I bought a package for my husband on Groupon for our anniversary. We received email confirmations that the experience would start at 8 am and we'd have to arrive 30 minutes prior to check in. We live in Chandler and the location is in Avondale so you can only imagine how early we had to leave and how far it was. We arrived at 7:30 to find out that it was changed to 9 am and check in was at 8:30. No email confirmations, phone calls, or anything regarding the change. This would have been nice to know before hand since we live so far. After checking in, there is an hour long class to walk you through the entire process. I would highly recommend paying attention because there is a lot of detailed information. I got my husband 8 laps. It goes by really fast however, they do add on a few extra laps for you. The trackers are very hard to see and it takes 2-3 laps to even notice them and get used to them. The cars are also not very fast either. My husband said it felt like he was driving around 55-80 mph, maybe. Unless you get a groupon the retail price is very expensive. It's a good experience and I recommend getting at least 8 laps or more. read more

Rusty Wallace Racing Experience- Phoenix International Raceway - Racing Experience Near Me - Avondale, Arizona

This review is long over due. Our neighbor won a 4 lap pass but couldn't go so he let us have it. We did the pro ride along and 4 extra laps. So glad we did too! It was an amazing experience. The spotter was courteous and very helpful. It was so much fun to be able to run on a real NASCAR track. It's definitely worth it to get the extra laps. read more

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Zoooooooommmm! What a fun and exciting day! The Rusty Wallace crew were super nice, professional and organized. I took advantage of riding a few laps with the professional driver and that was the best part of the day! Wow!!! You go for a briefing before getting into the car and learn that they lose at least 1 car a day! I was the only female in my group and swore that I was not going to be the one who crashed! Later on, we heard that in a previous weekend experience they came with 24 cars and left with 6! Right before I got into my car, I found out that no cars had crashed the day before and none so far that day so I was more determined not to be the first one to crash! I had a Groupon so if you're interested in doing this, check Groupon! They have these experiences twice a year - in April and in November. read more

Was there on the 17th of Jan 2015. This was actually my second time. As fun as the first time was, I actually managed to have even more fun the second time! For first timers, I recommend taking the 3 lap pro driver tour, it's crazy how fast he goes but he also shows the line and where to accelerate and brake, it's worth it. After that, I did feel a little bit more confident about going out. The second time I went, I felt I was a little bit more confident in the car and track and was going a lot faster and braking later. I overtook some slower cars this time! Don't feel bad if you think you are going slow or can't drive stick. Go whatever speed you feel comfortable and don't be too hard on yourself the first time, I noticed a big difference between the first time and second time going. I recommend Rusty Wallace racing and can't wait for 2016 to do it again! read more

It's always been on my bucket list to either drive a race car or be a passenger in one. When I found a living social deal I jumped with joy!!! They are always having LivingSocial deals and Groupon deals and there was no way I was paying full price. I paid, I drove down there with a coworker who is really into NASCAR and was eager to try it out. I have to say it was great to experience what it feels like getting into one of those cars and getting out, speeding around clinging to corners. I can say I did it and had the experience but I wouldn't say I'll try it again. Maybe driving it myself but never as a passenger. First of all the drive is really short, it's a couple of laps, it flies by within minutes. The driver wasn't that friendly, when I got in the car he didn't speak one word to me, not a hello, are you ready, not even a keep your hands in. And according to my friend he was the same way with her too when she got her turn. Something had happened with the walkie talkies right before our rides and I believe there were words exchanged between him and a coworker right before that put in him a bad mood. In the drivers defense it was the other guy that I thought was being a butt head but doesn't mean the driver had to take it out on me. We all have jobs where our coworkers can be a little sucky at times but doesn't mean you take it out on the customer. Honestly being a passenger was boring, you're just going around in circles while a professional drives so what's scary about that. There's no adrenaline or anything else to it. Even if my driver was nice it still would have been boring. Still nice I experienced it to say I did but boring. I'd recommend if you're going to do it, just pay the extra money to take the lessons and drive the car yourself. I just know if I would have been behind the wheel it would have been a million times better. I use to drag race and my car wasn't as near being fast like NASCAR race cars. It would have been nice to feel that level of power. read more

