Anyone here ever done this program?

[Dave_G]

I was invited to do this with some friends and was wondering if anyone here has been throuh this program and what was their experience like. Were doing the "Rookie Experience" at Fontana's speedway.

http://www.1800bepetty.com/

Just curious how it all went for you....

[NIKAL]

I have not but a guy who goes with us to the Fontana races every year won a Petty Driving Experieance on a fishing tournament. I'm not sure but I think his package was the "Rookie". His package was a class room session, ride along with the instructor to learn the track and see the braking points and then he got to drive one of the Petty race cars. I dont know how many laps he was able to do. He said it was a great experience but he did not know if he would pay to do it again. I think he said his prize package was around $500. He said it was fun and a good experience. Oh and he thinks his wife either tipped off the guy's at the school or she paid them because he ended up in Jeff Gordon car and he hates Jeff Gordon. That's his wifes favorite driver. So now he has a picture at home of him sitting inside a Jiffy car. LOL!

This last race at Fontana they had people walking around in the infeild on Friday night with cards to do the ride a long. The regular price was around $135 or $150 and they were offering a deal for that weekend at $100. I think you got like 3-4 laps. If they come around again at the night race later this year I might do it. I did not have an extra $100 to blow this last time.

[FlyHiFlyLo]

I did it, It was fun.I was fastest out of all 21 in the class and even that was only 144.4MPH. You do get in the car by yourself and have full control. They make you follow another race car with an instructor in it. I have a buddy that did it in Vegas and he passed the instructor... He hauled butt and got booted... LOL I think if I was to do it again what the hell I might just take off and do a buck seventy.

[dezertdude]

I did it and it was one of the most fun things Ive ever done! My Dad went with and hes not a motorsports guy at all but even he had a blast. The cars are amazing, they pull some g's in the turns and its definitly a rush. I've never driven anything with that much power before....

I did 8 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. My fast lap was 139.? and thats fast enough for me on a 1 mile oval!!!!

Definitly fun. Let us know how it goes!

[ML Racer]

I've been to Fontucky with www.drivetech.com and did the "Taste od Speed" package and I did the Richard Petty Experience at Las Vegas. I liked Drive Tech better because you were out on the track racing other drivers doing your own thing. The "Taste of Speed" limits you to I think it was 132mph (rev-limiter) but if you want to spend more, they'll crank up the rev-limiter!!

[dezracer9]

i did the petty one at fontana. it was a promotion they had for the top 20 gm parts managers in the inland empire probably six years ago. my fastest lap was 148.?? it was a blast but im pretty sure i wouldnt pay to do it. the beginner package is like $495 i think and the part that i didnt think was cool was you get 8 laps--your initial lap and your cool down laps are counted as part of your 8. i figured you would get 8 laps at speed. the instructor that you are following will allow you to go faster each lap if he feels you are in control and follow right at 4 car lengths behind. my first lap was in the 120's and progessivly got faster each time. all in all it was a blast but quite expensive for 10 mins of a thrill ride

[Kbach66]

i did the petty one at fontana. it was a promotion they had for the top 20 gm parts managers in the inland empire probably six years ago. my fastest lap was 148.?? it was a blast but im pretty sure i wouldnt pay to do it. the beginner package is like $495 i think and the part that i didnt think was cool was you get 8 laps--your initial lap and your cool down laps are counted as part of your 8. i figured you would get 8 laps at speed. the instructor that you are following will allow you to go faster each lap if he feels you are in control and follow right at 4 car lengths behind. my first lap was in the 120's and progessivly got faster each time. all in all it was a blast but quite expensive for 10 mins of a thrill ride

That's pretty much my take on it.
My wife gave me a homeade gift certificate for it a few years ago for my B-day, or Christmas...don't remember which. I looked into it, and didn't feel it was worth the $$$$.

Another friend of mine did the Jimmy Sills Sprint Car School at Ventura fairgrounds a couple years ago.....if I ever redeem my certificate, that's what I would do. I don't know if they still do it at Ventura, or if it's only in NorCal...but for me it's worth the drive!

From what my friend described, after the classroom session, it was a couple of sessions on the track where they let you loose. No speed limits or anything. He said he figured out how to back it in pretty quick so he got some good laps, but others fought the car the whole time. I don't know about you, but I would rather drive a sprint car than a stock car.

[NicksTrix]

so dave tell us about your experience.

i did andy hillenbergs fast track at charlotte years and years ago when he was spotter for the team i worked on at the time. he invited a bunch of us down to try it.
i agree that the spring car gig sounds like a fun experience. the handfull of laps goes quick either way...

[Dave_G]

so dave tell us about your experience....

I haven't done it yet. I was just wondering if anyone else had done it and was it worth the money. $500 bucks is a big wad to blow in just three hours. I could buy a lot of AVgas for that amount of money... and go faster! ;)

[NicksTrix]

for a handfull of laps as well it's not worth it, unless you have 5 bills burning a hole in your pocket... that's just my .02