In the early days of the space program, a dollar-a-year lease deal on Corvettes was worked out for astronauts by Jim Rathmann, an Indianapolis 500 winner and Florida Chevy dealer. The row of Corvettes lined up in the parking spaces at Johnson Space Center during that era indicated the arrangement’s success. Photos of the early American space-flight pioneers show a long line of space-explorers-cum-drivers. Gus Grissom was an inveterate drag racer. Gordon Cooper famously entered the 24 Hours of Daytona, only to abandon his entry after a scolding from NASA. Allen recognizes many friends in the photos, although astronauts of his generation were decidedly more practical about their wheeled transportation; for example, when not flying fighters or the space shuttle, Allen has driven a succession of mostly Japanese cars, trucks, and vans. The Corvette deal petered out in 1971, and after a little taste at the National Corvette Museum, Allen is itching to make amends.