On the heels of learning it would host a leg of the Annual Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour, Bowling Green is getting interest from other major auto-related events.

“We just got another call today,” Duncan Hines said last week.

Hines said he can’t go into details about the potential event, other than to say it was motorcycle-related and would be at the National Corvette Museum.

It’s Hines’ job as group sales and services director for the Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau to bring as many different groups to Bowling Green as possible, but one area he has really focused on is the car market.

“The opportunity to have such national exposure through the Power Tour is a tremendous selling point for future automotive groups,” Hines said in an e-mail to the Daily News. “We have already seen an increase in inquiries due to the exposure that we get from groups such as Goodguys Rod and Custom and the National Hot Rod Association. As participants from these events begin to spread the word about their experiences in Bowling Green, this only fuels the excitement of other enthusiasts.”

The Solid Axle Club will have a show July 13-15 at the Sloan Convention Center, leading up to the Corvette Homecoming on July 15-17, also at the convention center.

Bowling Green, with Beech Bend Raceway, the National Corvette Museum, other venues and attractions, has what it takes to bring events into town.

“Not only does this help with automobiles, but also with motorcycles. We have already seen the likes of the Harley Owners Group and Kawasaki Voyagers,” Hines said. “All of these events show that Bowling Green is a very automotive conference friendly city and we are definitely seeking to expand more into this niche market.”

Because Beech Bend Raceway and the National Corvette Museum are the county’s largest tourism draws, automobiles already contribute greatly to the local tourism economy. In 2008, tourism brought in nearly $200 million in direct expenditures in Warren County, even after a decline from the previous year.

This year the museum’s visitorship is expected to be about 143,000, according to Executive Director Wendell Strode.

Strode said he is excited about the potential for the Power Tour, both for visitors then and the aftereffects.

“Several years ago, they came through town but didn’t spend the night,” Strode said. “And we had several come to the museum then. So we think it’s absolutely awesome that they will be spending the night. We’ve looked at extending our hours so folks would have the opportunity to come here.”

Strode said museum staff for several years have been asked to work on bringing car clubs, not necessarily Corvette clubs, to the museum and community.

“With the Corvette Museum, Beech Bend Park, the Corvette plant … and our central location, we really have a prime location to host many other events that are car-related. We think it will just continue to grow and hopefully there will be more and more announcements,” Strode said.

Vicki Fitch, executive director for the CVB, said she is excited about the additional attention Bowling Green is and will be getting with the Hot Rod Tour. Fitch said the CVB will have a representative on the seven-city Power Tour in one of the touring vehicles, with the goal of promoting Bowling Green to spectators in other cities, as well as to other participants who might not make it to Bowling Green.

“Many hot rod enthusiasts who have never been to Bowling Green will be exposed to our car-friendly community,” Fitch said in an e-mail to the Daily News. “Once automotive enthusiasts visit our community and feel our warm hospitality in the hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions, they want to return time and time again.”

The stop will draw attention because it will be the first time for the tour to be at an airport, and it will draw attention for sponsor Holley Performance Products, which has hosted other events in its hometown, Bowling Green, and elsewhere.

Special car events set for 2010:

April 29-May 1: C5/6 Birthday Bash, National Corvette Museum, www.corvettemuseum.com, 781-7973

April 30-May 2: Ninth annual NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, Beech Bend Raceway

May 8: BiG Cruise, National Corvette Museum, www.bigcruisebg.com

May 11-15: 30th Buick GS Nationals, Beech Bend Raceway, (229) 244-0577, 781-7634, gsnationals.com

May 13-15: C4/ZR-1 The Gathering, National Corvette Museum

May 27-29: Corvette Forum Cruise-In, National Corvette Museum

June 8: Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour, Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, www.HotRod.com

June 10-12: Ky State H.O.G. Rally, www.kystatehogrally.com

June 12: BiG Cruise, National Corvette Museum,

July 10: BiG Cruise, National Corvette Museum

June 17-20: NHRA Hot Rod Reunion, Beech Bend Raceway,

July 13-15: Solid Axle Corvette Club

July 16-18: National Corvette Homecoming, 791-2117, www.nationalcorvettehomecoming.com

July 22-31: Vintage Car Rally Association

Aug. 14: BiG Cruise, National Corvette Museum

Aug. 27-29: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Beech Bend Raceway

Sept. 2-4: National Corvette Museum 16th Anniversary Celebration

Sept. 16-18: Z06 Fest, National Corvette Museum

Sept. 23-25: Pace Car Reunion, National Corvette Museum

Sept. 25: BiG Cruise, National Corvette Museum

Sept. 30-Oct. 3: 12th annual Nitto Tire NMRA World Finals, Beech Bend Raceway

Oct. 15-17: GoodGuys Third Nostalgia Nationals, Beech Bend Raceway Park, www.nostalgianats.com

Nov. 4-6 : Vets ‘n Vettes, National Corvette Museum

— Source: Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.