So I went to the Exotics Racing driving experience this weekend in Las Vegas.
http://www.exoticsracing.com/
I paid for the F430. I got lucky and was given two extra laps for free. You don't just guide the car around the short 1.1mile road course. They allow and encourage you to drive the vehicles the way they were meant to be driven; hard and fast. I did about 125mph on the main straight and the instructor let me shift at 8k [most of them limit customers at 6-7k, but at their discretion]. So much power at your disposal. Car sounded like ecstasy and drove like a crisis [topgear reference]. I also did the ride-along with French Touring Car champion and professional stunt driver Romain Thieven.
"EXOTICS RACING has been crafted by racecar driver Romain THIEVIN and his team. A five-time French champion in car racing, Romain is also an accomplished stunt driver, having worked on more than 150 movies. In 2003, he won a Taurus World Stunt Award as the stunt double of Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity. Romain is also a co-presenter of FAST CLUB, a car TV show broadcasted on W9 channel in France and Belgium." That was insane! He basically drifted the Corvette Z06 around the track with no mercy. So worth the $100 to be tossed around in the car like a ragdoll. They just got a F430 Scuderia in last week and are in the process of acquiring a new 458 Italia.
Some videos of the experience I found on youtube
In-car video of the road course [not me]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUtHH3JV ... re=related
Promo video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKCOoZKFa1Q
In-car video of ride-along [not me]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEk8Jw1vP_Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fcusIQC ... re=related
The Scuderia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szdAsqMO ... re=related
Was it worth the money? FUCK YEAH! Would I do it again? FUCK YEAH!