• Great Days at KS Speedway
• Nextel Cup Car Ride
• Winning the Sales Game
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Nextel Cup Car Ride
In a Word: "AWESOME!"

By Jennifer Boyd
IBT Marketing Services Department

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Nextel Cup stock car drivers qualify at speeds of 165 mph or more. To complete a lap of the Kansas Speedway at that speed requires less than 45 seconds.

As you would expect, those 45 seconds are an adrenaline-filled, heart-pounding ride of a lifetime.

IBT customers at TECH X 500 got to make the circuit with a professional racing instructor in race cars supplied by The Racing Experience. They report that it was an absolutely unmatched experience - even for those accustomed to high speeds.

One passenger told us: "I have driven cars at speeds well over one hundred miles per hour. I rode my motorcycle even faster than that, but I couldn't wait for my 165 mph laps.

"It far exceeded my expectations. The wall was going by pretty fast. 165 mph is 242 feet per second. That makes it even easier to realize just how fast we were moving. It was awesome! I'm ready for more."

Riders were universally excited about their experience. Men and women, young and not so young - all donned their racing suit with great anticipation and crawled in through the passenger side window, Dukes of Hazzard style. After being securely strapped in with all the appropriate gear, riders anxiously waited for the engine to rumble and then were rocked back in their seat as the driver put the pedal to the metal.

The roar of the engines resounded throughout the two days of the event.

The line of ride-along winners got longer as the shadows lengthened and those waiting eagerly asked "How was it?" to everyone who passed by.

For the most part, the smiles of those exiting the cars through the passenger side window told the whole story. They ran ear to ear and then some.

Everywhere I looked I saw people with big grins, showing off their picture in a racing suit, gushing about how amazing their ride was.

I had the pleasure of accompanying two IBT customers, Connie Hafner and Morgan Housh of Carthage, Missouri, while they had their rides. Both are true NASCAR fans and have been following racing for many years. They suited up in the protective gear like they had done it a million times. And, they were not at all disappointed with their sprint around Kansas Speedway.

"I definitely have a whole new respect for drivers. It was so exciting and exhilarating." said Connie Hafner, who took her Racing Experience Ride-Along in IBT's car # 33.

"It is just like you watch it on Sundays and you know it is incredibly fast. But to actually be in the car - to see and feel what they do - is a major adrenaline rush. I definitely think I will be thinking about it the next time I watch a race, especially how close they actually are to the wall and other cars." Morgan Housh commented.

So the question of the day is: would you ride again? "You bet." was Connie's reaction. Morgan claims "Absolutely! I want to drive!"