Looking for a good "Racing Experience".

[raceloverswife]

I want to treat my husband to a Nascar driving experience for his 40th. If anyone knows of a good one or has been to one I'd appreciate the feedback! (we live in Atlanta)

Also - do any of the race shops outside Charlotte hold tours??

[Lee]

Welcome aboard raceloverswife! Glad to have another fellow Georgian, and Atlantain here on the forum. There are a couple of us around.

To answer your question, go to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Richard Petty Driving Experience. That is about the best deal for the money, and it is close to home for you as well. There are two other driving schools there as well, Fast Track, and Buck Baker's, but they are more driving schools, for someone seeking to be a serious competitor. Check out the racing schools section at www.jayski.com for information on these, and other racing schools. You'd be suprised how many there are! Good luck, and again, welcome aboard!

[Ax Slinger]

raceloverswife,

I gotta say, I like your style, dear lady. Your husband is a very lucky man.

And I just gotta take this opportunity to brag about my beautiful wife. Similiar to what you would like to do for your husband, my wife wanted to have a guitar custom made for me. (But I found out about her plans and talked her out of it.) I used to be a "working musician". (I hate the word "professional".) After 25 years of playing on the road touring the country, I retired in 1996, and sold my entire guitar collection (14 vintage 1950's Gibson and Fender electrics, all classics) and all of my equipment. Now I have a cheap "sittin' around the house" kind of guitar. Since I don't tour anymore, I really don't need a top notch guitar. In fact, I hardly even play anymore. The last time was for the kids who came to my daughters birthday party a few months ago, and it was months before that.

Anyway, just a few miles from us is Moonstone Guitars, a small but world famous guitar shop owned by luthier Steve Helgeson. People like Greg Allman and Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band have had him build custom guitars for them. (You've heard of them right? Oh yeah, you're from Atlanta, of course you have. ) They sometimes cost as much as $10,000.00! And she wanted to have one made for me!

Ya just gotta love somebody so thoughtful.

[dei3fan]

Tim, it seems you've lived my life for me at least the one I wanted. You even have my first name and last initial. I was never quite good enough to play professionaly but the guitar has been a lifelong love and friend and hobby. I'd sure like to have seen your collection before you sold it (how could you do that!).Anyway it does sound like you have a wonderful wife and that counts for a lot.

Raceloverswife, you are a gem indeed and I think Lee pretty much covered the driving thing. We all wish you and hubby well.(Boy is he gonna be one happy dude!)

[raceloverswife]

Thanks for the feedback .......has anyone heard of a program offered by Speed Tech in NC? They seem to offer a more hands on experiecne than the Richard Petty Experiences. At speed tech he gets more laps for the $$ as well as it is not a follow the leader program. They are on the track wwith 4 - 5 other drivers and can pass. (I also get to bew down on the track watching the whole time ..YEAH!!). Speed Tech brings it's programs to many tracks, including Atlanta ......the timing just doesn't work out ......I am shooting for one of the classes at the ROCK mid May!!

Do any of the race shops in the Kanapolis area offer tours??

I'll post a response and tell everyone if he liked it!

Thx