Rusty Wallace Racing Experience- Houston Motorsports Park

I received a 10 lap package as a birthday gift from my wife. Scheduling the date and time was easy, although the only time slot available was 8 am, otherwise would have needed to wait until next date some 6 months later. I arrived 30 minutes early, checked in, and sold on insurance for $ 60 (although crashes are rare, I really didn’t want to be liable for $ 15,000) and sold on a 3 lap rid along with a pro.
Class started a bit after 8 am due to waiting on facilities to unlock the room. Larry is a pro, obviously concerned about the satisfaction of his clients. The class is a «how to operate and maneuver the track», not a how to race class. Some of the safety features are discussed, such as how to get out of the car in an emergency. However, there would be no way to exit the vehicle without some help due to the buckles limiting head movement.
The morning was foggy, and first non-​rainy day in days. The crew began attempting to dry the track starting at 8, but nothing was working. After suiting up, we had lots of time to take some pictures using our camera by each car (benefit of the early class). By 11:30, the track was still not ready, so we were offered an option to reschedule or to wait around. I actually appreciated the fact that they were unwilling to compromise the safety of their clients in order to make their money for the day. They kept checking the track with their pro drivers, and once they were satisfied, we received the all clear to start. Glad I waited, as it was only a half hour later.
The one negative I have is once the event started, due to the backlog of oncoming riders, there was not an organized method to put the 8 am clients ahead of subsequent riders.
The ride along with the pro was well worth the $ 49. Although it only took a couple of minutes (if that) to do the 3 laps, these cars are much faster and drivers know how to push the limits through the corners and give you a thrill ride.
The driving experience is a different type of thrill, your not going to go that fast (it is only a ³⁄₈ mile track), but it feels like you are going fast, as the turns approach quickly. The cars are all set up for different size drivers, so make sure the Rusty Wallace guy sets you up correctly. The spotters help out, giving feedback on when to drop down a bit (allow the pro drivers to pass), and for keeping in the drive lines (these are laid out on the track).
Overall, a great experience giving just a little insight into what racing feels like. Again, if you want a fast experience, do the ride along before you drive. This was a great first time experience, but if I had the money I don’t think I would repeat this track, opting instead to spend a bit more and do a longer track such as Texas Speedway.

The experience was fantastic!!! Instructors were informative and gave great insight on the ins and outs of racing. Top class! Suited up like a real driver. Hearing a spotter guide you thru the track for ultimate feel of a race was the coolest part! We opted for the pre race ride along as well to get the feel of what an experienced driver can do.
Not everything goes to plan-​we did have some technical issues with the first car I was placed in. The pitt crew was awesome correcting the issues and making sure my safety came first. For the delay in my laps, the team at Rusty Wallace comp’d hoodies and hats! Thanks for an awesome experience!
Tom and Belinda
#goFast #luvspeed #eatmydust

