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| February 04, 2009 |
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Thanks to the folks at the Richard Petty Driving Experience, I once roared around the Daytona International Speedway at 148 miles per hour behind the wheel of a 600-horsepower NASCAR-style racecar.
Was I impressed? Here’s what I wrote about it:
“The car was not a smooth, gentle thing. It was more like a wild animal, twitchy and responsive. It jolted over the bumpy track, emitting deafening roars. I found myself grinning. It was fun.
The first bank rushed towards me, a mountainside of pavement. I didn’t back off, but suddenly lagged as the incline bled off my speed. To stay up, I had to lay even harder on the throttle. The car stuck itself to the bank, transmitting every pimple on the track through my body. The wheel shuddered, a living thing. I screamed, not in fear, but in ecstasy.
I concentrated with every pore, not knowing how far I was through my session or what I had for breakfast or what my name was. The only thing I knew was trying to keep up, driving that incredible machine on that legendary track. I never saw the checkered flag that signaled our session was over. I just followed my instructor. He led me back to pit row and reality.
It was beyond unbelievable; it was beyond intense; it was beyond exciting. You could have powered New York City with my adrenalin.”
You might say I liked it.
Just thinking about the Daytona 500 (only the world’s most prestigious race), coming up on Sunday, Feb. 15, makes me shake my head in wonder. How could a driver be so skilled and have the concentration, the stamina and the sheer guts to do what I did for 500 miles with a pack of other cars swarming nearby at much higher speeds? It boggles my brain.
Of course, you should roll into town for the event. The ideal thing would be to do the Richard Petty Driving Experience and also watch the race. The folks at Richard Petty also operate out of the Disney Track. And get this! At Disney, you can also drive or ride along in an Indy Car with the Indy Car Experience.
Legendary driver Davey Hamilton took me for a spin in an Indy Car at the Disney track. I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep for a week afterward. Sometimes my job is absolutely brutal … |
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| This is the stock car I drove at the Daytona International Speedway. |
| Credit: Paul Tjaden |
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