|
Last month, reporter Sam Schube went to Miami to try out Precision Drive Club, a members-only racetrack with an initiation fee well into the six figures. To those participants, said Miami Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel, the appeal is simple: “There’s not a lot of places where you can go 180 miles an hour safely—or legally.” Sam tested out his own need for speed and wrote about his experience for the Journal. Below he shares more about his time in the thrillseeking driver’s seat.
How would you describe yourself as a driver? Are you more cautious or comfortable driving on the speedier side?
I'm a pretty confident driver! I grew up in Los Angeles, so I've spent plenty of time (probably too much!) behind the wheel. But I'm not exactly a speed demon: I have precisely one (1) speeding ticket to name, and I got it when I was freshly licensed at 16.
You wrote that you were told you reached a top speed of about 165 mph. What was it like for you to drive that fast?
Fun! And physical in a way I didn't expect—if you're not actively bracing yourself in your seat, you're gonna get thrown around. (A lesson it took me a few laps to internalize.)
Was there any scary moment while you were behind the wheel?
File this under unnerving: one goal when racing is to brake as late as possible—which means braking hard. The first few times I slammed on the brakes at the end of a long straightaway were a little intense.
Would you do it again or recommend it to someone else?
Absolutely. It was incredibly cool to get a sense of what a serious car can do on a track designed for top speeds—and, like one member of Precision Driving Club told me, the experience requires such concentration that it really does become almost meditative.
Do you have more respect for F1 drivers after this experience?
I have to imagine that the only thing more intense than driving on an F1 track solo is doing it with 19 other drivers breathing down your neck. So: yes.
|