Spent a few hours this morning and loved every minute of it. They are very professional and make sure that having a great time. On a side note, do the ride along! Not only do they help you understand the line to hit but at their speed its a whole different experience. read more

Beware they lie!! I bought this for my dad as a Christmas gift,I paid extra for the insurance. When my dad got there he wasnt even allowed to go past 55 mph. That's not what they advertise. I tried to write a review on the Facebook page but they removed it and now I am.not even able to make a comment on the page. So they obviously delete the bad comments.. So dont waste you money at all!! read more

This was the second time attending the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience. This was a smaller track than the previous time so it was a little more difficult, there were some people in the class who were pros. The problem that some people had with this track is that if they were a slower driver and had to go left for people to pass them they could never get back up on the track and hit full speed before having to go back down and let someone pass them again. So you really need to hit the gas and stay with the pack, you can't be the slow man or your time on the track will suck. I did have a better time at the track in LA because it was a Super Speedway so you got to drive more rather than worry about the other racers. But I do like the fact that they get you in the car and racing within an hour of checking in. Save your money and skip the ride along, its pretty expensive for a couple laps that you don't drive. read more

First thing is everyone who is involved is really good at what they do. This is a well run group, very sincere in seeing that you have a great time. I signed up for the 8 lap qualifier. The only thing that caused a problem for me was not knowing where the pink tape was placed on the track. During the intro class it was mentioned there was tape on the track but failed to inform us where it was placed. I understand track position but spent 4-5 laps just trying to find where I needed to be on the track. If they had some kind of graphics or handouts to illustrate the track position line that would have been very helpful. With all the things you need to be watching, pink tape should really be one of the least if you know a head of time where to be on the track. Place more pink tape on the track or stripe it better as it was later in the afternoon the glare was wicked on the track surface which didn't help matters. I'll be back in November now that I know where to find the pink tape and earlier in the day. read more

Did 12 laps at PIR and it was lots of fun. I do wish I did the pro ride along just to get a sense of the speed I should take the corners at. Lots of fun opening it up on the straightaways. I would like to do it again but pro ride along first and then some laps. Would be cool to have the pro ride in the passengers seat and be able to talk via headset to get some instruction. read more

Super fun!! I had a great experience! I would recommend you do the ride-a-long with the pros first. Yes, it costs more but they show you all the lift/brake and accelerate points that fly by at full speed. My spotter was friendly and encouraging but if you do get yelled at (like my friend did), it's nothing personal, you only have split seconds to react to their instructions. This will make you have a new respect for the sport. read more

Rusty Wallace Racing Experience- Phoenix International Raceway - Photos to buy afterwards. On a nice plaque for $53 - Racing Experience Near Me - Avondale, Arizona

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Drove for four hours. Spent close to $1,000 for the mega package (including reschedule fees because of COVID. Disorganized cash extraction scheme with so much potential fun and so much unnecessary fear and danger. The ride along is fun but teaches you nothing at all - you cannot speak to the driver. The "training" is 50% upsell pitch for insurance and ride-along and was completely and utterly useless. Then they release you cold into an active track with cars going 130mph all around you. Lane markers are essentially not visible. Manual stick shift (my gear box had no first and apparently a fourth gear but I did not know). Your drive is monitored by the all important ONE WAY comms spotter from the tower but mine did did not work. The cars have no mirrors or gages that you can see and your head is kind of clamped so you can move it maybe 5 degrees facing forward. Totally dangerous and terrifying. I pulled off after four of my seventeen laps. The spotter was unable to talk to me. No one gave a sh*t. No refunds. Avoid like the plague. If you do go allow an extra half an hour to find it at Dover because the signs are tiny and mostly not there. read more

My Rusty Wallace Racing Experience was PHENOMENAL: real track, real cars, no one riding with me and no pace car. I even got to pass another car. Their classroom instructions are clear and the spotter on the radio is super helpful and encouraging. I brought home my souvenir photo plaque and hung it up right away. I will definitely go back. read more

Just finished my 12 lap race at PIR. It was everything i hoped it would be. Everyone was very friendly, and our instructor was very helpful. I'd do it again right now if i could. Thank you to everyone involved! read more

