

Upon reaching that check-point, all of the switches and control panels of the car are double-checked and high-fives given. Starting with all of our cars lined up in the launch area, a staff member motions one of us forward. This ensures that each participant gets optimal track time, while also capitalizing on safety.
LONG DRAG RACE CAR PROFESSIONAL
Unlike professional dragster racing competitions and those Hollywood movies that sport side-by-side action, the Pure Speed Racing crew sends just one participant down the strip at a time. Here’s how drag racing works for each individual run a participant takes.
LONG DRAG RACE CAR FULL
Which makes lots of sense, considering all that happens before going full throttle to unleash the car on the drag racing strip, no matter the distance. As Doug had told us during our orientation, the first two runs (330 feet and 1/8-mile) are intended to help participants get to know their car and get comfortable with putting the driving instructions into action. The Pure Speed Racing staff couldn’t have been more helpful and encouraging as we donned driving suits and buckled in to our respective vehicles.ĭoing three runs (building up to a 1/4-mile stretch) was an ideal way to go about our drag racing experience, as well as adding the ride along option to the mix. Now we just needed to get our nerves under control… But we were there for the adrenaline rushes, and that’s exactly what we got! After our demo-run, Doug split us up into groups for ride alongs and drives (as we each were enjoying both of these thrills at the track). So much so that by the time we hopped into the crew van for a (very slow-motion) demo-run down the drag racing strip, the whole process was crystal-clear - from prepping the car, to gunnin’ it at top speeds, and then returning to the launch area. But Doug was extremely efficient in his delivery and repetition of the driving tasks at hand. To be totally transparent, the vast amount of information was a wee bit intimidating for some of us. Doug Foley himself! This instructional orientation lasted about an hour, covering elements of driving gear, safety, procedures, communication, hand signals, and car mechanics. Then it was time for the drag racing class, led by Mr. We were also given the option to purchase in-car video USB drive lanyards.
LONG DRAG RACE CAR REGISTRATION
Upon arrival, we checked-in at the registration trailer and completed waivers. But here’s how ours went with the folks at Pure Speed Racing.

What to Expect of a Drag Racing ExperienceĪ day at the track may vary ever so slightly across drag racing schools. And now we want to give you the insider’s scoop on driving a dragster! Namely because this was a first for all of us! If that feeling is all too familiar to you - rest easy! We went, we did, we conquered top speeds.

While we couldn’t wait to hop behind the wheel of these horsepower-packed cars to let loose on the drag racing strip, we admittedly had some jitters leading up to the big day. So you can only imagine our excitement when we heard that our long-time drag racing school partner, Pure Speed Racing, was planning a pit stop at Bandimere Speedway for dragster driving in nearby Morrison, Colorado. The Virgin Experience Gifts crew recently felt the same hankering to satisfy a need for speed. If you answered “yes” to at least one of those, then it’s a safe bet you should indulge in the fast cars and freedom of a drag racing experience ASAP! And if you answered “yes” to all three questions, then there’s no doubt it’s high time for you to hit up a track with a drag racing strip and don some driving gear! Wondering if a drag racing experience should be in your future? (Don’t worry - this refers to the entirely legal kind.) Here are some further questions to ask yourself, if you’re feeling the itch to put the pedal to the metal.Īm I feeling revved-up by the annual action of the Indy 500? Do I live for the sound of horsepower that fills a stadium during racing season? Does the stop-‘n’-go pace of my daily commute have me dreaming of burnin’ rubber on a wide-open road?
