1800BePetty 30 Laps Today @ Atlanta

My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big 40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!, I've driven computer cars since they started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't say enough, but if you ever get the chance what ever it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into racing go do it. If I was 20 years younger i would be doing what ever it took to do that for a living. The faster you go the better the car drives. I had never driven a real race car today but, after the 1st couple laps I was ready to run. Fastest lap was only a 157mph, so that was the only bad thing you have to follow the instructor, but I still have a much better understanding what the guys go through week after week driving the beast. NR2003 is good, but again, nothing can replace the G's and all the other senses you get in the real car. Sorry to ramble on but, I am so pumped about it. I will be doing this some more..., the whole staff of people were top notch as well. But, I may do the Buck Baker school next, there you get to race at your on pace and not have to follow a pace car. I did get to pass a couple of slower students today on the outside it was a real blast.

senojm23 wrote:

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> My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big > 40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!, I've > driven computer cars since they > started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't say enough, > but if you ever get the chance what ever > it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into > racing go do it. If I was 20 years younger i would be doing what ever it > took to do that for a living. The faster you go the better the car drives. > I had never driven a real race car today but, after the 1st couple laps I > was ready to run. Fastest lap was only a 157mph, so that was the only bad > thing you have to follow the instructor, but I still > have a much better understanding what the guys go through week after week > driving the beast. NR2003 is good, but again, nothing can replace the G's > and all the other senses you get in the real car. Sorry to ramble on > but, I am so pumped about it. I will be doing this some more..., the whole > staff of people were top notch as well. > But, I may do the Buck Baker school next, there you get to race at your on > pace and not have to follow a pace car. I did get to pass a couple of slower > students today on the outside it was a real blast. >

Sounds like you had a helluva time! Cudos to your wife. I hope if I ever have one, she'd be that lenient ;) If I may pose a question for you? How do the physics (feel of the tires on pavement while in the 150 MPH range, vehicle reactions to your steering input) in the game compare to the real deal? Do the two match up okay? Granted, G's and whatnot play a huge role in determining this. Do you feel that your sim experience helped you prepare in any way? Such as what to expect when the car does this, track layout, etc? Oh, yes. Happy 40th, senojm. :) -Will

Gotta agree with you here. I did the RPDE at Nazareth a couple of years ago and am still pumped about it. :-) -- See ya in the pits, Dean I have a terrible memory. In fact my memory's so bad I can't remember how long it's been since I've forgotten anything. "senojm23" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big > 40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!, I've > driven computer cars since they > started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't say enough, > but if you ever get the chance what ever > it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into > racing go do it. If I was 20 years younger i would be doing what ever it > took to do that for a living. The faster you go the better the car drives. > I had never driven a real race car today but, after the 1st couple laps I > was ready to run. Fastest lap was only a 157mph, so that was the only bad > thing you have to follow the instructor, but I still > have a much better understanding what the guys go through week after week > driving the beast. NR2003 is good, but again, nothing can replace the G's > and all the other senses you get in the real car. Sorry to ramble on > but, I am so pumped about it. I will be doing this some more..., the whole > staff of people were top notch as well. > But, I may do the Buck Baker school next, there you get to race at your on > pace and not have to follow a pace car. I did get to pass a couple of slower > students today on the outside it was a real blast. > > > >

"senojm23" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big > 40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!,I've > driven computer cars since they > started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't say enough, > but if you ever get the chance what ever > it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into > racing go do it. If I was 20 years younger i would be doing what ever it > took to do that for a living. The faster you go the better the cardrives.

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> I had never driven a real race car today but, after the 1st couple laps I > was ready to run. Fastest lap was only a 157mph, so that was the only bad > thing you have to follow the instructor, but I still > have a much better understanding what the guys go through week after week > driving the beast. NR2003 is good, but again, nothing can replace the G's > and all the other senses you get in the real car. Sorry to ramble on > but, I am so pumped about it. I will be doing this some more..., the

whole > staff of people were top notch as well. > But, I may do the Buck Baker school next, there you get to race at your on > pace and not have to follow a pace car. I did get to pass a couple ofslower > students today on the outside it was a real blast. Drove a Single Seater around the Rockingham Oval a few months ago. A total increase in appreciation and respect for oval driving thereafter Doug

I ran in one of the instructors cars a couple of years ago at Chicagoland Speedway. Was free ( I was doing a racing radio show at the time) and AWESOME! Yes, if you get another chance, go with the instructors. The whole idea with these guys is to go as fast as you are comfortable with. They encourage it. Congrats and happy 40th!

Sometimes them wifes can be pretty cool i had the experience of the lifetime @ Lowes in July 2000 for my 35th birthday. My top speed was 15.26 following a instructor around there named Adam Andretti (john's li bro). I'm saving up to do the 80laps hopefully for my 40th. I was a rush "senojm23" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big > 40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!,I've > driven computer cars since they > started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't say enough, > but if you ever get the chance what ever > it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into > racing go do it. If I was 20 years younger i would be doing what ever it > took to do that for a living. The faster you go the better the cardrives.

