I survived!

[Kansas Kid]

Since this year is my parents 25th anniversary, my mom bought my Dad a "rookie experience" at the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the new Kansas Speedway.  She also reserved a spot for me, but didn't pay for mine.   In this package you got to drive 8 laps around the speedway in a 600+ horsepower stock car, almost indentical to the WC cars.

So we showed up at the track at about 7:30 this morning and got signed in and suited up in a firesuit.  Then we had to go through about 1 hour of safety videos, a van ride on the track to show the right line to take, and a sesion to describe the function of everything in the car.  After all this the drivers got to go out 1 at a time following an instructor around the track.  They started you out slow, and speed up based on how they though the student was driving.

All I have to say about the driving is that it was awesome!  You can't believe how well those cars stick to the track.  For the most part you don't even have to turn the car, just some minor steering inputs to keep it on line.  The cars just want to turn left all the time.  Does a pretty good job of shoving your body to the right side of the seat too.  The banking may not look too impressive when on TV, but its pretty steep when your driving.  Afterwards they give you a print out of all your lap times and speeds.  My Dad had the fastest lap with an average speed of 136.87 mph and my fastest lap was 136.65 mph (I'll never here the end of that), and we were the two fastest in the class.  Only problem is I really want to get a dirt track car now.  :biggrin:

(Edited by Kansas Kid at 5:17 pm on Sep. 3, 2001)

[bscottb]

I know what you mean. I did the rookie experience at Charlotte last year. It was awesome. The instructors kept saying "trust the car" but you really don't until you go into the turn for the first time and you feel how well it sticks. I went 144 mph at Charlotte. I'm going back soon to do the rookie experience again, but this time in a night class.

[Kansas Kid]

I seen they offered it this at Darlington.  Kind of suprised me, but I would love to try this there.  I'd like to try a track with a bit more banking.

[DigUout]

I'm gonna put driving a stock car on my list of 20 things I want to do before I die.   Although 140MPH+ at Darlington might be the death of me!  Seriously, that sounds like an amazing experience, you two are pretty lucky -