By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
The folks from Texas will tell you everything from that state is bigger and better. The big winner of this year’s Colonel Crawford Corvette Raffle is from Texas and he’s quick to say nothing is better than his 1965 Corvette Coup.
“The C2 Corvette is one of the most sought after. It certainly is at the top of my list,” said Michael Bailey.
Bailey told Mark Teynor of the Colonel Crawford Athletic Boosters it was his “bucket list car.”
“I tell you, it was pretty unbelievable,” Bailey said in his tell-tale Texas drawl about learning he had won. “Once it soaked in – just really excited.”
Bailey says he’s not a Corvette collector, but readily admits to being a “car guy.” Asked if the car was his or his wife Vicki’s, he didn’t miss a beat with his answer. “Texas is a community property state.”
Teynor said although the annual fundraiser for the Colonel Crawford Athletic Boosters was off 
a little in the number of tickets sold – about 7,500 this year – the club still netted more than $70,000 after purchasing next year’s Corvette to be raffled which is a 1957 convertible.
That meant this year’s raffle actually brought in around $130,000. Teynor noted raffle tickets were purchased in all 50 states and four countries including one from Greece.
“Our service projects are new football stadium lights,” Teynor said. “We’re working on plans for a new concession stand and restrooms at Chuck Huggins Field (softball). We’re paying for the installation of the new scoreboards in the (high school) gymnasium.”
Teynor will be getting an added personal benefit from this year’s winning ticket. He will leave Wednesday and drive the Corvette to Wichita Falls to deliver it in person to the Baileys. Three of the last four winners were from Michigan.
Bailey says there aren’t any real firm plans as to what he’ll be doing with his winning car.
“I really didn’t,” Bailey said about considering the cash option instead of the car.
“I’ll certainly take it to the local car shows here,” Bailey said, noting his friends already know about his good fortune. “I’ve got to go around and give everybody a ride.”
Teynor said the tickets for next year’s raffle will go on sale beginning at the Graffiti Cruise-In car show in Bucyrus. “That’s when we really start selling.”
Tickets are $25 each or five for $100. More about the Colonel Crawford Athletic Boosters and their annual Corvette Raffle can be found on the group’s Web page at www.colcrawfordcorvetteraffle.com.
