Eddie's Petty Driving Experience

[14-H]

Well yesterday at Chicagoland Speedway, I got my first chance to ride in and then drive a NASCAR Cup Series Car. The first trip around the track was as a passenger being driven by an instructor in the #8 car. We circled the track at around 160 mph. After that, I got a chance to drive the #29 my self. What a blast!

Attached are a couple of photos.

[Matt Dagostino]

Ed

You are the man......Where did you put the car seat for the baby??

Matt

[MGallagher]

After my first time in one of those I gained even more respect for what those Cup drivers do every weekend. Now I am addicted to League Sim Racing online every Tues. and Thurs. night.

[Composite Specialties]

Charlotte

I have done this twice at Lowes speedway in Charlotte. First time was at night, second time was during the day. Under the lights was the best of all, 8 laps following the pace car as fast as you want to go. I would recommend this to anyone that likes to go fast, real fast.

[ricochet112]

1999 Walt Disney World Speedway

I won an Experience in a drawing by one of my distributors. I WILL go again, this time for 16 laps! The only one faster in our group was a guy who drove a RPDE car before, he did about 129. Anyone who thinks a NASCAR driver isn't an athlete needs to drive one

[14-H]

Who Wants Ta Go Fast???

That's the first thing they ask you at the driver's meeting. Ed.

[annahearn]

Eddie looked awesome behind the wheel

Both Isabella and I were there. We were behind the pit wall. Isabella was yelling "Go, Daddy, Go, Go, Go." Today, Isabella was saying "Daddy go car fast." Ed's top speed was 135, which was the last lap. Great job!

[14-H]

My Lap Times

Here they are:

[Joel Kiddy]

That had to be fun. To bad it goes aginst your thinking of asphalt racing.

[Jack Stotts]

Ed, I think you are a prime candidate to go Mach 2. Actually you probably have more of a sense of speed at 135 in the car. Oh well. Jack

[14-H]

That had to be fun. To bad it goes aginst your thinking of asphalt racing.

Joel: Here's the dialog with the instructor and myself (as best I can recall). You be the judge.

Instructor: Are you excited?

Eddie: Yep!

Instructor: Are you nervous?

Eddie: Not really.

Instructor: Liar!

Eddie: No, really, I race boats, so I have gone fast before.

Instructor: What type?

Eddie: Open cockpit runabouts and hydroplanes.

Intructor: You're nuts!

Eddie: So are you!


LOL.

[14-H]

The rules

During the driver's meeting and through out the whole thing, really, they remind you that if you spin your tires coming out of the pits you get a Stop And Go Penalty.

S&G Penalty defined: They STOP you and you GO HOME!

If anyone decides to do this, I highly recommend getting the ride along and do that before your drive. You'll get to experience the track before your turn.

Cost is $99.00 for the ride and $350.00 for the drive (well-worth giving up one prop for this much fun). Put this on your Christmas wish list. You spend about 3 hours at the track for the whole thing. Loads of fun for the Speed Freak. Ed.

[ricochet112]

I'm Jealous

I plan on going to Fontana to drive on California Speedway. I'd love to do a cookie cutter track (1.5 mile), the 1 mile was fun, being a tri-oval and a max of 10 degree banking in turn 1. But, to be able to stretch your legs on a larger track , it's all about speed baby

We were never threatened ejection, (much) but they said if we had any problems with the car lurching on take off to try second gear. Man I felt like I never drove a clutch before, almost stalled it, then lurched hard three times, finally remembering the instructor said to shift into second, did that, hard into the accelerator, snapped my head back into the head rest and off we go. Just driving around the track wouldn't be too hard, but you had to follow the pace car very proficiently, get out of his draft, follow too close or lag behind and they slowed you down. If you keep in line and follow them correctly, the pace car keeps picking it up. I'm still amazed that anyone with a valid drivers license and a VISA card can use one of these cars, I'm surprised they don't get wrecked more. I guess if one signs up for something like this, they have a little confidence (competence) behind the wheel.

Talladega, this Sunday the fastest track in all of NASCAR (kinda like Lake Lawrence).

[Joe J]

A couple of years ago we went to the track at Las Vegas and did the driving experience. If I remember correctly, our top speeds were around 144mph.

I remember them asking at the driver's meeting if anyone had racing experience. We raised our hands, and when they asked us and we said outboard hydroplanes, everyone in the room looked at us like we were crazy.......

Joe

[annahearn]

Isabella is a true Hearn

Eddie's (and my) 20 month old daughter, Isabella said "Nascar" yesterday to grandma. She is definitely her daddy's kid and a true Hearn. Anna