I went for a 15 lap package on a cold (46 F) overcast day. The check in at the front was efficient and friendly, even though I am sure the employees were freezing. I watched a group of cars for about 15 minutes before my class, from the stands, the cars looked slow. Then I saw the pro-​drivers taking people on a ride along. They went fast. Most of the public was driving slow and probably scared to go fast. I attended the class and then waited my turn. The full time staff is great, but the kids they hire for a couple of days are poorly trained and not knowledgeable at all. On my ride along, I had to switch cars because the belts were too tight on the one they put me in and my helmet was hitting the top of the car. I am not that big. 5“10″ about 200.
The driver was great and gave me lots of instruction. It was well worth it and he showed me just what the car (and he) could do.
When they put me in my car to drive, I knew right away it was too tight. The seats are welded to the floor. No adjusting. The steering wheel was in my chest, literally and my head hit the roof. The kid who was trying to buckle me in (and didn’t know that job well either, I had to help him untwist the belts) told me it was ok. I said no it isn’t and just started unbuckling and getting out. The manager came over and agreed it was too tight and put me in another car. I asked the same kid at least 10 times if he had inserted a SD card for the video. In a minute sir, I’ll go get it, etc. Finally the spotter in the stands radioed me and told me to go. I went.
I took one lap at a reasonable speed and then drove the way the pro driver showed me. It was fast, the tires even on a cold day stuck in the corners and I went hard our of the corners and down the straight, braked hard then smooth acceleration around the corners. The spotters had me pass 5 times other drivers so I must have been going good, or at least better than those on the track with me. I had the track to myself for 5 laps and went faster. It was a blast. I will do it again at a bigger track. This is a ³⁄₈ mile and you only get up to about 85 — 90 MPH on the straights.
When I got done the same kid came to get me out and then I said make sure you get the video card and guess what, no camera is even in that car.
That was a mistake by the manager and the kid. No one checked even after repeated requests on my part. When I got out of the car I went to the manager and he apologized and told me I could have a refund or get a photo plaque of me sitting on the car with my helmet and a cap or t shirt. My choice. I said what about another drive with the video. He said he could arrange that at another date as they were booked out for this run in Houston. I took the photo plaque and a cap, like I need another cap.
All in all it was a good time, but more training is needed on the temp help. These kids no almost nothing and putting me in a car that did’t fit is downright dangerous. I am glad I took control of my own situation but I still got burned on the video. When I go again it will be at a super speedway like Talladega where I was told you go about 150 MPH.
If you have your won full face helmet bring it. I should have brought mine. Fits better and a thousand others have not used it. The visibility is not the best in the helmet I wore.

I have now been twice to this experience at the Houston Motorsports Park. I find it absolutely thrilling especially with the great discounts you can get through Groupon and Living Social.
One thing I have found is that some people misunderstand what this is at this location. This is an experience to see what it is like to be on a race track, driving in a real race car, and with other cars on the track where passing is encouraged.
The key here is that most people don’t know what it is like to drive a race car and especially how to drive around a short circle track. Because of this alone I have seen that most people have an unrealistic expectation of what the experience is.
This is not about how fast you are going to go.
Daytona and Talledega are 2.5 mile tri-​oval Super Speedways where the PROFESSIONAL NASCAR drivers are driving at speeds of 180+mph.
Bristol Motor Speedway is a .533 mile oval track with heavy banks where PROFESSIONAL NASCAR drivers are driving at speeds 120+mph.
The Houston Motorsports Park is a .38 mile circle track. You are not going to go 180mph much less 120mph on a .38 circle track.
This is not about how fast you are going to go.
In my opinion in order for you to get the best experience you must buy the Ride A Long with a Driving Experience. This is for two reasons. The first is so that you can get a feel and understanding for what it is like to drive around this particular track with someone that knows what they are doing. Without this understanding you are completely short changing yourself in the Driving Experience. The second is because this is going to be your chance to go the fastest around the track.
If you don’t do the Ride A Long and you only do the Driving Experience you are going to be spending half or more of your time trying to get comfortable inside this powerful vehicle that you have never driven before in an environment you have never been in before.
Spend some time on youtube and watch other peoples experiences. They are great to set the expectations.
If you are fan of racing in any way shape or form I think this will be an experience you will never forget. Just go into it with the right mindset.
I enjoy it so much that I will probably make it a yearly tradition.

I purchased a gift certificate for this through Living Social to give to my husband for his birthday. He thoroughly enjoyed it. We signed up for a November time slot and he went through the training and waited for more than an hour to take his turn. As luck would have it, some sprinkles made the track too wet and they cancelled for that day. We returned in February.
He purchased the insurance add-​on (yes, this is annoying) and also did a ride-​along with a pro driver. (About a 19 year old kid who was tearing it up.) The track is short so it seems like they don’t really get up to a high speed, but I think the perception in the noisy, bumpy car is that of going quite fast.
Since I was there twice, I had a lot of opportunity to see driver’s reactions when they finished their turns at the wheel. All seemed to be pumped from the experience.
The downside of this was that the office staff is totally unorganized. After the first cancellation, for some unknown reason they cancelled the next session that he signed up for. They did not have any records when we got there for the rescheduled session in February and seemed annoyed that we did not have the original Living Social certificate that we gave them the first time. Since they take this show all over the country I would have expected a better paper trail.

