Think you could drive a stock car at Daytona?

Phu Cat

2250+ Posts
Oct 4, 2011
2,405
1,783
Ocala, Florida
Several years ago I took a good friend of mine over to the "Petty Driving Experience" at Daytona for his birthday. For $140 they took you around the track at 170. That's when I knew the smallest mistakes are amplified and there's no way I could drive that fast without kissing the wall, or worse. The most fun I'd had since flying an airplane.
 
Several years ago I took a good friend of mine over to the "Petty Driving Experience" at Daytona for his birthday. For $140 they took you around the track at 170. That's when I knew the smallest mistakes are amplified and there's no way I could drive that fast without kissing the wall, or worse. The most fun I'd had since flying an airplane.

I know I can’t…
 
5 or 6 years ago my company participated in a sales contest and I ended up being awarded a trip to Texas to take part in a one day event. They started us out with a pit crew challenge then took us on a tour of the track (10 of us in a van). They pointed out braking points, turn in points etc. All while being driven without hands on the wheel at 90 mph.

Then we actually go to drive ( I drove 10 laps in Clint Bowyer's car from the year before) We were limited to 150 mph and then the instructor drove 10 laps with me as a passenger. My first thought was "I suck as a driver" So now I've done off road driving school, road racing school, Nascar event. All that's left is Frank Hawley's drag racing school and the driving bucket list will be complete.
 
I would like to say that I could but not so sure now at my age, reaction time just not like it used to be. I've been over 150 at the dragstrip and over 120 on a bike, I sure would like to try though. A few years ago we were near Daytona for the Snowbird gathering and the wife went for a ride-along in #5 (Kyle Bush) car for 3 laps at 150, crazy woman that she is, wanted to hit 180 but they weren't allowed to go above 150, she had a blast.
 
I've done a few laps in a pace car at 130 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA a few years ago as a passenger. You would be surprised at how fast that outside wall come up at you when the car slides sideways coming out of turn 2 and turn 4.
 
Dont know how good I would be at it but I would jump at the chance

I did some stock car racing years ago on several local tracks in the midwest even won a few races

but Daytona is a whole different level
 
mighty mike

For my 50th birthday my kids bought me 8 Hot Laps at Disney World ( Richard Petty Driving Experience ) it

was a blast. Gives you a whole different view of what these drivers go thru. Very hot inside the car and had

to follow a professional driver around the track. My average speed was 125 mph. driving 12 inches from the wall.

Now 74 yrs old and 65 is fast enough. Great memories.
 
Just had to dig up the pics of the wife, this was 2008

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In my younger years I was a Sports Car Racer, an Ice Racer and a Pro Ralliest. Shortly after I quit racing, we took the grand kids to Disney World and to see Daytona. My grandson and I took the track tour and tried to stand on the 31º banking. No way I would want to drive it. On the way home we stopped at Sebring. When I told them I used to race, they gave us the grand tour. That was more my style!
 
​Banking sure helps the cars get thru turns but it takes away from suspension travel. So there's plusses and minuses in almost everything.
 
Not Daytona.

I grew up watching a uncle race in stock cars and thought he was cool. Then years ago my brother had a garage and would race in Texas. He let me run his car once at the track.

Nope. Not for me. Wide a** open with cars running next to me going into turns. Pucker factor. Watching wipe outs ahead of me in a turn, Nope. Not Me. Small tracks are scary. Airplanes are better.
 
Small tracks are scary. Airplanes are better.

Ya sure??? If you wreck a stock car yer likely to survive it. Ya wreck a small fixed wing airplane and you're likely to be history.
 

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