| Do you enjoy watching NASCAR races? If you | | | | participate in one of these programs, and there are |
| answered yes to this question, then ask yourself | | | | several "driving experiences" to choose from. |
| another one, would you like to ride in or drive a | | | | There is the Rookie Experience in which 16 people |
| NASCAR vehicle? If you answered yes to this | | | | take part in a three hour class. There is the King's |
| question, then consider trying the Richard Petty | | | | Experience with eight people in a three hour class, |
| Driving Experience at Disney World or at over 20 | | | | and in the Experience of a Lifetime you are in a class |
| other locations in the USA. | | | | with only five people. In the Racing Experience there |
| The enterprise has its roots in the late 1980s but it | | | | are only 12 people in a full day class. |
| started to take its present shape in 1994 when the | | | | So what's it like to take part in this? Well, you start |
| company known as the Richard Petty Driving | | | | off by getting into a special driving suit and helmet. |
| Experience (RPDE) was formed with a hand-full of | | | | You watch a video and then enter a van that takes |
| cars, a small shop and an office in Concord, North | | | | you out on the track so that you can learn about the |
| Carolina. | | | | track signage. Someone on the tower gives hand |
| The thrill of riding in fast NASCAR cars has really | | | | signals. In the King's Experience you drive eight laps |
| caught on since then and by last year the RPDE was | | | | and then go off the track to get a review of what |
| run on 27 tracks nationwide with over 1, 168 track | | | | you need to correct or change. This review takes |
| days. | | | | place in the car and then you go out again for ten |
| They offer two basic programs, as well as several | | | | laps. |
| variations on them. There is the ride-along experience | | | | While driving on the course you follow a pace car. |
| in which you get to experience the thrill of racing by | | | | The pace car let you know about the turns, banking |
| riding "shotgun" in a two-seat NASCAR style stock | | | | straight stretches of the course, and the pace car |
| car driven by one of their professional drivers. It is a | | | | drives as fast as you can follow. It is not uncommon |
| three lap qualifying run and you will experience | | | | for the fastest driver in a class to reach speeds of |
| speeds up to 165 MPH. The ride-along program is | | | | over 120 MPH. |
| offered at over 20 locations around the country. | | | | If this sounds like fun to you, and for many people it |
| For the more adventurous NASCAR or fast driving | | | | is definitely the "Experience of a Lifetime" then check |
| enthusiasts they offer the Driving Experiences where | | | | this out. It will be a thrill, but not a cheap thrill. For |
| you take command of the wheel and experience the | | | | example the Rookie Experience around $450 while a |
| thrill of racing first hand. You have to be able to drive | | | | ride along experience starts at around $60. |
| a car with a manual transmission in order to | | | | |