I remember the first time I got behind the wheel of a Corvette. I had a loaner vehicle, a Mazda RX-7, while my beater Honda was in the shop, and me and a friend decided it would be a good day to go test drive some other cars.

We drove up to the Corvette dealership, and immediately got talking to a salesman about the new Vettes. My buddy was always a fan of the older Corvettes, like the 1972 Corvette Stringray (the LT1 ones with the 365 h.p. I believe), and could talk Corvette Stingray history all day if you let him. We talked the salesman into letting us take one of the new (at the time) 2001 Corvettes out for a test, which he did without hesitation since we did roll in in that new Mazda sports car (I think it was a Turbo).

We fought over who was going to drive, but since Jim got to drive the supercharged MR-2 at the Toyota dealership, it was my turn to take out the Corvette. I had always wanted to drive one since my uncle took me out in his 1978 Corvette Stingray anniversary edition.

I got it on the highway and got to feel the real power. It was an exhilarating drive to say the least, and I regretted having to turn around and take it back to the lot lest the salesman sweat through his cheap corduroy sports jacket. I was disappointed the the drive lasted such a short time, and that my Honda was ready to pick up later that afternoon, but I'll never forget the opportunity I had to control one of the great American machines of all time.