front of the two engine coolant radiators, installed the underbody engine compartment air cooling deflectors, installed new and larger splash guards, and while that was all happening, we gave the car a fresh oil change.

    Underbody engine compartment air cooling deflectors

  • February 2026 PCC Tech Talk

    We had a wonderful pre-spring day to hold our second Tech Talk of the season. On Tuesday February 17th the driveway was filled with bright shiny corvettes and smiling faces. We kicked things off with a delicious lunch at The Long Road Café in Mayland, before heading over to our Tech Talk location at the home of Les and Kelly Rhoades, our hosts for today’s club event.

    These events are what make our club special—good conversation, helpful tips, tricks, ideas, and lots of laughs. The perfect way to get to know new club members. We talked about everything from vehicle security devices to brake pad and tires, plus a whole lot more. We even had a fun show‑and‑tell, passing around tools and products that members swear by.

    • OBDII port lock, which keeps the thieves from steeling your car.
    • Break dust: A discussion on PowerStop Z26 Extreme Street Performance Pads
    • Debated the topic of non-run flat tires:  Continental Extreme Contact Sport 02
    • HALO Portable Car Battery Jump Starter, Air Compressor, USB Power Bank, and Emergency Floodlight
    • Corvette Black Book going out of print
    • Fun facts about the highest production corvette year, 1979
    • Discussion the different types of car lifts; usage, design differences and cost
    • Vehicle fire extinguishes
    • Talk about Top Tier Gas

  • Valentine’s Drive & Dine, Feb 13th

    What a beautiful day we had for our club Valentine’s Drive & Dine! Our thanks to John and Reggie Leppien for planning this event. We circled up for our driver’s meeting—smiles everywhere, laughter bouncing around the lot. John Leppien, notes in hand, gave an overview on the day’s plan. Before we hit the road, Kathy Johnson offered a short prayer, asking for safety, blessings, and joy along the way. Then off we went.

    The skies were bright and sunny, the air was crisp, and the parking lot was filled with 15 Corvettes, 1 brave steel car, and 32 wonderful Corvette friends ready for a day of fun.

    The drive was everything we love about Tennessee backroads—two‑lane curves, rolling hills, forests hugging the edges of the pavement, and rivers flowing alongside us. At times it felt like civilization was miles away and the world had slowed down just for us. The cars were one with the road, gliding through those snake‑like bends with ease.

    Our halfway bathroom break gave us another chance to stretch our legs, chat between the cars, and enjoy a few more laughs before continuing on. We stayed on the backroads as much as possible, but with lunch reservations waiting, we hopped onto I‑40 for the final short stretch to Knoxville. When we arrived at Calhoun’s in Turkey Creek, the staff welcomed us warmly and guided us to our reserved area—where eight more friends were waiting to join the fun.

    John and Reggie, surprised all the ladies with a beautiful red rose for Valentine’s Day. Such a thoughtful touch!! All in all, it was a wonderful day filled with amazing moments, scenic roads, and lots of smiles. Love was definitely in the air—and not just because it was Valentine’s weekend.

  • January 2026 PCC Tech Talk

    What a fantastic day we had on Thursday, January 22! We kicked things off with a delicious lunch at Casa Grande in Fairfield Glade, before heading over to our Tech Talk location at Ted & Angie’s home.

    These events are what makes our club special—good conversation, helpful tips, tricks, ideas, and lots of laughs. We covered everything from maintenance and cleaning to handy items to keep in the car. We even had a fun show‑and‑tell, passing around tools and products that members swear by.

    • HALO brand Portable Car Battery Jump Starter, Air Compressor, USB Power Bank, and Emergency Floodlight.
    • BlueDriver OBDII Scan Tool
    • C8 Corvette Underbody Air Deflector, which help with engine cooling
    • NCCC—what it does for us as members and the benefits we receive.
    • Tennessee’s Yellow Dot Program, AirMed Ambulance Service, and other emergency coverage options that might be helpful for our group.

    Photo credit: Kathy Joshson

  • Ugly Christmas Sweater Ride

    December 16, 2025, This ride was hosted by Roger and Kathy Johnson

    This ride was hosted by Roger and Kathy Johnson. A few surprises as we gathered to meet for the ugly Christmas Sweater ride; Tom showed up with his dancing musical hat that left us all laughing, and 8 sparkling Corvette “sleighs” rolled out under beautiful sunny skies and 40-degree temps!  A wonderful way to start the day!  Wish you all could be along with us – a day of fun, friends, curves and camaraderie!!

  • Welcome To Our New Club President

    We are proud to welcome Claudia Manring as the new PCC club President. We’re thrilled to have you on the executive board starting in January 2026. Your vision and energy are already inspiring, and we can’t wait to support you as we build on our clubs’ successes and explore new projects together. Let’s make this a fantastic year!

    The Plateau Corvette Club wants to thank Cindy Bellis for her incredible four years of service as the PCC club president. We are sincerely grateful for your leadership, the positive impacts she made fostering community involvement, charitable donations, and inspiring new members. We wish you well in the future as a highly valued member of our Corvette club.

  • PCC Annual Christmas Party, 2025

    What a wonderful holiday evening celebration we had this week, shared with 61 fabulous club members. Kelly Rhoades was this year’s event committee chairperson and her energy lead a team of angles in organizing a splendid social event.  A special thank you goes out to Sharon Pearson for coordinating a festive singing performance from the Crossville, Cumberland County Playhouse Glee Club. [CCPlayhouse Glee] The youth performance group sang heartwarming holiday songs that put smiles on everyone’s face.

  • PCC Tech-Talk / November 21, 2025

    Thanks to John Leppien for hosting this month’s event.

    The event kicked off with lunch in Crossville at Forte’s restaurant.  Afterwards, everyone gathered at John Leppien’s home for the Tech-Talk.  The days special guest was Mike San Inocencio from Animal Speedwerks in Crossville.

     Animal Speedwerks is an auto repair shop here in Crossville with expertise in European and Asian Imports. Mike mostly spoke about brakes, fluids and lines.  In addition, he touched on various automotive topics.  John opened with a discussion on portable air compressors, glass brake hammer for emergency situations and also automotive cleaning items. There was also cake and ice cream provided by John. There were about 18 people in attendance.

Plateau Corvette Club

Corvette -- "The Great American Sports Car" e-mail: plateaucorvette@gmail.com- Club Sponsor " Dave Kirk Automotive"

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