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Being an automotive journalist comes with a lot of cool perks, chief among them access to awesome cars like the Camaro ZL1 before anybody else gets behind the wheel. But there’s an unwritten code amount auto writers when it comes to test drives, and while some people like to think they are God’s gift to road racing, most journalists know their limits when it comes to testing fast, sporty cars like the ZL1. Nobody wants to crash a test car and become “That Guy.”
Unfortunately for veteran auto journalist Aaron Gold, he turned out to be “That Guy” when he became the first person (but almost certainly not the last) to “crash” a Camaro ZL1. Aaron wrote in detail about his ZL1 experience over at About.com’s car section, and it goes to prove that even the pros can be victims of circumstance.
A brief aside; this writer has had the privilege to meet Mr. Gold in person, where he encouraged me to build a dual-engine, all-wheel drive Chrysler K-car for entry into the 24 Hours of Lemons as well as leveling some advice about how to avoid becoming blacklisted for test drives by automakers. Chief among his sagely words; don’t drive like a dick and crash the test car.
By all accounts, Mr. Gold was proceeding around Virginia International Raceway at a snail’s pace in the Camaro ZL1 test car, as the track was wet and he had no desire to wreck the ZL1. He had the car in second gear (though he admits he should have had it in third) and while coming around a corner the rear end broke loose and he went nose-first into the tire wall, resulting in the damage you see above.
Fear not though; the damage was cosmetic, and Mr. Gold wrote extensively about his experience as being “That Guy” for a day. It’s a great read, and humbling for any aspiring auto journalist as well. Mr. Gold is no newbie, so if this could happen to him, it could happen to just about any of us. We’re just glad both Gold and the ZL1 survived (mostly) unscratched to live and write/fight another day.
