Elite Richard Petty Experience Ride Along

(It helps if you hit the Post, not the Save Now button… Oops.)
So, two months later… ;)
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Such an amazing experience! Thank you Unilocal Elite Squad!
It was a cold evening made hot, hot, hot by melting rubber, tacked tachometers, and the palpable need for speed! After signing the requisite «you are agreeing to be strapped into a speeding vehicle for 3 laps of your own volition» waivers and such, you got the Richard Petty Driving EXPERIENCE.
From the donning of the suit, the fitting of the helmet, and the OMG-​I-​AM-​GETTING-​INTO-​THIS-​RACE-​CAR… the whole night was fantastic. The crew were cool and collected dealing with all of us starry-​eyed (it was not nervousness, it was stars! Stars I say!) passengers. It was a little unnerving getting the special neck-​protector-​thingy before you climb in the window, and then getting strapped in. You start to wonder, just a small bit, if…
… ah, but when the driver takes off, you stop wondering anything, you stop caring about anything other than taking in the moment.
It’s fast, a bit loud, and A-​FREAKING-​MAZING. The acceleration takes you somewhere else, the smooth operation by the driver to take you up the wall and back down going into a turn makes it all look so easy. I think my grin is permanently attached to my face at this point (or maybe it’s just residual G-​forces? Who’s to say?). When the driver asks how I am doing, my two-​thumbs up couldn’t be higher or more enthusiastic!
The 3 laps are over too quickly, but the rush is so worth the short ride around the track. I have ridden in race cars before… but not these bad boys. The amount of detail that goes into building them out — and, of course, drive them — is insane. Let’s be fair when we acknolwedge my short experience gave me but a glimpse… but when I say he made it look easy I am sure it is just that… looks. So much to watch INSIDE the car… and then you consider when I am not sitting there, he’s racing against 20 – 40 or so others?
The whole of the Experience really is an experience. A great bit of fun, a fantastic way to get your blood pumping, and a fun, fun way to interact with my fellow Unilocal friends!
Thank you, again, Unilocal Elite Squad for the amazing opportunity!