Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Corvette Raffle Winner Spotlight: Dick Murphy


Dick Murphy, like many of our Museum supporters, is also a dedicated Corvette raffle ticket buyer. “It’s hard to say how many tickets I’ve purchased over the years, but I am confident that I spent at least $2,000-3,000 prior to winning,” said Murphy. Murphy, from the Houston, Texas area, won our “Build Your Own 2012 Z06 or Grand Sport” raffle with lucky ticket #490, drawn on Thursday, January 26, 2012.

Murphy is no stranger to Corvettes, as prior to winning he already owned three C3’s; a 1971 LT1 Convertible, 1973 Coupe with a 454 engine and a modified 1981 that Murphy uses as his daily driver. He enjoys working on his older cars and making modifications, but admits that he is a bit intimidated by his new Z06’s level of technology. “The older cars give me something to work on as they pretty much only rely on spark and gas to run; the new car is so computerized it is well beyond my ability and comprehension to even consider working on. On cars 30 to 40 years old, there’s always something to replace or fix. It’s hard to imagine what I could possibly do to make the Z06 any better than it already is!”
Murphy picked up his new Z06 Centennial Edition in April 2012, and has had many adventures and fun experiences in his new toy. “I have truly been enjoying the car.  After winning and driving it back from the Museum I headed to Colorado for a few days.  The trip through northern Texas, New Mexico and some back roads heading up to Colorado gave me a good feel for the car which I doubt I will ever push to its limits.  The car is blisteringly quick, extremely stable at high speeds and gets 27 MPG when driving the car normally; hard to imagine.  The car is truly amazing given the level of power, comfort and economy on the open road.”

The National Corvette Museum has been turning Corvette dreamers into owners since 1997 when the first raffle was held.  As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, the Museum holds a number of Corvette and Camaro raffles each year, with varying odds and ticket prices, as a means to raise funds for the Museum’s operations.  Those interested in participating may sign up for the Museum’s email newsletter to receive updates on the next chance to participate at www.corvettemuseum.orgTickets can be purchased online, by phone and in person.