Corvettes on the Circle welcomes 150 vehicles to showcase

By Dana Kampa
| 9:45 a.m. May 4, 2026

At his first time participating in Corevettes on the Circle, newcomer Bob Hanstra took home the award for Best in Show. Car enthusiasts brought 150 Corvettes of all sorts of years, models and colors for the May 2 car show on St. Armands Circle.

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Saturday's Corvettes on the Circle car show was a first for newcomer Bob Hanstra, and it was certainly a memorable experience for the owner of a 1967 Shocktop Orange Convertible. He took home the title of Best in Show, which he said was particularly meaningful to him, considering the effort he personally put into refurbishing the classic car.

"I've been a car guy my whole life," he said. "I rebuilt a 1939 Ford Coupe that I bought when I was in high school, which I still have in Indiana. I got married in it, drove my bride away in it, and then 30-some years later, my son drove his bride away in it from his wedding."

While winning awards is a perk, attendees of the 28th annual car show took equal delight in swapping such stories about their unique cars.

Hanstra is a member of the Village Vettes Corvette Club, one of many local groups that participated in the May 2 show on St. Armands Circle.

Allen Harmsen, show chairman and vice president of the Skyway Corvette Club of Sarasota-Bradenton, said this year's show had a remarkable turnout. They had so many participants interested in registering that they had to cap it at 150 entrants.

Net proceeds from those registration fees, along with raffle ticket sales and donations, go toward supporting the Southwest Florida Honor Flight.

This organization transports veterans to Washington, D.C., to be honored at memorial sites.

"They do a really great job," Harmsen said of the flights, which take place in October. "We've attended a few homecomings in Sarasota. It was great because one of the veterans was one of our club members. So, our show helped pay for him to go, and then we were there walking him home. That was amazing."

Many participants are veterans themselves, and longtime supporters said they are touched to witness such robust community support for service people shown every year at the car show.

Those wishing to donate to Southwest Florida Honor Flight can visit SWFLHonorFlight.org.

2026 Corvettes on the Circle Winners

Overall Winners

Best of Show: Bob Hanstra, 1967
Shocktop Orange Convertible
Skyway Favorite: Jim Hanson, 2002 Black Convertible
Club Participation: Venice Florida Corvette Club - 13 cars

C-1 Class: 1953-1962

First: Bill Herron, 1957 Red Convertible
Second: Jeff Snauwaert, 1959 Red Convertible
Third: Jeff Wagner, 1958 Black Convertible

C-2 Class: 1963-1967

First: Bob Hanstra, 1967
Shocktop Orange Convertible
Second: Robert Keyes, 1966 Blue Coupe
Third: Michael Showalter, 1965 Nassau Blue Coupe

C-3 Class: 1968-1982

First: Tony Martone, 1972 White Convertible
Second: Norm Goodman, 1973 Yellow Convertible
Third: Mick Widmeyer, 1972 Silver Coupe

C-4 Class: 1984 - 1996

First: Nick & Sue Barrasso, 1992 Bright Aqua Coupe
Second: Brett Schulman, 1992 Teal Convertible
Third: Jeff Conwell, 1989 Red Coupe

C-5 Class: 1997 - 2004

First: Roberto Guzman, 2002 Red Coupe
Second: Andrew Fuller, 1998 Red Coupe
Third: Michael Latkovoc, 2002 Blue Convertible

C-6 Class: 2005 - 2013

First: Todd Greene, 2012 Blue Coupe
Second: Rick & Donna Raffensperger, 2007 Orange Coupe
Third: Lewis Roberson, 2006 Red Coupe

C-7 Class: 2014 - 2019

First: Raymond Gomes, 2019 Red Convertible
Second: Reiner Claussen, 2016 Orange Coupe
Third: Arnold Aviles, 2016 Black Coupe

C-8A 2020 - Present Sting Rays & ERays

First: Robert Sisson, 2021 Blue/Black Coupe
Second: Michael Napoli, 2021 Red Mist Convertible
Third: Kenneth Mathias, 2022 Gray Convertible

C-8B Class: 2020 - Present

First: Bill Mitchell, 2025 Red Mist Convertible
Second: Earl Cornwell, 2025 Yellow Convertible
Third: Israel Orengo, 2024 Gray Convertible

Volunteer Mary Jo Jones sells raffle tickets by the armful to raise support for Southwest Florida Honor Flight at the 28th annual Corvettes on the Circle show May 2 at St. Armands Circle.

Cars at the 28th annual Corvettes on the Circle show ranged from brand new to classic, including this 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible.

Photo by Dana Kampa

Allen Harmsen, Corvettes on the Circle show chairman and vice president of the Skyway Corvette Club of Sarasota-Bradenton, stands beside one of the vehicles showcased by presenting sponsor Sunset Chevrolet. He said 150 people entered into this year's contest.

Jim Hanson walks up to accept the Skyway Favorite Award at Corvettes on the Circle in recognition of his drive all the way from Arizona to participate in the car show. He presented a 2002 Black Convertible.

Bob Hanstra collects his Best in Show award from Skyway Corvette Club President Mike Diaferio at Corvettes on the Circle.

Fitting the theme of celebrating veterans, the coveted Corvettes on the Circle trophies are in the image of Sarasota's famous "Unconditional Surrender" statue. Show chair Allen Harmsen said this year's showcase included cars from every class, from classics to new cars.

Sporty models like this 2021 Red Mist C8A caught the attention of attendees at the 28th annual Corvettes on the Circle show.

Veteran Stuart Stegall of Port Charlotte said the rare paint job on his 2014 Lime Rock Green C7 is just part of what makes this car stand out.

Joy and Lee Hale and Andy Shaw educate car show attendees about the Southwest Florida Honor Flight program.

This year's Corvettes on the Circle welcomed 150 car owners and plenty more attendees to connect over cars.

Net proceeds from Corvettes on the Circle will support next fall's Honor Flights.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.