Richard Petty Driving Experience

[mwilson]

Just getting back from an Orlando event. While there I wound up doing the Richard Petty Ride-and-Drive experience at Daytona.

All I can say is if you ever get the chance, plop down the 550.00 fee and just do it.

It is pretty wild, I had an average speed of 162 mph. Going around banked turns that are four stories high at that speed is almost impossible to describe.

I frigin' loved it!!!!!!

 

[BarryG]

About 10 years ago one of the vendors we use sponsored a race here and I was invited to go with the owner of the sponsoring company. I had met the owner of the company before so knew him a little bit. He gave us (myself, brother in law and two contest winners) quite the experience. We got the red carpet treatment able to go in the pits, the garages, talk with all the drivers, watch the race in the catered suite, go into the restricted areas(when questioned by anyone in the restricted areas he would say I am paying for this shindig and can go anywhere I want) and I was able to ride in a pace car at the race. I had a choice of riding in it in the morning before the race started for a few laps or during the race when the pace car had to go out. The driver said before the race we would go faster than during the race, ended up going 125mph (no where near as fast as you were going) and there would be no other cars on the track or during the race obviously there would be all the race cars on the track, the stands would be full of people etc but the speed limit would be 55mph. I chose the pre race time. While 125 is fast it is not that fast. The driver was driving and talking like he was on a Sunday drive explaining the lines, the bank turns etc. I know that it doesn't compare to what you did but it was pretty cool nonetheless. I can only imagine going in a race car at 160+ at Daytona no less.

 

[JR]

Ya just gotta have more pictures than that Mike!
I was in Orlando about 6 years ago (actually Sanford) for my 150 ton and up Crane Op cert. The boss took his family down and while we were in class during the day they wandered around Disney. We stayed in a little Villa on the Boardwalk next to Epcot, and I saw an advertisement for the Petty Experience. I would have loved to have been able to make the trip up to do it but my classes spanned 5 days 10 hours each day and we left on the 6th day so no play time for me. I told the wife when we take the kids down to Disney I dont care if that's the only thing I do, I'm in.

I have to imagine they had the car detuned somewhat didn't they? Probably a measely 500 horse or so?
I used to work with a guy whose brother was a crew member on one of the Bush Car teams (when it was still the Bush Series) and he was able to get us pit passes and garage passes a few different races. The horsepower those cars run is phenomenal. Witnessing 43 cars pumping out 800 ponies running over 8500rpm on a 1/2 mile track is better then sex Oo.

 

[mwilson]

600 horse for these cars, if I remember right. It is so much to process in such a short time that I could not even remember the car number afterwards.. I know it now because it is on the pictures that I bought,,,,,,,#15.

 

[Ram4Sam]

Pretty amazing, wasn't it.......if you ever decide to do it again, there are a number of schools where you do not have to play follow the leader, they let you loose on your own.

About ten years ago, I got a part time gig with one of the bigger schools. They come to the California speedway several times a year. We kept the tires changed, strappped people in, and kept them running, stuff like that. Cool part was we didn't get paid, at the end of the day, after eveyone was gone, we got paid in laps. We would get twenty or thirty laps of driving for a days work.

Sam

 

[PMould]

try this one out mike ,Rusty Wallace Racing Experience - Pawtucket, Rhode Island ...
www.facebook.com/racewithrusty Cached
Rusty Wallace Racing Experience, Pawtucket, Rhode Island. 13,821 likes · 1,259 talking about this. The opportunity to create a personal adrenaline filled moment. they go all over the country.my buddy repairs a lot of his equipment.many engines.:-laf pete.

 

[jhenderson]

I did it years ago. Florida vacation with another couple. They wouldn't let my buddy and me on the track together. They said been there , done that, never again. We had a ball. He's got a low 10 second drag car, and said he's never had a sensation of speed like the Petty drive. My wife went for the ride along with a pro. Only wife in the class who did. When the were hauling her out of the car at the end all I could here was her hollering AGAIN! Only time I've heard her say that.

 

[speycaster]

When I was younger my wife hollered that a lot.:-laf