GT350H

Just got back from Kentucky Speedway - did the "King's Experience" level of the Richard Petty Driving Experience (used my American Express points!). What a blast. After getting fitted for driving suit and helmet and about a 30 minute safety/mechanical class (some people have actually lied and got into the cars not knowing how to drive a 4 speed), we were strapped in to real NASCAR stock cars (a mixture of older Sprint Cup cars and a few new Car of Tomorrow versions). Mine was actually a Ch*vy Monte Carlo with Navy sponsorship. Had to wear the HANS device which really limits your peripheral vision as you only have a few degrees available to turn your head from side to side.

After verifying you have brake pedal pressure, the car is fired up and you roll out of pit lane solo, following an instructor in another car who drives the correct race line. You goal is to maintain a 3-4 car length distance behind the instructor and follow his (or her!) line precisely - the better you follow the line the faster they will let you go. While during the orientation, we were told that there were cones entering the banked (14 degree) turns showing where we should let off the throttle, by about the 2nd lap this became unnecessary as the instructors apparently were not doing so - in order to maintain the following distance you had to keep it to the floor all the way around the track!

The first session was 9 laps (1.5 mile speedway). Afterwards, a data log was used by the instructors to give feedback and advice for the next 9 lap session. I had no corrections to make, and in the second session hit a max speed of 144 mph, leaving me with a podium (3rd) finish among the day's group.

The faster you go the more steering input is required in the turns as the cars wants to go toward the wall due to the centrifugal force. Even with power steering I can see how tiring running 400-500 laps would be - no wonder Mark Martin has a daily workout routine!

The Experience is coming to Talladega in August - you can get a ride along (3 laps) for about $100 - or do a Rookie, King, or Racing experience - not cheap, but definitely worth it to do at least once - run your car and house payment through your AMEX card and start racking up those points!