I attended an Xtreme Xperience here at Autobahn and it was amazing. There were so many cars to…read morechoose from. Ferraris, a Lamborghini, Porsches, and some Charger Hellcats for ride-alongside. Having never driven on a racetrack before and with multiple cars on the track, I first did a ride-along with a pro driver to learn the track, understand the cones, and learn the hand signals. Well worth the $80 before my drive. I drove a Ferrari 488 GTB. To use Vivienne's words on "Pretty Woman", "This baby corners like it's on rails!" So smooth and powerful, you hit 120mph and barely feel it. For $429, you get 4 laps around the track in one of the cars. For multiple car experiences, there are package deals. The track was great. Fun curves and some stretches where you can really put the pedal to the metal. Loved this entire experience. 10/10. Would do again. Driving out of the country club going only 30mph after that was hard. It felt comically and yet annoyingly slow

I did the Xtreme Xperience in Joliet. I know you can't really find reviews online except on…read moreFacebook. I'll post at the actual location. I drove the Lamborghini Huracan on a Sat. I got there an hour before the drive time. Since there were only 3 of us in our time slot, we skipped the class and did an expedited version of the do's and don'ts. I enjoyed the car and my instructor was good, but I hated the track. I was expecting something like Nascar style or at least some good straightaways. There were too many turns and not enough time to go as fast as I wanted. I only got up to 100 mph. I did that in my regular car on the tollway. If they changed the track for the Joliet location then I would recommend this place. For the amount of money, it was not enough time to really get a feel for the car. You get 3 laps. 1st one was a waste since my instructor was going through everything with me. 2nd one was when I was starting to get the hang of it. In all reality, I just had one really good lap.

Had a Great day of racing Saturday October 25th. Perfect…read moreweather, good service. Want to go again & again!

I bought this as a Christmas gift and the race happened late May. (Perfect time, btw - before…read moreFather's Day and not too hot, but warm enough for those of us in the audience.) He arrived much earlier than his spectators, to get a feel for things and watch other groups to see what to expect. (I'm sure also to see how fast he'd be going and have something to compare himself to!) Registration began 30 minutes before his race time. They offered a number of upgrade packages -- I wasn't there, but I believe an extra 10 laps for $150, $120 for a 2-lap ridealong + video + picture plaque. I wish I knew the extra laps were available, we'd have bought them for him. Next time!! He did get the video and plaque. Because I wasn't sure what to expect as a spectator, I'll comment on that a bit. There weren't many concessions (chips, pop, and gatorade). They sold some RWRE tshirts and hats, but that's about it. Some people were clearly regulars, because they had their own chairs (recommended), coolers, music (?!?!) and sunscreen. It was so fun watching him race. I heard the class was actually really interesting and he learned a lot. The video shows a side-by-side view of his face and the track, the plaque is nicer than I expected. He had such a great time, I know he'll be talking about it for a while!!

Review 500 had to be special…read more "I took up racing because I was too lazy to work and too chicken to steal" -Kyle Petty "You win some, you lose some and wreck some" -Dale Earnhardt We all have a back story a past that formed who we are. Some experiences touch us, some move us. On a few rare occasions we are so inspired by an experience that it literally has the ability to guide our future. I am the only girl; growing up with four brothers was truly something. We would gather around our old floor model tv and watch Nascar with my dad. My brothers loved it. I had no idea what I was watching. My dad would yell "pick a car baby girl". I would yell back "7 or 13". My dad wanted us to experience Nascar in person but there was never enough money for all of us. In 2023 when Nascar came to Chicago, I was so excited! I know I had to be one of the first ten to purchase my ticket. Unfortunately, due to torrential rain I still missed it. I stood at the gate for over an hour in the rain. We were told that because of the lightning, they had to reset the clock on letting us inside. NO umbrellas allowed. I thought they were kidding until I was made to toss it. I walked to my section and was not allowed inside because it flooded. They were waiting for the fire marshals to approve entry. I walked to one of the food vendors and paid 9$ for a hotdog, 10$ if you add mustard. Food and drink were included with my ticket. We were let in a bit after 2. There were drinks but NO food. Frustrated, soaked and starting to feel sick, I left. This year's experience was priceless! I wish my dad was alive to see it. The weather was nice and sunny. Not too hot. My seat was perfect, even better than what I had last year. Made it in time for lunch and there was plenty of GOOD food. Drinks were also in abundance. Loads of snacks including Garrets popcorn. There was a beautiful lounge set up outside with Jack Daniel's seats and our private bathrooms were plentiful. When I was about to leave, they were serving dinner so I stayed and enjoyed a plate. So much to see, so much to do. Games to play, booths to visit, samples to try. Meet new people and enjoy the concerts. This was my first time seeing Buddy Guy in person. He was such a character, loved him. Yes, Nascar. I will be waiting for my email to return next year.