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> I had never driven a real race car today but, after the 1st couple laps I > was ready to run. Fastest lap was only a 157mph, so that was the only bad > thing you have to follow the instructor, but I still > have a much better understanding what the guys go through week after week > driving the beast. NR2003 is good, but again, nothing can replace the G's > and all the other senses you get in the real car. Sorry to ramble on > but, I am so pumped about it. I will be doing this some more..., the

whole > staff of people were top notch as well. > But, I may do the Buck Baker school next, there you get to race at your on > pace and not have to follow a pace car. I did get to pass a couple ofslower > students today on the outside it was a real blast. > > > >

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>My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big >40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!, I've >driven computer cars since they >started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't say enough, >but if you ever get the chance what ever >it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into >racing go do it.

Hmm... I'll be 40 this Saturday. I wonder if I can talk someone into getting that for me...<g> I'm not married yet, though. Maybe for my 45th b-day. Eldred -- Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPLRank:-1.950 MonsterRank: +305.145 N2002 Rank:+17.59 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

Sorry I meant 158.26 "Ron" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:yyUCa.10130$[email hidden]... > Sometimes them wifes can be pretty cool i had the experience of the > lifetime @ Lowes in July 2000 for my 35th birthday. My top speed was 15.26 > following a instructor around there named Adam Andretti (john's li bro).I'm

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> saving up to do the 80laps hopefully for my 40th. I was a rush > "senojm23" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big > > 40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!, > I've > > driven computer cars since they > > started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't say

enough, > > but if you ever get the chance what ever > > it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into > > racing go do it. If I was 20 years younger i would be doing what everit > > took to do that for a living. The faster you go the better the car > drives. > > I had never driven a real race car today but, after the 1st couple lapsI > > was ready to run. Fastest lap was only a 157mph, so that was the onlybad > > thing you have to follow the instructor, but I still > > have a much better understanding what the guys go through week afterweek > > driving the beast. NR2003 is good, but again, nothing can replace theG's > > and all the other senses you get in the real car. Sorry to ramble on > > but, I am so pumped about it. I will be doing this some more..., the > whole > > staff of people were top notch as well. > > But, I may do the Buck Baker school next, there you get to race at youron

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> > pace and not have to follow a pace car. I did get to pass a couple of > slower > > students today on the outside it was a real blast. > > > > > > > > > >

"William Bradshaw" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > senojm23 wrote: > > My wife got me the Experience of a Lifetime for my big > > 40th b'day. I drove 30 laps @ Atlanta today and it was just AWESOME!,I've > > driven computer cars since they > > started, but nothing compares to the real thing. Man, I can't sayenough, > > but if you ever get the chance what ever > > it takes, sell something, borrow the money but if your into > > racing go do it. If I was 20 years younger i would be doing what everit > > took to do that for a living. The faster you go the better the cardrives. > > I had never driven a real race car today but, after the 1st couple lapsI > > was ready to run. Fastest lap was only a 157mph, so that was the onlybad > > thing you have to follow the instructor, but I still > > have a much better understanding what the guys go through week afterweek > > driving the beast. NR2003 is good, but again, nothing can replace theG's > > and all the other senses you get in the real car. Sorry to ramble on > > but, I am so pumped about it. I will be doing this some more..., thewhole > > staff of people were top notch as well. > > But, I may do the Buck Baker school next, there you get to race at youron > > pace and not have to follow a pace car. I did get to pass a couple ofslower

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> > students today on the outside it was a real blast. > > > > Sounds like you had a helluva time! Cudos to your wife. I hope if I ever > have one, she'd be that lenient ;) > > If I may pose a question for you? > > How do the physics (feel of the tires on pavement while in the 150 MPH > range, vehicle reactions to your steering input) in the game compare to > the real deal? Do the two match up okay? > > Granted, G's and whatnot play a huge role in determining this. Do you > feel that your sim experience helped you prepare in any way? Such as > what to expect when the car does this, track layout, etc? > > Oh, yes. Happy 40th, senojm. :) > > -Will >

Hey Will, I've never done the Petty thing, but I have been to the Fast Track school at Charlotte (3 days) and to the Buck Baker deal when it was at Rockingham (dunno if it still is) and I can tell you that Papy's stock car sims of late (NR4-NR2003) are pretty close. As close as a sim can come I think, to being real. Of course the seat of the pants feel is not there in the sim, and is a major force on you in a real car. Real steering feedback is a MAJOR improvement over the phoney FF effects found in games and wheels today (and is the reason I run a TSW 2 when I race sims, no feedback is better than phoney feedback to me). Also, there are other things that change the experience, the firesuit (hot), the helmet, belting system that make you a part of the car, the noise, the vibrations inside the car, and so on. As far as driving though, on the two tracks I have been 150+ on, is pretty closely approximated within the sims.