One of the perks of my job is that I get to play with machines and equipment. As the city fleet manager I was invited today to the Orange county fairgrounds to do a 'see and drive' on the new Chevy police sedan, the Caprice. It is made in Australia and is a purpose built police car. The 365 hp engine helps it go really fast and the stability control helps it stay on all four wheels. The Chevy guys laid out a twisty course with cones in the empty parking lot and we got to drive the cars. Lots of squealing tires and smoke from the rubber as the cars twisted and turned. We got two runs, one to recon the course and the second to have fun. There was a co-driver in the shotgun seat to make sure we didn't turn the car upside down on the run. The guy was pretty casual when I got in (old grey haired guy - huh - he probably thought) but I got his attention on the first run and then got down to business on the second go. I knew I was doing good when I saw out of the corner of my eye that he was doing the classic mashing of the phantom brake pedal while his arm was straight out to break his head first slam into the windshield. Silly man, I had it completely under control. The car and I were one. When I exited the car one of the uniformed cops said to me 'You where having fun out there!' which was a compliment since some of the other drivers pussy-footed through the course.
Old grey haired guy huh?
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Oooo... fun! I miss autocross in the Miata. You know you are going to have fun when one of the requirements is your battery must be strapped down and then you know you are REALLY going to have fun when you find out your car comes that way.
ReplyDeleteNext time be sure to do this on "Take Your Daughter to Work Day!"