Rick Hendrick’s 2011 Carbon Edition Corvettes

If you know anything about Corvette collectors, or even car collectors in general, then you know that Rick Hendrick is one of the biggest names in the game. Hendrick, who is the owner of Hendrick Motorsports and more than 90 automobile dealerships across the United States, has a private collection of some 220 cars (and that number keeps growing). Of these, 122 are Corvettes.

Not only does Rick Hendrick collect Corvettes, but he makes it a point to purchase VIN #001 of each new car that rolls out of the Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  Many of these cars are sold at auction, and the majority (if not all) of the proceeds of each are donated to a notable charity.

In 2011, Chevrolet introduced the Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition model. Following in their customary tradition, the first-regular production model (VIN 001) was offered for sale at Barrett-Jackson’s 2010 Palm Beach auction.  Rick Hendrick was present at that event and won the right to purchase the first 2011 Carbon Z06 Corvette for $297,000.