Owning a British-made Aston Martin unmistakably sets a person apart. To zip it around at Le Mans just like the big boys — that’s a sensation few have known.
Austin attorney Herb Harris and his wife, Karen, joined other Aston Martin owners for two laps at Le Mans during a company-sponsored event last year. It was the week of drivers qualifying for the historic 24-hour sports car endurance race near the town of Le Mans, France.
Herb Harris was at the wheel of his 2002 Vanquish. A pace car was keeping the group at bay, going 135 miles on the 8.3-mile lap course. Karen, with vibrating camcorder inhand, was capturing the ride.
“It was intense,” she said. “I had to leverage my body to keep my balance. Herb was shifting, downshifting and taking the turns fast.”
“The ride of a lifetime,” Herb said. “We could have gone 200 miles per hour. Someone asked me what if something goes wrong. I couldn’t think of a more glorious death than a hot lap at Le Mans.”
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