GGB
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2010
- Messages
- 479
- Location
- Kansas
- Tractor
- John Deere 2032R, John Deere Z930M, John Deere 455, John Deere XUV825i w/Deluxe Cab & Roll Down Windows, Snow Blade
My Bride gave me a Richard Petty Driving Experience for Christmas a few years ago. It was terrific! I only wish they'd had the video when I did my drive at Kansas Speedway, but this video was a good reminder.
Let me tell you that it's not as easy as it may look if you've never done it. A friend of mine did it at Las Vegas before me, and warned me that it isn't easy forcing yourself to drive into the corners at speed. He was right. Your natural instinct is to stay away, which is why it's easy to turn too soon. I also had the same issue for a lap or two as in the video, because I also wasn't keeping the car high enough coming out of the turns. Again, until you get some comfort, your inclination is to get away from the wall.
The instructor in the video did a good job. Let me tell you that I was impressed with how they handled taking people off the street, most of whom have never been that fast in any vehicle, and keep them safe. When you are driving, you want all the input from them that you can get!
If you get the chance to do a drive like this, it will give you a whole new respect for the professionals. It's pretty easy to slip into the thought that it must be easy, because they make it look that way when you're safely at home watching it on TV.
A few months after I had my drive, I had the opportunity to take the family to the track for a lap in our Suburban-my Bride, my my MIL, BIL, SIL, and our two nephews and our neice. We never went over 55mph, and while we were supposed to follow the car in front which was in the center of the track, I cheated a little and pulled the Suburban over to about 5 feet off the wall on the backstretch. From the reaction from the family, you'd have thought we were going to punch through the wall! It's just hard to explain unless you've done it......At least that time, we did have a video camera rolling, and it's one of the best family memories we have!
If you get the chance, do it!
Let me tell you that it's not as easy as it may look if you've never done it. A friend of mine did it at Las Vegas before me, and warned me that it isn't easy forcing yourself to drive into the corners at speed. He was right. Your natural instinct is to stay away, which is why it's easy to turn too soon. I also had the same issue for a lap or two as in the video, because I also wasn't keeping the car high enough coming out of the turns. Again, until you get some comfort, your inclination is to get away from the wall.
The instructor in the video did a good job. Let me tell you that I was impressed with how they handled taking people off the street, most of whom have never been that fast in any vehicle, and keep them safe. When you are driving, you want all the input from them that you can get!
If you get the chance to do a drive like this, it will give you a whole new respect for the professionals. It's pretty easy to slip into the thought that it must be easy, because they make it look that way when you're safely at home watching it on TV.
A few months after I had my drive, I had the opportunity to take the family to the track for a lap in our Suburban-my Bride, my my MIL, BIL, SIL, and our two nephews and our neice. We never went over 55mph, and while we were supposed to follow the car in front which was in the center of the track, I cheated a little and pulled the Suburban over to about 5 feet off the wall on the backstretch. From the reaction from the family, you'd have thought we were going to punch through the wall! It's just hard to explain unless you've done it......At least that time, we did have a video camera rolling, and it's one of the best family memories we have!
If you get the chance, do it!
