 |
| The boys experience the cornered banking... |
Apparently everyone wants gets in on Black Friday sales, and
NASCAR is no different. We went to Charlotte Motor Speedway to pick up our
camping passes for the Coca-Cola 600 weekend in May and a few tickets as well.
Not only did we get a huge, free Kyle Busch diecast M&M car(they handed it
to me in a non-descript box-perfect for one of my 6 year old’s Christmas
presents!), but they also gave us a couple of passes to drive our own vehicle
around the track!
Yes,
apparently CMS is crazy enough to let citizens ride around their track with
just enough supervision to make it legal. I took the helm for the first set of
laps, and honestly, I was unprepared for the experience. The banked corners create
very strange sensations. Obviously, your vehicle tilts and you feel like you
are going to flip, you see the ground right outside your window, but what they
don’t tell you is that you actually have to steer your vehicle toward the wall in
order to stay in the lane. So, you feel like you are falling down, but you have
to steer away. Awkward.
 |
| That's me freaking out. |
Secondly, I
now know firsthand why race “spotters” are so desperately needed. Yes, there
were some drivers who went faster than others, and in a 2005 Chevy Astrovan, we
were not in the front of the pack. Multiple times, at 80+ miles an hour, we had
people race up behind us to pass on either side. Because there are so many
turns (especially the dog-leg right after turn 4), you can check your mirrors
and be clear, and in two seconds someone can be right outside your door.
 |
| Going into turn 3! |
If you are ever in Charlotte when this is
offered, I highly advise you to take a drive on the legendary track! It
definitely made for a memorable Black Friday…
No comments:
Post a Comment