Gave my dad a 4 lap ride along for his 60th birthday , man did he have a blast . I've never seen him smile so big. I would highly recommend this to anyone. The staff were all very nice and helpful , made the experience a great one . Thanks everyone. read more

If you are doing this in Tucson, prepare for a bad experience. My wife bought this for me as a gift, but I wish we had spent our money elsewhere. The two most important facts that I would have really liked (or rather wish had been made more plain) is that Tucson Speedway is about the size of my parents pool, and 10 laps may seem like a lot when considering a normal race track, not so much when you see Tucson speedway. Secondly, those may have been Nascars at one point, but not in the last 30 years. I probably would have had more fun racing my crappy 1996 Infiniti G20 around the track than what felt like a stripped down Pontiac which could proudly don a historic plate. Before you buy this Groupon, ask which raceway yours will take place (depending on your state) and then ask yourself what you would consider a good time. read more

Sorry it's a long review but it is a MUST read! I purchased a 12 lap racing experience for my wife and I for the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. The problems started when I received an email the morning of the Wednesday before with a contact phone number and then 15 minutes later I received updated contact info. I called that number 3 times before Sallie answered and told me she wasn't working and gave me the main office number. I called that number only to get a recording that they are closed until Monday. After we got to Phoenix International Raceway, we were asked if we wanted to upgrade to 16 laps for another $79.00 each and we did. Then we were told that it would be a good idea to purchase a ride along for another $77.00 each because drivers that do the 3 lap ride along have 20 - 30% better lap times when they do the driving experience, so we bought it too. **The ride along was very good!** We had a 45 min training class about safety, when to speed up and when to lift. I asked if we would receive info on lap times and top speed. I was told all they do is count the laps. My wife's driving experience was good - she had a spotter that helped her have a good time. I'm a 63 yr old man, so it's not like I'm some young and wild guy! We had been instructed (and the track is marked) on where to speed up and on my second lap when I gave it the gas at that mark, my spotter told if I started early again, he was going to park me. The next lap I waited about 50 feet past the mark and my spotter told me if I started to early again he was going to yank me out of the car. I tried to carry a little speed into turn 1 and I was told if I don't settle down he was going to yank me out of the car. After I slowed down to about half the speed of the ride along (I feel more G force driving on mountain roads in Arizona), which is at interstate speeds, I didn't hear any more from the spotter. My wife had the video, so we watched it and counted the laps. Two of the laps that they counted were leaving pit road and getting up to speed and the lap back around to pit road after the checkered flag - I would call that 14 laps!!! When we asked about counting the lap after the checkered flag, we were told this isn't NASCAR, it's a racing experience. They said it's understood that those are counted as laps (because it doesn't say it in their contract)! When I talked to the customer service manager (Bill Coady), he said if I wanted to purchase another experience, he would make it right. When I asked what that meant, he said he would make sure I had a good experience - maybe extra laps or make me a VIP. So what that means to me is that if I give them a lot more of my hard earned money, I can take another chance at having a "good" experience. You would think they would have offered at least a partial refund or discounted driving experience! I have friends that have done the Richard Petty driving experience and at least they received the stats (lap times and top speed). I DO NOT recommend the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience!!! I would say the "customer service" was BAD, but it just didn't even exist! read more

Purchased for my Boyfriend's birthday. Easy online booking! You can upgrade the package upon arrival as well. He wanted more laps and I'm glad he did. I chose 4 laps which we found out you're just getting warmed up. All staff was very nice and knowledgeable. He loved the experience! He can't wait to go back! Next time I would recommend early times. We were in the late afternoon the sun was beaming and hard for him to see at certain points on the racetrack. read more

My wife purchased this for me as a Father's Day gift, but I was only able to take advantage of this great gift this past weekend. They had to reassign everybody who originally purchased their slots for Tucson, but they threw in 3 extra laps to make it up to us, which I thought was a nice touch. The staff was very friendly, and the safety briefing was provided by an experienced racer. Once I got used to the car they put me in and got to merge onto the track, I went according to the instructions proved by my spotter. The best part of my own experience was getting the go-ahead from my spotter to pass another vehicle. Getting to feel the full power of my car as I made the pass was the icing on high octane cake. Definitely would do this again! read more

