Attended Richard Petty Driving School at Charlotte Motor Speedway. What a
blast!! Earned Certificate for completing the "Rookie Driving Experience" as a guest of Petty Racing along with
other sponsors.
We all did
several
laps with a pro driver (@165 mph) in a two seater for a warm-up. Then your on your own
for the
Rookie Driving Experience.
When I got out of the car after doing 165 mph with the instructor I was very
excited, as you can imagine. Richard greeted me and said "Now you can trust the whole car and
not just the welding and go to the limit when you drive!"
At that time,
the Rookie Driving Experience was 8 laps on your own following an instructor in
his car. I averaged 136.3 mph for the 8 laps with a max lap speed of speed of 142.4 mph. At
that time 145 mph was the maximum your instructor, who was in front driving his
car, would allow!
That's me
in photo on right. Top speed was going into turn 3, probably about
165 mph.
Click on the "Driving Experience LOGO"
to go to their site and register for a class!
When Richard Petty started
his "Driving School," ESAB supported the activity with welding and cutting
equipment for the shop that fabricated the school cars. For that support
and welding training efforts the School painted a car for ESAB! The
chassis and roll cage are welded by his crew. The bodies, in fact, are
fiberglass unlike the Cup Cars! These are not subjected to the fender to
fender contact or at least shouldn't be!
