On March 9, 2007, I was a guest at an event put on by Marlboro, where you put on the fire suit, put on fire gloves, slide a fire sock over your head, and strap a helmet on.
Then, you are put into the passenger side of an IROC racecar, with all the safety equipment that a regular driver has to wear, as you take a ride at full throttle around the track.
At speeds of 140 to 160 mph, you eat up the straightaways. Hitting those 33 degree high banks at those speeds puts about 2 to 3 Gs of force on you, making you feel like you're going to go through the floor and out the side.
When you look ahead, all you see is those banks coming at you, and when you're in them, all you see is this wall of pavement that looks like it goes straight up. You would think you could see the road in front of you, but you don't. You see the road in front, only it looks like you're going to hit it, as if you're falling from the sky.
I got to do 3 laps around the track, as we hit 160 plus miles and hour, until I asked the driver to slow it down a bit. You don't realize how you are going to feel at that speed, and you'd think you would not do it, but your mind and body says, "Slow down!"
It definitely gives me a new respect for those drivers who do that for 300, 400, and upwards of 500 miles, all while fighting for space and position against 40 or more other drivers.
Here are some pictures from the event. I would do it again, by the way. It's an experience I would recommend to anyone who says, "All those guys do is drive around in circles all day."
Tim
featuring Rick Mears' nephew, Casey, a current NASCAR driver
The first ever 4 time INDY 500 winner
He was our guest speaker for Q & A
