Hunter Wilson/Daily News Bob Hartman (right), from Monee, Ill., observes corvette's at the Sans Pareil Show in the Sloan Convention Center on Saturday during the National Corvette Homecoming. The Certification appropriately named Sans Pareil, will feature a custom award and other items to designate those Corvettes and owners who receive the privilege of obtaining the judges’ highest marks.

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Despite the rising expense of travel, they came from as far away as California to participate this weekend in the National Corvette Homecoming.

The turnout is exciting, said Joe Pruitt, event coordinator. The Bowling Green-built Corvettes were tough to miss Saturday on Bowling Green’s main roads, all heading to Sloan Convention Center, where this year’s homecoming is based.

“We never know how many people are going to come. You advertise and do the best you can, but then you just open the doors and pray for the best,” he said.

There are nonstop events for the homecoming planned throughout the weekend, Pruitt said.

The reunion has something for everyone, he said, and not just for Corvette lovers. Today, there is a show that involves any sort of General Motors vehicle.

There are also seminars, chances to drive vehicles and several different car shows for people to enjoy, Pruitt said. There are also special events for the anniversaries of the 1958, 1968 and 1978 Corvettes.

“The oldest vehicle we have here is a 1954 Corvette,” he said.

Jim Sharp of Paducah brought his flame-painted Corvette to the homecoming for the third consecutive year. Ablaze on the interior and the engine as well, his car’s design has taken three years to complete.

“It started with the engine and then just sort of caught fire from there,” Sharp said.

Part of his reason for coming to this show is the proximity - the trip only takes a day, he said.

This show has also been growing bigger and better each year under Pruitt’s leadership, Sharp said.

“This event was on a downhill slide until Joe took over, and it’s gradually been building up,” he said.

Ron Brown of Old Hickory, Tenn., said Pruitt was the main reason why he liked coming to the homecoming.

“Joe does a really good job,” he said.

The event was very important in the past, but interest lessened until Pruitt became involved and helped to build the event up, Brown said. This is one of many events he attends throughout the year.

Brown brought two older Corvettes - a 1958 and a 1966 - to the event. They’ve both been in different shows, he said. The 1958 Corvette has been in 31 shows and won 30 of them. He’s had the car about four years.

The reason a lot of people like the older vehicles is because they can still work on them, Brown said. With a lot of the newer vehicles, a common person can’t do a lot of the work themselves.

Mary Lou Francisco of Fresno, Calif., said the reunion is one of many shows she and her husband, Roger, will take their Corvette to this year.

“We travel to shows for two straight months out the year,” she said. “We’ll go home in August.”

Her husband has had the car for 37 years and did all the restoration work himself, Francisco said.

The couple almost didn’t make the trip because fuel costs were higher, but decided they would go, Francisco said.

Since they’ve been in Bowling Green, they have already visited the Corvette Museum and Corvette plant, she said.

Part of the event was the Vettetastic auction to benefit the American Red Cross. Sharon Dury from the Red Cross said the auction went well - $14,580 was raised.

The National Corvette Homecoming continues today starting at 8 a.m., and the last event is the award presentations for judged Corvette shows that begins at 4 p.m.