Richard Petty Driving Experience?

[Girlie Goofy]

Has anyone ever done the Richard Petty Driving experience? Was ir worth the time or money? If you're a racing fanatic, does this fulfill your dreams of driving a race car? Thanks for any imput on this topic.

[cleo]

We just did this in May and it was a very cool experience! Not being racing fanatics, it did seem a little pricey but even so we knew it was a once in a lifetime thing so it was definitely worth it. If you're a huge fan, it's probably even better.

The single thing DH said he wished was different (with the Rookie Experience) was that you have to follow a pace car and you can't get up over 125 mph. He reached that fairly easily and wished he could have gone faster. Only he and one other person went that fast though, so I guess it depends on your comfort level.

Be sure to take a video camera if anyone's going to be watching rather than participating. We have some excellent video (and tons of great pics), which are a thrill to show to friends and family.

I vote for trying it. The guys who do the training were excellent and the whole experience was really a lot of fun.

[markºoº]

I did RPDE at Charlotte a few years ago and it was a blast. Charlotte is a bigger track and we got to go about 145mph. Even though we had to follow the pace car, it was still a blast.

My concern was with the pace car. They send 2 cars out behind the pace car and the pace car will only go as fast as the car immediately behind it. Some people do get nervous and never get up to full speed. If that happens, to the car behind the pace car, the other driver is stuck behind the slow car. At Charlotte, I swear one guy must have puttered around the track at 60mph. fortunately, he was the 2nd car behind the pace car and the pace car took off with the other car and left him to go around by himself.

If you want to be real brave and start to push the your limit, try Buck Baker Racing School. No pace cars are used and you are allowed to pass (with help of the flagman) slower cars. Also RPDE cars are mechanically limited to keep speed down while Buck Baker has not limits. They run in Atlanta, Bristol (TN), Darlington (SC), and Rockingham (NC). www.buckbacker.com

[Girlie Goofy]

Thank you for answering my questions! The information is great, and I think we're going to try it. Sounds like the memories will be well worth the money!

[cathyz]

DH has done the Rookie Exp. 2X and I just got him the Exp. of a Lifetime for our T-day trip. He is very hard to impress and he was really unsure of doing this at 1st. But, he really loved it. He shows his pictures and certificate with great pride to all of the guys. His only complaint was that the "rookie" was too short. Well, this "lifetime" thing best be long enough!! LOL If my DH showed that much enthusiasm about it, I'm sure that most "daredevil" men would really enjoy it.

[padams]

DSs and I gave the Richard Petty driving experince to DH for Father's Day on our WDW trip last month. DH now thinks I am the greatest wife in the world for arranging his rookie experience.;) He loved it, and now wants to drive at the other Richard Petty locations around the US.:rolleyes:

[JC Butterfly]

Based on all the cool reviews I'm hearing of this place, I think I might want to surprise my fiance on our honeymoon and get the rookie experience for him.

What did you spouses do while your husband was "in training"? I wouldn't want to miss his big moment on the track, would I know an exact time to return?

Is there Disney transportation that will take me to the driving experience or would I need my own car?

Thanks,

Brenda

[kilee]

bump-- because I'd like to know the answers to you last question.

[JLS]

Do you have to know how to drive a stick shift to participate in this experience?

Also - has anyone just done the ride-along experience and how did they enjoy that?

Thanks!

[JC Butterfly]

anyone?

[Shells9]

DH did this, and loved it. I did ride along and loved it. With ride along, often times there will be two cars on the track and the drivers will "play" so you get the feel of interaction with another vehicle.

It is VERY family-friendly!

[JC Butterfly]

If my husband does the rookie experience, can I "ride along" with him?

[Tiger Fan]

My dad would love to do this on our upcoming trip, but he's a large man (6'3", 300lbs). Does anyone know if he would be able to fit in the car? Thanks.
Lisa

[chrissyk]

My DH did the rookie experience last may and loved it!

There is about one and a half hours of training involving watching a short movie and a tour of the track in a van before they put you in a car. I don't think there is transportation directly to the track, but you could probably walk from the ttc or the poly. The other spouses/friends happened to show up about the time they went on the track.

You MUST know how to drive a standard in order to participate. The cars only have one seat, so you cannot ride along with him (I'm sure they wouldn't let you do it even if they had two seats). They will be happy to sell you the ride along, though! I believe that they offered a discount on the ride along to family members waiting.

There are no doors on the car, so if you husband can climb through the driver's window on the family car, he should be able drive the car. There isn't really anything in the cars, so once inside he should be fine.