First, I want to say that I'm a big fan of NASCAR. I attended my first race when I was just 16…read moreyears old in Sonoma, California. Once you hear the sounds of those roaring engines you fall in love with the chaos that is about to ensue. I've attended the Phoenix NASCAR event for 4 different years, including 1 year I had pit passes, so I'm a very big fan of NASCAR. Also worked Joliet NASCAR race the summer of 2006. This is my second year volunteering at the NASCAR experience street racing in the city of Chicago. When I saw this opportunity was going to be available for the residence of Chicago to see how awesome NASCAR is...I couldn't wait to be involved. What a joy that this is actually legal street racing. I ended up volunteering last year as I taking a break from work and it was such a good experience that I thought a why not volunteer again. Last year I volunteered on Saturday and was able to see a lot of qualifying races and have a good time, unfortunately they were rained out and I did not get to see the NASCAR event on Sunday last year. This year I have volunteered on Saturday and it was nice to be a part of the NASCAR community and hear live concerts said see demo and get free paraphernalia related to NASCAR racing. This year the weather was beautiful on Saturday and I got to hear, Buddy Guy live, and then also the Black Keys. The food, the energy, the community cannot be understated for this NASCAR event. NASCAR is very diverse and everyone feels welcome. I will say as a person that has attended other NASCAR around the country. What was missing was the tailgating aspect. Hanging out in the parking lot and sharing beers and stories of NASCAR with others is pretty cool element of the NASCAR community. Probably hard to accomplish when you are actually street racing and not at a standup venue however, the fact that you were street racing along the very streets that we drive every day is just undone, especially with the skyscraping views of the city of Chicago. Hands-down, I would buy tickets for this event and just prepare to spend all weekend hanging out with the NASCAR family. If you like cars, if you like live music, if you like good food, this is a place for you. Safety was a priority here and was such a nice place to be. If you plan on getting tickets for 2025 I highly recommend you spend the extra money and get reserve seating as there are no guaranteed seats with general admission. Tip: if you plan on coming to this event, I would highly recommend that you take the Metra as that is the closest entrance to getting into the park.

The Ed Rudolph Velodrome is one of only two short, banked tracks for official bicycle racing in…read moreIllinois and one of just 28 in the entire country. For over 50 years, this distinctive venue has been a hub for cycle racing, training, and entertainment. But for me, it is more than just a racing track. It is a place filled with joy, memories, and a sense of tradition. Nearly every Independence Day, my family and I gather here to watch the Northbrook fireworks. Decades ago, before I got married, I loved taking leisurely walks from our home to the velodrome with my parents. Sometimes my grandmother would join us when she was visiting. At that time, spectators were only allowed to sit on the bleachers behind the track. Before the fireworks show, the infield would host inter-school marching band competitions, which we always enjoyed watching. The fireworks were launched from inside the velodrome, bursting spectacularly overhead, sometimes raining sparks over the infield, where some bold attendees would rush to sit despite the warnings. Today, the setup has changed. The marching band performances are no longer part of the event, and the fireworks are now launched from outside the velodrome, making them visible across Meadowhill Park and Techny Prairie Park and Fields. Still, we prefer to watch from inside the velodrome, our favorite spot. While my family still lives in town, we no longer live within walking distance of the velodrome. But we've kept the tradition alive. Each year, we park around downtown Northbrook and enjoy the pleasant 15-minute walk to the velodrome. It adds to the festive spirit and brings back a bit of the feeling from those days long ago. Now, spectators are welcome on the grassy infield. When we arrived this year, a DJ was entertaining the crowd before the fireworks. Families and children were fully immersed in the festive atmosphere. We brought lawn chairs, settled in, and enjoyed the energy of the evening. The fireworks were spectacular as always, a dazzling end to a perfect night. My parents and grandmother have since passed on, but each year as the fireworks light up the sky, I like to think they're watching from above, smiling with us, still a part of this beloved family tradition. I love the velodrome. This tradition is a celebration of family, community, and the simple joy of gathering under the stars. I hope it continues for generations to come.

It's amazing to think that this place is free and open to the public! It's a quarter-mile track…read morewith 18-degree banked turns (steep enough to notice but not so steep as to affect your balance), and it's the smoothest surface I've ever ridden on. The website asks that you only ride with a track bike (fixed gear) and helmet, but there are pictures of people riding bikes with gears, so I'm not sure how strictly they enforce that rule. They do also insist that you wear a helmet, which is only common sense. I loved riding even when there were only two other riders on the track. It's a lot of fun to have someone to chase or outrace, even if they're not really in on the competition. The track has plenty of seating for spectators, and they have races open to various ages and skill levels. The addition of lighting allows for riding well into the evening. I rode on a sunny Saturday at around noon and was on a homemade fixie that I built; the other two riders were on more-professional bikes, and a few other riders showed up with what looked like some pretty high-end bikes and clothing--but the overall feel is of a track that's open to anyone. As you can see in the photos, there are painted lines to separate the faster riders (closer to the inside of the track near the thicker blue line) from slower riders (further out to the edge, outside the think blue line). If you want to have the feel of being a "cutter", or if you want your kids to feel like they're racing, this is a great place to go. (Bonus points if you know the "cutter" reference).

