Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/66705
photograph by tk; illustration by tk THROTTLE THE FAST AND FURIOUS THRILL OF DRIVING AT BREAK- NECK SPEED IS ANOTHER OF VEGAS' ON THE S FAVORITE GAMBLES. For those of us who keep our hands at 10 and 2 and stick to the speed limit, driving is a pretty mun- dane cycle of traffic jams and drive-time radio. For those of us seeking the thrill of speed at the wheel of a fantasy car, there is Dream Racing. The brainchild of former race car drivers Enrico Bertaggia and Adriano De Micheli, Dream Racing allows natural slowpokes to drive street-illegal cars like the Ferrari F430 GT around a winding track at breakneck speed. Bertaggia and De Micheli offer seven basic packages that range from $179 to $1,999, with optional custom add-ons. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway's infield is just 20 minutes from the Strip. After arriving, those with a need for speed must watch a 17-minute video that teaches intriguing facts such as that the F430s are lighter than they look (which makes them more responsive) and that equipped with "sticky" tires that grip the tarmac during turns (so they won't flip over). The next step is an hour of the iRacing.com simulator of the 1.1-mile track with its nine cor- ners. Then it is time to slip on the jumpsuit and, of course, helmet. An instructor, a young pro, helps pack us novice racers into the car and then takes the passenger seat. There isn't much room, and the helmet presses against the ceiling, but that's a good thing because the locked-in feeling adds a level of security and control. The next step: pulling out onto the track. Most of us are used to driving on autopilot, but here you're navigating sharp turns at 70 miles per hour, completely focused. With each lap, the instructor encourages you to go faster, and then on the fourth, when we hit the straightaway, the instructor says, "Pedal to the metal—this is it." With the pedal pressed hard to the floor, he shouts, "Fourth gear!" "Now fifth gear!" We're going over 100 miles per hour, and the buzzing is deafening. The wall is coming closer and closer. "Brake! Brake hard!" he shouts, and I brake and turn at the last second. In my own car, I would have rolled over. But the F430 GT is built for maneuvers like this. To see what these cars can really do, the instruc- tor takes the wheel, and we blast off. On the straightaway, we climb near 130 mph—faster than the skydiving free fall. Not that it's a competition. Though if it were, the Ferrari would have won. Dream Racing, 702-599-5199; dreamracing.com V they come vegasmagazine.com 123