Xtreme Xperience - Driving a Ferrari 458 Italia

You read that right.  I jumped into a Ferrari 458 Italia and took it around the Putman Road Course near Greenfield, Indiana on Saturday, 12 AUG.  All of this was done through Xtreme Xperience (www.thextremexperience.com) where you get trained (kinda) and then jump into an exotic sports car and drive flat out around a race track with an instructor sitting in the passenger seat.  What an awesome experience (some might say "xtreme").  Loved it!


The day started early as I picked up Alex at 5:45 am.  We drove from Mulberry to the course and arrived at 7:00.  Things were just getting set up and we were the first to check in.  We had some issues with the Groupon and it ended up that we all got $50 off the regular rate.  Whatever.  We were there and we were going to race.  I also ordered the VIP package that got me a T-shirt, a picture, and a video of my laps around the track (which will arrive in about two weeks). 

All of us drivers had to sit through a 45-minute class on how to properly drive these cars.  The lead instructor was very good.  He used humor to keep us engaged.  It was both entertaining and educational.  From there we went to queue up for the specific cars we were driving.  You could pick just about any car from Ferrari to Lamborghini to Porsche to Acura to Audi.

We were issued helmets and then fitted into the car where you met your driving instructor.  The instructors used headsets that projected their voice over the car speakers allowing you to hear them clearly - even with maximum RPMs.  And then we were off...

Lap 1 was a slow (like 40 - 60 mph) lap to learn the track but more especially the lines of where to drive.  There were cones set up along the course, and you basically "connected the dots" from cone to cone.  My instructor used his left hand to help get me onto the right line.  It was funny, I didn't get to use the brakes on the first lap.

Lap 2 was quicker, but still not fast.  I reckon I might have reached 100 mph.

Lap 3 was Xtreme.  Scared the Holy Bejesus out of me.  The straights were fine and I am sure I went +110 mph.  But the S-curve had me thinking that we were going to lose it and end up in the grass.  Didn't happen.  Those cars have amazing power and control but even better brakes.  All the while the instructor is telling me to "Hit it" and apply more gas.  I was not comfortable doing that.  Maybe after about 3 more laps I would have been better.

I exited the car and I was jacked on adrenaline.  I was shaking from being excited, scared, and glad to be alive.  The ride home was quick as we talked about our Xperience.  

It is VERY difficult to explain the driving technique and how different it is.  You go super fast until the very last second and then brake at what I consider too late to make the turn.  You turn and then accelerate out of the turn and then repeat for every curve.  It was a lot to take in and adjust to.  I guess the best thing I can tell you is that it is worth it and you should go do it yourself.  And that right there is a pretty good endorsement.

I will post my video when it arrives and then you can see what a scaredy little cat I was going so slow.  No, I never got passed, but I also never passed anyone.  Alex did make a pass, but this was his second time to race so he had previous experience.  Well done!

If you have ever even considered something like this, then you should just do it.  Freakin' Awesome!



The video is finally in and edited for publication.  I thought about changing the speedometer to make it look like I was not such a whimp, but it is what it is.  I just wish I had not listened so well to the instructions.  We were drilled that we ONLY DO ONE THING AT A TIME.  You either Brake, Steer, or Throttle Up, but never two at once and don't even think about three at once.  And so, this helps explain some of my difficulty.

You know, I'm usually NOT a rule follower, but when you're in someone else's $250k car, I didn't want to be That Guy who crashed.  As you'll see, no chance of that.  The in-car instructor was kind.  He said I did well.  Ha.  But just wait until next time!

Go see my poor performance here:  https://youtu.be/usqme19z4vw






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