I highly recommend the ride-along experience in a race car with Richard Petty. We both did it…read moretogether and loved it. When I say together, I mean we each had our own seat in a car but the race cars go two at a time. One car is leading, one car is following, but both cars are going 165 MPH on the race track. When we initially arrived, we had trouble finding the location. After visiting the administrative office, we were told we had to enter at GATE 5. It was easy sailing from there. We had gift cards (which were a great deal at $59 for a ride-along) and were able to check in quickly at the blue truck to purchase our ride-along. After signing a waiver form, we received an arm band and a lanyard with a USB attached to it. We had no idea what the USB was for until we were in the race car. The USB was used to save a video of our experience inside and outside of the race car. Right before we took off, a professional photographer also took our picture. Pictures were $17.50 w/o the plaque, $35 with the plaque, and the video was about $49. We ordered the video and they actually gave us the 4GB USB to take home. The video is NOT on a DVD. After checking in, we were sent off to the tents where we had to put on a full body suit and a helmet. The staff there provided us with the correct size suit and measured us for the correct helmet size. Like real race cars, the cars do not have doors. I highly do NOT recommend this experience for people who cannot climb in and out of a race car window. This was the only way we could get into and out of the race car. There was a man who was in a wheel chair. Thankfully he was not a heavy person and the staff were able to carry him into the car. The staff did an excellent job of strapping me in. I felt safe during my entire experience from start to finish. Everyone was also very nice and answered any questions we had. I was told to keep my eyes open as the car raced by inches away from the race track wall at 165 MPH. It was exhilarating! We were thankful that the weather was perfect for our ride-along. I had purchased the gift cards in 2010 but was never able to use it until this year (2012) because Richard Petty's schedule conflicted with ours. I recommend checking the yearly schedule on the website for ride-alongs and drive-alongs because Richard Petty is not always at the Chicagoland Speedway. However, these gift cards are okay to use nationwide wherever Richard Petty is. No appointment is required. It was all on a first come first serve basis. Another thing to check off on my bucket list!

What do you buy for someone who is a daredevil at heart but who has done almost everything crazy…read moreyou can think of from jumping out of a plane, to running with the bulls to flying an airplane? How about giving him the experience of a lifetime of taking the wheel of a real 600 HP NASCAR race car and taking it out on the track for 8 laps? Yep. That's what the Richard Petty "Rookie" Experience gives you The scheduling staff are very helpful, explaining in detail, the various options they have and when they will be in your town. You can also get a complete line up on their website. And on the day of the experience, they go out of their way to make you feel like a real race car driver! A couple of pointers to help you at this course. Get there early before your experience as you may have some difficulty as we did finding the right gate. GATE 5 is the gate but that is not on the main road rather down a side street. But once you find it- there is signage that steers you to the garages and the small house where they will get you suited up and ready to go. Also know that if it rains, you may have to postpone your experience but full vouchers are given for alternate dates. All in all an experience of a lifetime that is worth every penny for that daredevil in your life!

Ok, if you've never been in a race car before; it is a great time. The staff were very friendly…read more There are a couple of things that could really improve the experience. First - if you're a big guy like me, forget about the Indy car and do the stock car. I was going to do Indy and was so squished in the cockpit I couldn't turn the wheel. I got out and went over to a stock car. Secondly, the video. They charge way to much for the video. Also, the quality is very bad, the video wiggles at high RPM. Also, there is no communication between you and your spotter on the video, even though there is a giant racing audio logo on the video. It comes on a USB drive with all this funky bloatware just to watch it. It is a two camera system, one on you and one out the windshield; but the two videos are embedded into one stream; not great if you want to edit later. Third - the video you watch before getting to the track. The safety part is obviously important; but they tell you how to drive the course. The course on the video is an oval and CMS is a tri-oval. I wished they would have stopped the video and informed us of the proper racing lines for the tri-oval. Last - the spotter. He could have done a better job. He was basically telling me what RPM to be at. He could have done a lot more coaching as to when to lift, how much wheel to put in the turns, when to get back in the throttle, etc. I don't even know if he was paying attention; I had to tell him when there was a car in front of me that I needed to pass. I think with better instruction, I could have had a much better time and gotten better lap times. My certificate said I hit 151.95mph. I find that hard to believe as my lap times where 60-65 seconds for a 1.52 mile course (average speed of 90 mph). If I hit 150 on the backstretch, then my corner speeds must have been horrible. Granted, their website will tell you that the top speed is just a guess anyways; so I wouldn't put too much belief in it. All in all, it is a cool experience for someone who's never been to a track before. Just being in the infield and behind pit wall and hearing the cars was fun. Driving was fun. But I think for someone who has raced before might feel a little underwhelmed.

My sister in law wanted to do a ride along in an Indy car for her birthday, so we all went for a…read moreride too. Having driven a stock car at the Chicagoland Speedway I didn't think riding in an indy car would be all that great. I was wrong, it was pretty cool. Just like the driving experience you get to park in the infield and the wait for your number to be called. Then you get a helmet and climb into an indy car. I'm not really sure why, but they give you a little useless steering wheel. To pretend you're driving? I don't know. You only go around the track 3 times, which isn't very much. At 190 mph it is over pretty quick. It's fun, but it's pricey for what you get. If you have some money burning a hole in your pocket and you want to ride an indy car; go for it. If you're just kinda interested then skip it and go for the driving experience.