Want slow cars? And a BORING Experience then check out this business. My g/​f got me a 10 lap package for valentines. At first I thought Yay!!! I would get the opportunity to learn how to drive like a race car driver, and drive a real NASCAR. Their package details you will be driving «late» model cars like the Toyota Camry and so forth. The marketing job they have done is great, they give you a 10 page document when you sign up along with disclaimers and so forth.
I was really excited and looking forward to it. Once we get there and registered they asked us to go to their class on driving around the track. During the registration process the sales woman up-​sold us on their services. insurance for the car was $ 60, with a $ 1,000 deductible, a video of the driving experience was $ 50, an extra five laps would have cost $ 50, and an instructor driving around the lap with his recommendations would have cost another $ 65.The instructor spent about 45 minutes talking about how to handle the track (most of the time repeating the instructions). No real racing techniques or anything important like that at all.
They had a total of 6 cars and each driver was going to do 10 laps. In my time slot we had about 30 drivers. I got placed in the last group to go, which was still ok, because I was excited. So after waiting for about 2 hours my turn finally came. Prior, I was just watching the other drivers drive and put on my race suit. I thought the track was quite short but I figured oh well it should be fun.
One of the first things I noticed once I got in the car was that there was no meter to tell you how fast you were going, the car had every other gauge, the RPM gauge, oil pressure, break pressure, etc. i was extremely cramped in my car, they just told me thats how the experience is, i was like fine. They asked me to put on the headphones for the radio and told me to follow the radio operators directions. I said great lets begin.
The radio operator signaled us to start out engines and begin and driving. We did one practice lap with all the cars to get a handle on the track and the car. He finally gives us the green flag to begin «racing» so I went for it. About a few seconds later I hear over the radio that I need to slow down? I honestly felt like I was going about 60 mph, then he is telling me that I am turning my car incorrectly, even though I was perfectly in the lines. A minute later he tells me that I need to let go off the gas, and come to the inner-​end. I follow his instructions and then he tells me to speed up, and as I am getting to the turn he tells me this is the last warning he is going to give me to use less gas or he is going to put me in the pit and end my time. The entire time I don’t believe I ever past about 60 miles an hour, and then it occurred to me why they remove the speedometers, apparently they don’t want you to realize how slow they are forcing you to drive.
The «entire» experience lasted about 10 minutes and cost $ 270!!! The irony was I had driven faster in my BMW on the way to the track and had more fun driving to the track then actually having any kind of fun on their track. Also all of their cars are from the late 90’s at best, no «new» late model cars, no camry’s, all old Chevrolet impalla’s. Also a car is assigned to you based upon your height. All of them looked like junk cars ready to be put in the salvage yard, with bent frames worn out tires, and looking like they will fall apart any minute. As for the performance, they don’t even accelerate all that well, for 500hp cars??? My BMW coupe accelerates faster and these were more in line with my corolla. The track is EXTREMELY SHORT, and no fun at all to drive on. You will find a ton more enjoyment on the 610 loop then you will find here.
Again a terrible experience, and I would never recommend it to a friend. I was asked twice as I was leaving how my experience was, once from the radio operator and the other from the guy who helped me get out of the car (as they don’t have doors). and after showing my destain for a purely mediocre experience they didn’t even say anything. I think I would go as to far as saying my driving school experience from learning how to drive a car years back was far more exciting, thrilling, and interesting then anything they offered here.

Want some track time? Don’t have a «late model NASCAR» in the garage? Rusty will loan you one. Lets see… the track… not a speedway. Short, high banked oval. Class. Well done.
Equipment like helmet and suit… Meh…The car. Its a late model NASCAR… google
general, its a race car. Basically, after class, you and your mates get to go as fast as you can handle. Fat sticky slick and 500Whp, three speed, NASCAR. The flag man directs your passing and controls the race via radio comms… well done. Overall, I liked it. Felt safe.Had FUN. I’ll be back. Check the website for schedule.