My cousin Jock Buckley bought a new 1970 GTO in Mass and drove it down the coast to visit us in Maryland. With my Dad in the passenger seat and me (10 years old) in the back, he took us for a little demo spin in that maxxed-out car.

It was the first time I'd seen such power and speed, and it never left me from that day on. The car was just outrageous, and right off the assembly line.

I remind him about this nowadays, and he is very jealous of my power-punch '68 bird.