Racers Start Your Engines-My Ride Along At The Daytona International Speedway With The Richard Petty Driving Experience

Ever wanted to be a race car driver? With the Richard Petty Driving Experience, you can so Racers Start Your Engines!

Whether you’re a die-hard race fan or looking for the next extreme thrill to check off your bucket list, if you have the need for speed, suit up and get ready for the thrill of a lifetime with the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida.

My daughter LOVED anything and everything about NASCAR and when it came to race weekend, and it didn’t get any better than the Daytona 500 Weekend. Her world revolved around Daytona Weekend and it had always been her dream to someday visit so last week I made the journey from California to Florida thanks to TripAdvisor to take the ride of a lifetime in her honor and check that item off the list for her as I experienced for myself what it was to slide into the passenger seat for the ride-along like no other as I held on tight as we reached speeds of over 200 miles per hour when I visited the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

The fact that I was able to take this ride, all thanks to TripAdvisor, during the Daytona 500 Raceweek-that has to be the pinnacle of every race fan’s dream come true, and I know my daughter was smiling down on me, loving every single minute of the ride.

Booking with TripAdvisor took all the guesswork out of booking this ultimate tribute to her because not only did I find suggestions for not just this, but similar activities as well,  but I was able to have all the information I needed, check the availability, book and have the voucher right on my phone and the best part, I had the option of booking weeks or months in advance, as most people do, or in my case I picked from the list the night before and was on the racetrack the very next day. Talk about as easy as 1-2-3! And if I had needed to change my plans or had questions after I booked, TripAdvisor has someone there to answer it all for me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And even better, I did it all from my phone while I was on the plane thanks to the help of my TripAdvisor phone app thanks to their easy to use Attractions section. Before I knew it I was booked and ready to go. No more searching through hundreds of websites, or calling places to check for availability or looking for coupons to get me the best price because TripAdvisor had taken care of all of that for me. Did you know that TripAdvisor is the world’s largest provider of tours, activities, and attractions, with more than 56,000 bookable experiences in 2,500 destinations worldwide? TripAdvisor Attractions offers something for every kind of traveler. Now you can book everything from racetrack ride alongs, or even better, to driving experiences to hot air balloon rides to helicopter adventures and anything and everything you could possibly imagine.

Taking the Richard Petty Driving Experience allowed me to get a real taste of car-racing as I embarked on an exhilarating ride around the world-famous Daytona International Speedway. I opted for the ride-along but there are several different packages to choose from including one specifically designed with the younger set in mind, and the ultimate, the granddaddy of all bucket-list items, the driving package where you’re in the driver’s seat experience all the thrills and chills of what race car drivers experience on any given day.

With this package I was able to hop in the passenger seat of a genuine NASCAR race car, and I braced myself as my expert driver Barry, who had been driving since 1981, took me for high-speed laps around the track, dodging in and out of other racers all while reaching speeds up to 233 kph! This was the perfect ride for any die-hard  DAYTONA 500 fans who want the racing experience, but not the responsibility of self-driving at extreme speeds or if you happened to have had a knee replacement surgery the year before.

The best part was even though in my mind, the scariest part for me was not the actual ride but how I was going to manuver myself in and out of the car due to my mobility issues due to the fact that there are no doors on the cars but instead you slide yourself through a small, teeny, tiny opening where a window would be but the incredible and gracious support team made what could have been an impossible situation into a seemlessly possible transition from racetrack into the passenger seat, and then out again!

Pulling up to the Daytona International Speedway, especially during DAYTONA 500 week, you are immediately struck with the history and a profound respect for all those who came before and those who pioneered the sport. Steeped in tradition, I was awestruck by the facilities, and all it encompassed and once I had checked in, we were loaded onto our transport and taken to center track to begin the rides of our lives.

After a safety talk and fitting of safety apparel, in a blink of an eye, we were each escorted to our racecars where a highly trained and skilled staff awaited us, there to help us with every step of the way.

Once safely inside the passenger seat, Barry once again took me through the safety protocol and with the drop of the checkered flag, my high-speed adventure began.  From banking up high on the curves, pulling serious G-force speeds, to going down low to pass other cars, Barry gave me the full race experience, but also while checking on me at all times to make sure that I was all right, always putting my needs and my comfort first and foremost. The care and true down-home hospitality I was greeted with from the time I checked in, to the time I left truly left me feeling that I was a part of the family and the kindness they showed to me will stay with me for many, many years to come. Make sure you get the video of your ride as you are going to want to relive it over and over again.

Whether you’re a NASCAR fan, or a mom wanting to pay tribute to your daughter by living out her ultimate dream or just looking for the ultimate in bucket-list, adrenaline filled, once in a lifetime experiences, if you want to truly fulfill your need for speed, then head to TripAdvisor and book your own Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Daytona International Speedway and get ready for the ride of your life.

Whether you’re planning to check off the next item off your Bucket List or are in search of a weekend getaway or a once in a lifetime trip. Did you know that you can use TripAdvisor for all your planning needs from start to finish?  Did you know that TripAdvisor is more than just reviews?

Finding the lowest price hotel with TripAdvisor

• Find the best prices from 200+ booking sites: With one click, we compare prices from 200+ hotel booking sites – including the hotel’s own website – to help you find the lowest price on your ideal hotel
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And once you’ve booked your room, don’t forget to book those once in a lifetime activities that turn any trip from ordinary to extraordinary! Why book on TripAdvisor? Because booking attractions in-person, after arrival, can be risky – there are no reviews to read, there’s no “big picture” overview of what’s available, some attractions may be unavailable at short notice or come with an hours-long line. TripAdvisor makes booking a breeze:

 

• Knowledge: TripAdvisor consolidates the options in one place, so you can easily search for what best suits your needs.
• Reviews: Here you can see thousands of reviews on attractions so you can make informed choices.
• Ease: TripAdvisor makes booking online or on our free mobile app quick and easy – no hotel concierge, no guidebook, no ancient brochures.
• Whenever, wherever: You can book a month in advance, a week in advance, a day in advance, or a ‘skip the line’ ticket form the very line you’re standing in.
• VIP access: With TripAdvisor you get skip-the-line opportunities, behind-the-scenes access, private viewings and more.
• 24/7 customer service: Book with TripAdvisor Attractions and you’ll have 24/7 access to our customer support team.
• Low price guarantee: If you find a lower price for the same tour or activity within 72 hours of booking, or if you arrive in your destination and find your activity offered at a lower price by our operator, let us know. We’ll refund the price difference.

Now the only question left to decide is what are you waiting for?  Whether it’s a quick surprise for the family, or you’re about to embark on that dream trip of a lifetime, make sure all of your planning starts and ends with TripAdvisor-it’s your one stop for all your planning needs.

This post was created in partnership with TripAdvisor as part of my role as a  TripAdvisor ambassador, however, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are 100% my own.