Watch Colin Powell and Joe Biden drag race their Corvettes during the 2016 presidential campaign

Remembrances poured in for former Joint Chiefs chairman and Secretary of State Colin Powell after his death Monday morning, including from President Biden. The president called Powell "a good man" and a "a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity" who "will be remembered as one of our great Americans." But "above all," Biden said, "Colin was my friend. Easy to share a laugh with. A trusted confidant in good and hard times. He could drive his Corvette Stingray like nobody's business — something I learned firsthand on the race track when I was vice president."

Jay Leno convinced the Secret Service to let Biden drive his 1967 Corvette Stingray in 2016, when Biden was still vice president, for his show Leno's Garage. In the show, Biden — who admitted he likes "speed" — was overtaken by a 2015 Corvette. "I wonder who that cowboy is?" Biden asked. "Where were you?" Powell ribbed Biden when he pulled up beside him. "I kept looking in the mirror and I didn't see you." Before they raced each other, Powell added, "Try to keep up as best you can, Mr. Vice President."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.