Yeah, I know. A NASCAR racecar isn't an aircraft. But riding in one is closer to riding in an aircraft than it is to riding in a "normal" car, so I am including it here!
I've been to a few NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and Busch Series races at nearby Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), and a week ago my racing pal Denise and I returned to the track. Not to watch a race this time, but to snag passenger rides with the Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE). They offer driving schools with their NASCAR-style stock cars (slightly modified by adding a passenger seat). They also offer the "ridealong" for those who just want to see what it feels like to ride the track in a racecar. Of course we took our cameras, but we were not allowed to take them on the rides, so the only photos I have to share are from before and after (plus a video Denise took of my ride).
The RPDE cars are painted to resemble various popular NEXTEL Cup Series cars. Our car resembled Ryan Newman's number 12 Dodge Charger, and others in use included crowd favorites such as the number 8, 01, and 20 cars. Denise and I rode in the same car, me first and her next.
In preparation for your ride you put on a fire suit and a large, heavy helmet. A crew member fits you with a HANS (Head and Neck Support) device. It is difficult to get into the car wearing the helmet and HANS device, because you can't turn your neck or move your head very much at all. Stepping in through the window opening was easy enough, but getting my head inside was comical. Bump, bump, bump -- finally I slid inside! Once down in the low seat, my driver Chris and the crew member fastened my five-point harness, and they snug it up tight. I felt like I was bolted into the car -- especially since I couldn't turn my head to look at my driver while we were chatting.
Once the cargo (um, that would be me) was secured, Chris fired the engine and the V-8 roared. He takes off and the acceleration is awesome. Before we even leave pit road I was thinking "Oh geez, we are going way too fast!" He turned onto the track and sped up even more. The ridealong is a three-lap event. With no traffic and clean air, Chris was able to stick the preferred groove all the way around. The straightaways were fun and very fast -- about 165 mph top speed on the front stretch, just a few feet away from the wall! But the turns were the amazing part. When you dive into a corner you're pushed to the right, but because of the incline of the track, you're also slammed down into the seat with a surprising amount of force. With the turns at TMS banked 24 degrees, the effect is very much like making a hard, climbing turn in a high-performance aircraft! I have a whole new level of respect for what the drivers go through during each race.
Here's video Denise shot of my ridealong. I'm in the lead car of the three seen here on the front stretch.
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I was about halfway through my ride before I reminded myself to breathe. I was so tensed up against the physical force, that I was holding my breath. In the turns it seemed almost certain (to me) that the back end was going to break loose and we would hit the wall. But those big Goodyears have a tremendous amount of grip, and we kept going through those turns at higher speeds than I would have guessed possible.
Here's Denise being fitted for her helmet, crossing the start/finish line at about 150mph (still accelerating down the straightaway), and smiling after her ride!
This was a really cool experience that I recommend to any racing fan. I may go back another time and actually *gulp* take one of the driving schools, if I can get up the nerve! And I extend my thanks to Chris and all the friendly RPDE crew that made this such fun. An added bonus was driving my car through the tunnel to the infield, parking in the garage area, and seeing the speedway from a different perspective. It was fun to look back at the tunnel, and see the Sunoco pumps and victory lane up close. All in all, a great day for a pair of NASCAR fans!
