Located at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Mario Andretti Racing School offers would be racers the chance to indulge their fantasy of being an Indy race car driver. Options range from a quick 6 lap session to a multi-session course involving racing against other drivers. I chose something a little less intense - the champ ride. Instead of driving, one rides as a passenger in a two person, open wheel, Indy-style car, with a claimed top speed of 180 mph.
As a non-driver, there was virtually no preparation. Sign a release, get your picture taken, put on a helmet, and you're off on three quick laps around the track. I think I heard that the actual top speed that day was 145 mph.
The speed is mildly interesting, but cornering is awesome. It's actually painful being pushed so hard into the side of the car, and it's hard to believe the car can stick to the track cornering so hard. My neck muscles had to tense up each time we cornered. I don't see how drivers do it for hundreds of laps, at even higher speeds. What a blast! It's not really worth the money, but what the heck. It's quite an experience.