A Nascar fan I am not! But put me in a fancy sports car that costs more than I make in a year and I'm ready to race! I've always wanted to test drive a Corvette. If I had to pick any car in the world to park in my driveway it would be a shiny new Vette! There's just something about them that makes me smile with envy!
So I managed to stumble across this adventure while browsing for things to do while in Las Vegas over the weekend. Sure......it might sound like fun to rent a sports car and go cruising down Las Vegas Boulevard.....but why not splurge a little and race the damned thing around the Las Vegas Speedway at 200mph? Sign us up!!!
Dream Racing is a five-star driving experience at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway and the only one where you can get behind the wheel of a real
racing Ferrari, as well as a selection of the best exotic cars
on the market. No matter which package you choose, they promise to deliver
you a once in a lifetime exotic car racing experience. OK - WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
A key part of the driving experience is the simulator session.
The realism, enhanced by the 3D view of the track, immerses you in a
driving experience like no other. It gives you a true sense of depth and
speed around the actual Las Vegas Speedway. A personal instructor helps you to get familiar with the controls of the car like
the no clutch paddle shift and the layout of the circuit. Driving on the
simulated race track is the best way to learn it. It’s also how professional
race car drivers practice pre-race.
The track is a 1.2 mile, 9 turn road course located in the center of the
Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The average cornering speed for this course
ranges from 80 kph on the first left handed corner to 135 kph. The
Ferrari F430 GT can reach speeds up to 220 kph / 135 mph in the straight away and lateral G-Forces up to 1.6.
This challenging track is the perfect location to race on. It offers visibility of every upcoming portion of the track allowing you to improve on every lap.
So.....Jenesa and I booked a reservation for early Saturday morning to be picked up and hauled off to the Speedway. I originally planned to drive a Lamborghini Gallardo and Jenesa chose the Ferrari Scuderia. Once we arrived at the Speedway I was told I would be too tall to drive the Lamborghini with a helmet, and we would have to switch cars. No problem!
BONUS OFFER! For a little extra moolah......I was offered a deal to drive the Corvette Stingray around the track three laps as a warm-up. When the hell was I going to get this opportunity again? So I paid a few bucks to drive my dream car! Sexy doesn't begin to describe how I felt sitting in this baby!!!
135mph later.....here Lenny hit's the straightaway!!!
OK.....OK.....OK......it sure doesn't take long to finish 3.5 miles around the track in a car like this! It is definitely harder than it looks to maneuver such a car around the track at full speed. It took all of my concentration to master each turn and improve my braking/acceleration. Phew! I'm now heading back into the pit to watch the wife take out her Lamborghini!
I have to admit that Jenesa scares me even when she's behind the wheel of her Jeep Wrangler back home. Now she's sitting behind the wheel of a Lamborghini? Holy crap! I made sure we were under no liability if this car didn't make it back in one piece! Have fun, Jenesa!
OK.....my turn again!!! I was actually excited to test out the Ferrari. Even though I'm not a big "car guy" my race instructor told me the Ferrari experience would be 10x's better than the Corvette. He said the Corvette is like a tank compared to the Ferrari on the racetrack. The speed and control of the Ferrari would put the Corvette to shame! Here we go!
I have no idea how Jenesa did it since I was flying around the track at the speed of light......but she snagged a good video of me and my Ferrari on the final lap!
Well.....I'm still hoping Santa brings me a Vette for Christmas! The Ferrari was nice, but I'll never need that kind of horsepower around York, PA. Jenesa and I loved the experience. It may blow your mind what we paid for this adventure.....but what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
