Richard Petty Driving Experience...safety?

[SSR]

I think he was referring to the post about the exotic car experience.

Oh, I must have misunderstood, though I'm not sure how he could be referring to have driven a car in a program that's slated to open in 2012...unless these cars are, in effect, time machines....

 

[shoes99]

http://www.drivepetty.com
to sign up for the news letter.

They already have the posters up for the exotic driving experiences in the billboards outside the track on Disney property. We just returned but didn't get a chance to go
over to the track.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

I gave the driving experience to my DH for our Anniversary and he will be doing it next week. There are discounts right here on THE DIS. Just go to the top of the page were it says recreation and it will come up. Also, This week the track is closed for the public as I was told when I made my ressie that the Professional drivers would be using the course this week. Maybe someone else knows more. I printed the safety waiver and it is long 5 pages maybe. Hopefully all will go well.

 

[kamik86]

I gave the driving experience to my DH for our Anniversary and he will be doing it next week. There are discounts right here on THE DIS. Just go to the top of the page were it says recreation and it will come up. Also, This week the track is closed for the public as I was told when I made my ressie that the Professional drivers would be using the course this week. Maybe someone else knows more. I printed the safety waiver and it is long 5 pages maybe. Hopefully all will go well.

Don't judge how safe something is by the safety waiver... most of the time those are just to cover their behind if you do something stupid to distract the driver, grab the wheel etc.

As for a race with crashes, just like in the real world accidents happen more often when people are trying to pass since your not trying to pass the other car on the track and there are less the chances of a crash are very slim.

 

[matt and beth]

Funny someone said they were automatics. The car I drove was a stick. They are an actual NASCAR and I drove the kellogs car. They warned us not to spin the tires out of the pits or you are done. I listened and had fun.

 

[disnut8]

It's not an Indy car race, they don't go at Indy car speeds and there are no other cars to run into.

Exactly. Please understand that NASCAR cars and Indy cars are very different. And like TDC Nala said, there aren't any other cars out there either. I drive to work every single day in Atlanta traffic and sometimes I think I'm in Star Wars with cars zinging along to the left and to the right, cutting in front of me, stomping on the brakes behind me. I have a stretch of road that is a legal 70 MPH and I do 75 and get passed all the time. Heck, cops very rarely patrol during the commute because they wouldn't be able to pull everyone over who is breaking the law. I take my life into my hands every single day, twice a day.

 

[CT_Bev&Jeff]

My Wonderful Wife got me a drive at the Orlando Track. What a ride! It was fantastic!

Safety is important, and if you do just about anything unsafe, they stop you, period!

It is great, did I already say that? They let you get faster each lap on the track that you stay in control and the proper distance from the car in front of you. If you cannot stay the proper distance, they slow down.

When I pulled in at the end, well I just had to do an extra 8 laps, I would have loved to have done even more, but then I would have had to sign over my house!

It can get pricey! But heck you just got to do it.

Also, the Richard Petty Cars are all standard transmissions. Read it at their site, if you cannot drive a stick then you cannot drive the car. (Indy Cars are on the same track but different organization)

CT_Jeff

 

[bangzoom6877]

My Wonderful Wife got me a drive at the Orlando Track. What a ride! It was fantastic!

Safety is important, and if you do just about anything unsafe, they stop you, period!

It is great, did I already say that? They let you get faster each lap on the track that you stay in control and the proper distance from the car in front of you. If you cannot stay the proper distance, they slow down.

When I pulled in at the end, well I just had to do an extra 8 laps, I would have loved to have done even more, but then I would have had to sign over my house!

It can get pricey! But heck you just got to do it.

Also, the Richard Petty Cars are all standard transmissions. Read it at their site, if you cannot drive a stick then you cannot drive the car. (Indy Cars are on the same track but different organization)

CT_Jeff

I'm going to be buying him the ride-along, not the one where he drives the car. He will be a passenger in a car with a professional driver or instructor. It's what we can afford to do, and I know he will love it!

Thank you everyone for putting my mind at ease! I'm sure DH will LOVE this! And it will definitely not be expected as his gift!

 

[CT_Bev&Jeff]

Bonnie, your DH is one lucky man!

He will absolutly love the ride along! Of course then he will want to drive next time!

We hope to read all about it when you get back.

CT_Jeff

 

[hakepb]

I think he was referring to the post about the exotic car experience.

Most of those F-what evers, at least for real exotic car drivers, would be stick but I would assume for this ride they would have to automatics. Wouldn't be fun learning stick above 100 mph.

I didn't check the link, but I believe most new exotics (like Ferarri) are more automatic than manual because a F1 style paddle shifter can change gears for you faster than a good driver can operate the clutch and stick.
Now, I think exotics are going to dual clutch autos so the car is always in gear, and there's no gear changing lag.