Have fun!
Chrissy

[caveat lector]

I'm 6' and 255 lbs (powerlifter) and they have no problem finding me a racing suit. Fitting throught the window was tight, but easily done.

You do run through the gears getting up to speed. However, once there, no more shifting is required. They instruct you to lift off the gas when entering pit row. From there you push in the clutch and drift to a stop.

AWESOME experience (but very pricey)

[markºoº]

You MUST be able to use a stick shift. Using the clutch and getting the car started is the hardest part. The clutch in my car was unlike anything in a car-it was really hard. I saw several rookies stall the car on pit road. Once moving however, shifting up to speed was easy.

As for size, my Dad is 6'4" and probably 250. He has done a ride along and it was tough for him to get in and out of the car. Unless they have changed, the window opening is not that large. The seats are somewhat form fitting. However, they do have different sized seats for the drivers so they can match the best seat for each driver. The tighter you are in the seat the safer you are.

I've done 2 different driving programs and they are a blast. My wife said she never saw me so excited.

[welovedis]

A couple of ??s about the ride-along;
My DH is hearing impaired, wears hearing aids and reads lips. He had been interested in doing the driving but doesn't know how to drive a stick so he said maybe he would just do the ride-along. If you ride along do you have to wear a helmet? Also, does the driver of the car talk alot about the experience or does he just drive?

I think DH would enjoy it, but for what it costs if the driver talks exclusively while inside the car driving and DH has to wear a helmet, then he just won't get the same enjoyment/understanding of things.

TIA!

[markºoº]

When my Dad did the ride along, there was basically no communication. And yes, you do have to wear a helmet although they were not making them wear fire suits. Only if you drive did you need to wear a suit.

I've done a different school where I drove with an instructor riding along. It is very loud in the car and hard to communicate - the instructor would just grab the wheel and tug on it. What little communication we had was done by screaming at each other. It was quite the experience, especially when he was tugging the wheel to get me CLOSER to the wall!

[TiggerInNY]

Hi everyone,

We're going a month after our 10th Anniversary. My DH is an avid race fan....#88 Dale Jarrett, he rides the UPS truck (hahaha). Anyway, for all you guys who have done either the Ride-Along or the Rookie experience, do you think he would enjoy driving himself and do you think the Ride-along would do the trick? It's quite a bit of a difference in price. The ride-along is $89 and the rookie is $349.

Also, I have 2 small sons and I would love to watch him, do they tell you when to come back to watch him race? I don't think my little ones will stay for 3 hours (if he does the rookie experience).

Please let me know.

Thanks.

TTFN,
Maria

[markºoº]

I though DJ was driving the truck this year...but seriously, that is a tough questions.

I've done both and they are very different experiences. You get to go fast in the ride along (usually faster than the rookei experience) and that is an exciting experience. However, it is an entirely different feeling when you are in control. There is just something about getting to mash the gas coming out of the corner.

I did the ride along as part of another school where they drive first and you ride along, then you switch seat and drive with instructor riding and then finally you drive on your own. I enjoyed drving the car MUCH more than just riding.

[TiggerInNY]

I guess the decision will be made by how much moola I can accumulate by then. hahaha Seriously, I am going to try to go for the rookie experience. I think he would go nuts.

For his 40th B-day, we went to the Daytona. That was 3 years ago...the year that Earnhardt died. I don't think I could top that one. That was pretty incredible.

Thanks for your advice.

TTFN,
Maria

[danicaw]

Hubby did the Rookie Exp. last Sept. And loved it. We aren't big race fans, but its something he has been wanting to do for years now. It worked out to be a birthday present.
I went with and watched. The time flew by for me. During the class portion I sat in the back and read a book. The instructor teased me a bit for being so lively, reading my book. When the class went outside to get suited up and learn about the cars they would be driving, I followed to a bleacher area (covered). This is where I sat for the remainder of the experience - took lots of pictures rode around the track in a van after the class did and just watched.

Hubby had a blast. The pictures turned out great and I am soo glad he got the chance to do it. He commented afterwards that 8 laps is enough time to get the feel for it, another 8 would be great. He was given that option, but decided to quit while he was ahead - leave on a high.
Go for it. Both drivers and watchers will have fun.

[Ratpack]

I would say do both the ride along and the driving. The driving would be fun because you are at the wheel, and the ride along gets you closer to the real thing. Here in Charlotte, the ride along gets you close to 160+ mph or at least it did a few years ago. Also, on the ride along, you are next to the wall and you can see just how close they do come to it!!!

[Tulip]

This definately sounds like something I'll have to look into for DH's next birthday. :)