NASCAR 10/21/07

At times we all visit auctions that our fellow Clubs have, this was a gift for me from Sandy.
Here is the story.
We attended the Darien raffle fund raiser, one of the loud auction items was a "Richard Petty NASCAR Experience"
As a NASCAR fan I thought that it would be cool to do this, however Sandy said don't you dare bid on that [we had bid on
a few things at the silent auction] so I didn't [it would keep piece in the family]. What I didn't know was that she was
bidding on it and I didn't even know it [she was sitting next to me] and she was the high bid.
We made a reservation for October 21st at the Joliet Speedway for 11AM.
We arrived early to the sound of 750 horsepower engines in the air, the excitement was building, we signed in and looked
for a bathroom [found] everything was better now. We watched as people took "ride arounds" this is where a person can ride
around the track for 3 laps with a professional driver at 165 MPH WOW!
I would be a DRIVER however.
The training is interesting and needed. They show you a film and explain that you can't "burn rubber". After that you and 9
other would be drivers hop in a Chevy van to tour the track. The tour includes such information as to when to accelerate
and when to slow, all marked by large orange rubber cones. The second time around in the van they explain the meaning
of the signal flags along with your pit speed and shift points [yes they are 4 speed stick shifts].
After putting on a fire safety suit and getting fitted for a helmut we were ready to wait around a little more.
There were the final instructions that were needed and then it was my turn.
Getting in the car was the first challenge [there are no doors you know] right leg thru the window and on the floor grab the roll bar and swing your left leg in, slide your butt towards the windshield and slip into the seat.
Next is the 5 point seat belt [I haven't had one of these on since I was racing sports cars many years ago] 5 point you say?
One over each shoulder one from each side for your legs and one up the center to keep you from sliding under the
steering wheel. There is also the HANS device [Head restraint system] it helps you keep your head on in a crash as well as
up when driving, the "G" force on turns is terrific you can't hold your head up. I start the engine, 750 HP throb under the hood just waiting to go, we have to wait for traffic to clear and then we are motioned to go. My instructor is in the car in front of me and I am in a bright metallic blue car that is Kurt Bush's #2 I accelerate up to 4,000 RPM and shift to 2nd 4,000 again and into 3rd out on to the track as we approach turn two we continue to accelerate to 7,000 RPM about 120 MPH, shift to 4th pedal to the metal, follow that car stay two to three car lengths behind at 140MPH=8 laps of the most fun you can imagine, slow to 110 then back to 140, I have a new respect for NASCAR drivers, they must have massive upper body strength. I drove 8 laps about 12 miles and the professional driver races for 500 miles,
I can't imagine the strain on the body.
This was the experience of a lifetime===I hope she gets it again!!!
Go ahead try it!!