I know alot of ya`ll here on LS1Tech don`t like stock car racing but I am a fan of all racing. I won a saftey award at work and I get to fly out to Atlanta on Thurs. at noon and drive on Fri. The cars cut off at 150 mph at the Atlanta track so there is not going to be alot of skill involved just floor it and turn. I`ve done some research and most only hit 142 to 147 mph in the 600 hp cars. So my goal is to hit the 150 mph limit, but to do so I`ll need to enter the corners and exit the corners just right to not scrub off speed and keep my momentom going. Has anyone on Tech ever done the Petty Experience? If so what track and give me some tips because I`ve never did the oval track thing. I`m actually looking forward to it and it seems like alot of fun. It`s all free so that makes it even better. I get back Fri. night so I`ll post up on how it was. I`ve taken turns on 610 at 100 mph and I`ve had my car up to 160 mph, but I sure as hell didn`t want to turn or even change lanes at 160 mph. What even makes it better is that I`m staying at the Hilton in Atlanta and I know they have a bar. I`ll talk at you fellas around midnight on Fri.
Later

 

Thats really cool. Please post up about it when you get back. Congrats Brother.

Coach

 

Congrats Al! That sounds like a helluva lot of fun.


-Mike

 

you lucky SOB!! that's great!!

 

I instruct at Texas Motor Speedway with the Texas Driving Experience (www.texasdrivingexperience.com)

You are an instructor's worst nightmare.

At 150mph, those concrete walls come up damed fast and the initial reaction is to lift. Wrong! Lifting unloads the back end and will cause the rear to tag the wall.

And if you have the "Oh Well, it ain't my ****" attitude, you had better read the fine print on that waiver you sign.

Not only are you personally and financially responsible for the car, also any damage to track facilities and any medical needs any of the support staff might need.

While track marshal, I had a Vette spin off track and nail a golf cart a corner worker used to get to his station. The guy's car was screwed up. But, the track official came up to him and asked if he would be paying for the golf cart with cash, check or credit card. He told the guy to **** off. Security came and impounded his car. Just before they had the roll back there to tow it, he gave them a credit card number.

You aren't dealing with lightweights, here.

I get students who show up with your exact attitude. Consequently, they put themselves, the instructor and the 6 other cars on the track in danger.

I have reached over and hit the kill switch and ended the student's experience because they wouldn't listen or pay attention to what they were doing. It was as if they were on a thrill ride like at some amusement park.

Well, it's not. It's freaking intense and takes tremendous skill to "just turn left".

Hitting your marks and understanding what you are feeling in the seat of your pants is a learned trait over time. It can't be done watching SpeedChannel or playing GT4.

The reaction to the learned feelings is what seperates the hacks from drivers.

If you will go into this experience without an ego, leave the macho fast time of the day bullshit outside the track somewhere and go at it with an open mind and paying attention to your instructor, you will learn a lot about car control and have the time of your life.

If you have any specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them off line.

Good luck, have fun, be safe.

 

how much is the school in texas? Are there any group discounts? If so how large does the group have to be? thanks curtis

 

Well said!!!

 

I'm an instructor, not in sales. So I can't answer those questions.

Texas Driving Experience is a road racing type school.

Team Texas Driving School is the Oval school.

 

Which class would you recommend for a first timer?

 

Depends on what you want to do.

One is road course and the other is oval.

 

Sounds like fun AL!! Have a good one and be safe.....

make sure to let us know how it goes...

Where's Lil AL????

 

I did the Team Texas Driving School at the Texas Motor speedway. It was BY FAR the best birthday present I've recieved. Just pay attention to the instructors, hit your marks and you will have a blast! You will be surprised on how fast you will go with the slicks and banked turns. You might be able to get a video of your in-car driving, pictures, etc, depending on how Atlanta does it all, I don't see why not.

 

Listen to mitchntx. Good points.

I've taken a Panoz "bring your own car" class at TMS. Had a great time, good/fun LEARNING experience.

100 - 160 on public roads

Learn at the track and save it for the track.

 

I know Al and don't think he meant it the way you took it! I think everyone expects to be able to go to an event such as this and have a good time, go as fast as thier skill level will let them, and part of that is not hurting personel or equipment IMO. I know reguardless of the experience that we street guys have most of us don't have that big of an ego not to listen to what the instructors have to say I know Al will do good and listen to everyword the instructors have to say. Have a good time Al!
Jeff

 

I hope so.

Realize, that if I had said nothing and Al went into this thing with the wrong attitude, his experience wouldn't be as rewarding.

I want him to get the most he possibly can from this opputunity. It's all up to him, though. As an instructor, I can (and have) kicked students and drivers off the track. an instructor has that authority.

I think it's better that anyone going into one of these things, be armed with as much information as they can.

If I came across harsh ... well, that's the way I intended it.

 

Hey guys got back in last night around 11:00 and lets just say I had a blast. It was the most fun I`ve had in years. When we got there we turned in our paper work and got our racing suits on and sat down to watch a video and listen to the instrustors introduce themselves and broke up in to groups. We took a van ride around the track with a instructor and he explained every let of point and accel. points as well as marks to hit. The instructors were suprisingly super nice, very professional people taht answered all the questions we had. Next we took pictures and off to do a ride along with a professional driver at about 165 mph. Talk about insane I can`t imagine going into the corner at about 200 like the cup guys do at Atlanta. Next we did or first 8 of 18 laps. They told us to keep a distance of 3 to 5 car lengths no more no less. They put you in the car and a instructor pulls in front of you to give you a example of about how far you should follow. A inrtructor gives you some final tips and answeres any questions you have and then tells you to go get him. Talk about fun. Got on the track and had a blast. I got waived off about 4 times to back off a bit but by the last 3 laps I was starting to get a feel of the car. The instructor told me that when you get going fast 3 to 5 car legnts looks like your right on his bumper so I think thats what I did wrong. So for my next 10 laps I knew about how far back to stay from the instructors car. My first 8 laps were around 122 mph. We have a meeting with the instructors befor we do our last 10 laps and he tells us that this time he wants everyone to get waived off at least 2 times but no more than 4 or we would be meeting in the parking lot after the session was over. Well on the last 10 I stayed back and got my 2 waive offs and we went faster this time. I didn`t hit the 150 mph like I wanted but I went 138. And the cars don`t have a cut off on them, they will go alot faster than 165 on the Atlanta track, but depending on what package you get and how the instructor feels how your doing is how fast you go. There was a group there that got the 30 lap program and a instructor told us that they will be doing about 165 when the program was over. I had a hell of alot of fun and I would do it again in a heart beat. A buddy of mine plans to take his Dad to the Texas track soon and I`m going to try to make it up there with them. For here on out my Birthday and Christmas presents I`m requesting gift cirtificates for the Richard Petty Driving School.

 

thats bad ***! How much is it to do this?

 

left nut, and a moser 12 bolt

 

hahaha, i thought so.

 

The ride along (I think it`s 3 laps) is 98 bucks and the King Experience is 799. It`s amazing how the cars handle. You gotta turn a bit to the right just so they go straight. www.1800bepetty.com