Recently, while visiting Las Vegas Motor Speedway, I noticed in the distance a bunch of supercars driving around a nearby track. I promised myself I would check it out when I was back in Vegas. I did just that recently.
Exotics Racing is a wonderful daytime diversion for the car nut visiting Sin City. You choose from a stable of 40 supercars, from the Lamborghini Aventador all the way “down” to a Porsche Cayman R. It’s essentially a buffet. You can do five laps in the Cayman for $199 or up to $3,499 for five laps in a combination of 13 cars. The 458 Italia (5 laps for $399) is the most popular. In addition, you can ride along with a professional drifter in a Corvette Z06. Two laps cost $99.
Before your driving experience, you can hang out under the tent where the cars are parked. Apologies for the photos I took, as the bright Vegas sun and shaded area did not result in ideal lighting conditions. You can freely sit in and poke around any of the cars, with the possible exception of the Aventador and McLaren.
Our group took a 30-minute class on driving techniques. All of the cars are equipped with paddle shifters. The point is to drive fast, but not to race each other. The cars enter the dedicated 1.2-mile, 7 turn track at a staggered rate. Every car comes with an instructor with professional racing experience (including 7-time Indy 500 driver Richie Hearn). All of the rear view mirrors face the instructor and he has an auxiliary brake pedal, just like in driver’s ed. If a car is going to pass you, the instructor will turn on the hazard lights, gently take hold of the steering wheel, and allow the faster car to pass. It is all very safe. There has never been a crash on track.
After the lesson, the participants ride two laps in a regular Porsche Cayenne or a Cayenne GTS. The purpose of this recon trip is just that– to familiarize the drivers with the lay of the land. The track is marked with various cones. Two orange cones mean you brake NOW. The green cone means start turning. The blue cone marks the apex. If you drive onto the blue stripe on either side of the track, you will be sent back to the pit for a serious talking-to.
I rode in the front seat of the Cayenne. The back was filled by three young naval officers. When we started, the driver asked if we were scared. The sailors answered “No” in unison. I admitted I was. As we sped through in the top-heavy SUV, we seriously thought we were going to tip over. The guys sitting behind me giggled like little schoolboys in the most manly way possible.
The time had come. I was scared. I was scared that I was going to crash. I was scared that I was going to make a total fool of myself. The great thing was my instructor has dealt with everybody, including novices who have never driven on a race track (like myself). He gave firm instructions and was encouraging. You felt his presence, but he was never overbearing.
The cars, by the way, are all maintained on-site by Exotics Racing’s crew. My car had about 13,000 miles.
Truthfully, I glanced at the gauge maybe twice during my stint behind the wheel. Thankfully, little red lights on the steering wheel, and my instructor, told me when to upshift.
How did I do? The car came back to the pit in one piece. Despite clear instructions, I missed a lot of turn-in points and apexes. At the end of the 1,800 foot straight, I got up to 112 mph (according to the telemetry data). I am certain a seasoned racer can reach 125 to 130 at that point. With every lap, I was able to shave seconds off my previous lap time. By the last lap, I was just a shade over the one minute mark.
I had an incredible time. Driving the 430 Scuderia can be summed up in three words– fast, loud, and hot. The roar of the 508 horsepower V8 right behind my bulbous head was almost deafening. I upshifted far before it redlined at 8500 rpm because I thought to myself– I’m hurting the engine because it’s screaming! I really can’t compare this car to anything else because I have never driven anything like it. Experience-wise, it was more exciting than my first ride as a kid in a 747, and that was a pretty big deal.
With the adrenaline barely subsided, I was thrown in a Corvette Z06, driven by professional drifter Rudy Ibanez. I was told that the ‘Vette uses two to three sets of tires every day. The ride was incredibly fun. I was thrown about the cabin like a rag doll. It was a violent experience. I salute the workers at the Bowling Green factory for how firmly they bolted that interior door handle, because I was grabbing onto it like (insert inappropriate Hollywood celebrity joke here). I wish I could entertain you with one of those screen grabs of an in-board shot of a chesty lady in the passenger seat, but I’m sure you know where to look for those. Here is a shot of me, simultaneously trying not to puke and crap in my pants.
The biggest letdown was the drive “home” in my mom’s Beetle. I had the urge to floor it in the parking lot.
After my experience, my friend and I discussed whether the experience was worth the price.* We both agreed that on a bad night (or a good night) in Vegas, one can easily lose $500 or more at a casino or nightclub. Given that perspective, a once-in-a-lifetime drive in a supercar seems well worth the money. Because this beats losing $500 at the craps table any day.
*Disclosure: Exotics Racing let me drive the Ferrari ($349 value) and ride in the Corvette ($99 value) for free.
Images source: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Jim Yu
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