GM Mechanic Busted for Street Racing in Customer's Corvette
Alex Healey
· 3 min read
The 2021 Chevy Corvette Stingray is a beast of a sports car. Boasting nearly 500 hp and 470 ft-lb torque, it can get from 0-60 in under three seconds and has a top speed of 194 mph.
With performance specs like this it must be tempting to let it rip when you get behind the wheel.
Unfortunately for one mechanic, after the owner of a 2021 C8 Stingray had dropped it off for a routine
car repair
, this temptation proved too much to bear.The GM tech was busted by the car’s own data recorder, which revealed him street racing the Corvette along a busy stretch of California highway, clocking top speeds of 148 mph!
While the mechanic has lost his job and has more to worry about than a
speeding ticket
, there is a happy ending for the owner of the car.
Background to the story
As described in a recent blog post on
GM Authority
, the owner brought their brand new Corvette to a Chevrolet dealer in Fremont, CA, to fix a minor engine issue.The dealer tech quickly diagnosed a loose spark plug, which is an easy and relatively inexpensive fix.
Following a painless repair job, the mechanic set out for a test drive to validate his work. This is completely normal, and he could even be excused for a few additional revs to ensure the engine was working as intended.
The test drive started off just fine, but quickly escalated once a Dodge Charger appeared and the mechanic engaged in a spontaneous street race!
In the footage, both drivers can be seen weaving in and out of traffic at dangerously high speeds, showing little regard for their own safety, or that of fellow motorists.
At one point, the Corvette is traveling at 150 mph. To be clear, this is not an acceptable way to test the powertrain!
MORE: Joe Biden Was Hesitant To Give Up Driving His Beloved Corvette
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Busted by the Corvette’s built-in camera
The Corvette Stingray features a General Motors technology called a Performance Data Recorder (PDR). It enables users to record high-definition video of the driver’s point of view through the windshield.
Unfortunately for the mechanic, the PDR was activated during his test drive, recording the entire joyride in glorious HD.
The owner of the Corvette watched the footage back, all 17 and half minutes of it, before contacting the police to report
dangerous driving
, posting the footage to social media, and contacting the GM dealership to complain.A happy ending for the owner
MORE: Chevy Teased the 2023 Corvette Z06 and Fans Are Already Drooling
While the dealer tech was fired, and will likely face criminal charges, the owner of the Corvette enjoyed a happier ending.
Autoblog
reports he will trade in his car for a 2022 Corvette, all at the dealer’s expense.The dealer was amenable to such a conclusion, as used Corvettes are selling for almost as much as new ones, and the owner is delighted with his free upgrade too.