 

[jmkjr72]

im a racer and i feel safer in a race car then a street car

yes freak accidents can happen and they can happen anywhere

 

[jmkjr72]

im a racer and i feel safer in a race car then a street car

yes freak accidents can happen and they can happen anywhere

 

[cbg1027]

hey guys if you're planning a trip for sometime in 2012, I read somewhere that Richard Petty Driving Experience is getting ready to launch an "exotic car driving experience" at Walt Disney World Speedway. The only info I can find on the endeavor right now is on www.projectexotic.com. But sounds like it would be a GREAT gift for disney dads!

Thank you so much for the heads up! Driving a stock car has no appeal to me, but I LOVE the idea of this program!

 

[johnsoce1979]

Richard Petty Driving Experience has an excellent safety record! The NASCAR race cars are all stick shift. But now RPDE offers a push-start method for people who are not comfortable shifting gears. People can still start by going through the gears like real NASCAR drivers if they choose, but if they are not comfortable shifting RPDE will use an all-terrain vehicle to get non-shifters started.

Whoever said the exotic cars are paddle shift, I agree, that's probably what the cars at this new "exotic driving experience" will also be. I've heard it's really easy to catch on to if you've never driven one.

My "in" at RPDE said they will start selling gift cards for the "exotic driving experience" program in November! Perfect timing for holidays!

Can't wait to go back to orlando!

 

[johnsoce1979]

So we can finally purchase gift cards for the Exotic Driving Experience... they still are not starting operation until January 16th 2012, but the website has fully launched it looks like.... www.ExoticDriving.com - I made my reservation for our 2012 Walt Disney World trip!!

 

[sp0ngem0nkey]

Hubby just did this for his birthday in Oct. He loved it. He wore fire suit, helmet, etc. He did ride along then drive. He was told about the exotic cars that you can drive. He said he would still do the NASCAR car.

 

[scrapquitler]

I am thinking of giving DH a ride-along at the WDW Speedway for his 35th Birthday. His birthday is not until early May, but we have a WDW trip booked for the last week of July, and I thought it would be a great gift to give him a ride-along. The ride-along is in our price-range, and I think he would enjoy it.

But...I am concerned about safety. How safe is this? Yes, I just saw the tragic news about the Indy300 in Las Vegas...a terrible 15-car accident. The family and loved ones are in my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time for them. So yes, I am now worried about getting this for DH. For anyone who has experience with this, whether it was you or someone you know that did the ride-along...do you feel like it can be trusted? Are there any safety stats out there or anything like that, which I can read? I know this sounds extremely paranoid but I want to make sure this is safe before I decide to buy it for him. Thanks!

The Indy300 accident in LasVegas is irrelevant to the Richard Petty Driving experience...that was an indy car, RPDE is a NASCAR stock car. They are totally different types of vehicles.

If you are doing the ride-along the driver is a professional driver, you would be wearing a firesuit, they have five point harnesses for the car seats and probably even use the HansDevice that the Nascar drivers use (which keeps your head steady & stable so its not shaking around)

I haven't done it, nor has my husband, but if we had the opportunity, we would.

 

[doconeill]

Wasn't there supposed to be an IndyCar Experience opening at the track? Did that die and now RPDE is adding it as an "exotic" car experience?

Are they making the ride-along passengers don the suit and HANS now? I can see why they would - in 1997 we didn't...

FYI, I believe the WDW Speedway is the smallest and the slowest of all the tracks RPDE operates on.

 

[Technosavant]

I didn't check the link, but I believe most new exotics (like Ferarri) are more automatic than manual because a F1 style paddle shifter can change gears for you faster than a good driver can operate the clutch and stick.
Now, I think exotics are going to dual clutch autos so the car is always in gear, and there's no gear changing lag.

All of the exotics in the new experience will have a paddle shift manual transmission; the only exception is likely to be the Porsche 911 GT3 RS (I do not think that the Porsche PDK system is available in the GT3; it's three pedals and row your own only if what I read is correct). These systems have nothing in common with traditional automatic transmissions. Traditional automatics have a torque converter to allow slip between the engine and transmission, removing any mechanical link from the engine to the transmission (and therefore, the drive wheels). Gear changes are accomplished by planetary gearsets. The entire setup, while it can be done well, feels very different from a traditional manual transmission. Traditional manuals have a single clutch which must be operated to change gears.

These paddle shift dual clutch transmissions are closest to a traditional manual, but two clutches make for very fast gearchanges (since it's basically engaging the second clutch with the next gear when the first one disconnects). There's no clutch pedal or gear lever; everything is computer controlled. Gear changes are requested by paddles attached to the steering wheel or steering column. This system also often enables "launch control" type systems for ultra-fast takeoffs; by enabling the system you tell the car that you want to leave NOW, and when you floor the throttle and release the brake, the vehicle snaps off fast shifts while keeping wheelspin to a minimum.

Mind you, none of these electronics are in the retired NASCAR stockers such as used by the standard Petty experience. Heck, those dinosaurs still run carbureted engines.