Visiting Las Vegas just became faster with the introduction of DriveVegas. The latest attraction at the Richard Petty Driving Experience – Las Vegas combines four adrenaline-pumping driving experiences that allow attendees to test their skills as race-car drivers.
Karl Fusco, general manager at the Richard Petty Driving Experience – Las Vegas, recommends groups participate in the standard Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE). The experience begins with 45 minutes of classroom instruction before attendees can get behind the wheel of a 600-horsepower NASCAR-style race car on Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Driving speeds up to 140 miles per hour, attendees will get to race anywhere from eight to 50 laps around the track.
Attendees without the need for speed can participate in the Ride-Along program in which they will experience the speedway by riding shotgun in the two-seat, NASCAR-style race car driven by one of the RPDE professional driving instructors. Attendees will experience a three-lap qualifying run with speeds up to 165 miles per hour. The program is capable of accommodating up to 1,000 guests, says Fusco.
Fusco also recommends a teambuilding program called the Ultimate Race Experience (URE). The group will be divided into teams of four to six participants. After a tutorial, attendees will put on driving suits before heading to pit row to meet their drivers. Each team will determine the best pit strategy and technique for its members to rotate through pit crew duties, acting as butlers, sign holders and window washers, for example. The first rider will buckle up in the car while the rest of the crew prepares to help with the pit-stop action.
“Each team must determine the best pit strategy and complete required tasks together before their car can go into the inspection line at the end of the pit row,” says Fusco.
The object of the race is to get through the pit stops faster than any of the other teams, while switching riders during each pit stop. Like most NASCAR races, the fastest pit stop usually wins.
“Your company can participate in the URE and build camaraderie that will last beyond the race track,” says Fusco. “Teambuilding success is when your team can accomplish something bigger and work more effectively than if they were working individually, and the function of a pit crew is exactly that.”
Smaller groups can take advantage of the other experiences offered as part of DriveVegas. The American Muscle Car Challenge allows attendees to drive and ride-along in historic race cars such as the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 and Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Attendees can also leave the track to participate in the Zero 1 Desert Adventures experience, in which they will get to go off-roading in a 2015 Polaris RZR XP 1000 ATV. The program offers 2-hour and half-day tours through various terrains in the Mojave Desert.
