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For me there were two events that stand out the most. One was with an ’85 Trans-Am and the other with a ’99 Corvette. The Trans-Am was Maroon with a 305 cu in engine with tuned port fuel injection. At the time it’s 205 hp rating was a big deal. Today our SUV has more hp. On one memorable occasion I was heading down a major highway on the way to work when I spotted what appeared to be a ’73 or ’74 white Trans-Am ahead of me. Man, could it be? Could it have that rare 455SD engine? Curiosity got the best of me so I tried to get a better view. The driver of the other T/A thought I wanted to race him so he also began to speed up. By the time I broke the distance to maybe three or four car lengths we were both doing well over a hundred. That is when we spotted the police officer parked on the side of the road. At that moment we both hit our brakes hard. The guy in the other Trans-Am did it a little too hard. He locked them up and sent up a large cloud of white smoke. Enough smoke to cover the police car as we passed it by. My heart was now lodged in my throat. Not wanting to stick around I floored it again. Shortly ahead the highway forked. The white T/A went one way I went the other. I never did find out if it was a Super Duty 455.
The other event was with the Corvette. It was a hatchback in pewter with 345 hp and a 6-speed. I drove it in all kinds of weather, including snow with no problems. On this particular day the weather was beautiful. Winter was finally over and all the nice cars were coming out. I was sitting at a traffic light waiting to turn onto the main road in town. Plan was to head over to the post office, check the mail and then go in to work. I couldn’t figure out why the drivers in the cars passing me were looking at me and then behind me. When I looked up in the rear view mirror there was a Viper GTS sitting there. Oh yeah, this was going to be fun! When the light turned green we both went south onto this main road to another traffic light. I was in the left lane and he was in the right. He smiled, I smiled and then I revved up the engine. When the light turned green I did one of the best shifting jobs ever. Unfortunately the driver of the Viper left the light at normal pace. At the next light some 50 yards away I look over to him and he is now cranking up his windows. Better coefficient? Hmmm, he is serious now. When the light turned green we both took off with minimal tire spin. He immediately got a jump on me and we went from being side by side to his rear tire being even with my front tire. Through first and second gear this high-speed race went. I remember seeing the cars that were going northbound. The driver of a Camaro gave the thumbs up while other drivers watched. This was right out of Car & Driver magazine. The two top American muscle cars going at it. Too bad another person heading northbound and watching this was a Trooper. By this point I’m going into third gear at an extreme rate of acceleration. The driver of the Viper also spotted the Trooper. We both backed off and split up. He continued south and got off on a side street while I turned off and went north back to work. Never did make it to the post office that day.
The other event was with the Corvette. It was a hatchback in pewter with 345 hp and a 6-speed. I drove it in all kinds of weather, including snow with no problems. On this particular day the weather was beautiful. Winter was finally over and all the nice cars were coming out. I was sitting at a traffic light waiting to turn onto the main road in town. Plan was to head over to the post office, check the mail and then go in to work. I couldn’t figure out why the drivers in the cars passing me were looking at me and then behind me. When I looked up in the rear view mirror there was a Viper GTS sitting there. Oh yeah, this was going to be fun! When the light turned green we both went south onto this main road to another traffic light. I was in the left lane and he was in the right. He smiled, I smiled and then I revved up the engine. When the light turned green I did one of the best shifting jobs ever. Unfortunately the driver of the Viper left the light at normal pace. At the next light some 50 yards away I look over to him and he is now cranking up his windows. Better coefficient? Hmmm, he is serious now. When the light turned green we both took off with minimal tire spin. He immediately got a jump on me and we went from being side by side to his rear tire being even with my front tire. Through first and second gear this high-speed race went. I remember seeing the cars that were going northbound. The driver of a Camaro gave the thumbs up while other drivers watched. This was right out of Car & Driver magazine. The two top American muscle cars going at it. Too bad another person heading northbound and watching this was a Trooper. By this point I’m going into third gear at an extreme rate of acceleration. The driver of the Viper also spotted the Trooper. We both backed off and split up. He continued south and got off on a side street while I turned off and went north back to work. Never did make it to the post office that day.