Buyer Beware!! We bought a package for my son for Christmas. He had a good time. DO NOT, however, buy the $60 DVD!! Six months after his racing experience, we still don't have a DVD. They say they 'can't find it'. We are not the first people to experience this apparently. We don't have a refund either. Good racing, bad business. read more

My wife purchased this experience as a gift through Groupon. Awesome experience! I went with 3 friends and we all recommend riding with the pro first to get a good feel for the track and what to expect. Try not to be in a hurry. They don't put everyone on the track at the same time, but hanging out at the track around cool cars for a few hours is not a bad way to spend part of your day. read more

I drove the car on Saturday. It was awesome! The staff was really friendly. I recommend 2 things: First, buy as many laps as you can. I bought 16. You go so fast, that it's over in a flash. The cars are really powerful but stable. I never felt like the car was going to break lose. I believe they are speed limited at 130, so don't be afraid you will go too fast. Second, do the ride along with the pro. They can show you all day on a chalk board. Until you actually see the line on the track, you won't really grasp it. Awesome experience. I will do this again! read more

Fantastic! It was my second time with 'Rusty's' crew. My 1st time was a little shocking. I reviewed the video they provide of my experience and saw how 'conservative' I was. This recent time a thought it best to do a 'ride along' to better experience the track. I recommend anyone planning to drive, 1st do a 3 lap ride along with one of the pro drivers. The crew helping the drivers into and out of the cars were sooo nice and considerate. They put you at ease at the start and finish of your race laps. The spotter in my head set was cool and kept me focused. My second time doing this was waaay more fun. It seems like I could have driven much longer. You never really want it to end. The information about the track and what they expect out of the drivers in our driver class before racing was sobering. They are very concerned about the safety of all the drivers. There were a lot more cars on the track my first time. I wish there had been more the second time. I only passed one car. People will ask how fast you were driving. So, carry a phone with you with a tracking app. My app showed me how consistent my laps were. The 'chip' in car did limit the RPMS. I only wish I could have gone further & faster coming to the corners. Over all..... I am going again. I want to go faster, consistently and pass more cars. When you go... make sure the steering wheel is secure and you turn left in the corners! read more

Just finished 16 laps at PIR Easter Weekend, what a blast! The crew is super friendly, and safety comes first. Had a ton of fun racing my brother, the extra laps are so well worth it, especially when it ended up just being the two of us out there for the remaining 8 laps. Very fair price, great value, a must-do gift for any race fan! PIR is an awesome track and the thrill of being on the actual track (first you drive right into the infield for checkin!) for someone who only gets to see it on TV or from the stands is hard to explain, but really cool! Make someone's day and get them in these cars at PIR!! We did Groupon for the basic package, then called RWRE for the add on laps. read more

Bought this for my boyfriend for Christmas. He did the 8 lap experience; when he got out of the car he came up to me and said "All I can say is WOW!" "That is the best time you can have with your clothes on!" He talked about it all day and later said it was the best Christmas gift ever! He is 53 so that's saying a lot! He said all the instuctors were really great, the only thing he would change would be to drive more laps:) Thank you Rusty Wallace for making my honey ONE HAPPY MAN! We will Definately be back! read more

Would not recommend. Other than the staff being very friendly and helpful. The experience itself was subpar. They tell you over a microphone to accelerate decelerate and don't allow you to even push the clutch in etc, and by the time you get oriented with the track and car it's over. Would not recommend for anybody truly interested in driving, gives a great impression of a sham racing experience for those interested in that though. read more

The best experience ever and birthday present ever! I've wanted to race cars since I was a little girl and today I got to experience it. Can't wait to do this again. read more

The briefing of the class prior to the drive was okay prior to the driving. They basically tell you where to try and be on the track to maintain good control of the car and stay in a safe path while driving around the track. While on the track they can talk to you and tell you what to do if you know what they are talking about. I was told to drop down while coming into turn 3 after being at full throttle and I let off and came down as close to the bottom of the track as I could. They kept telling me to drop down, so as I came around the turn 4 I came into the pits not knowing what they really wanted me to do? The guy over the radio says when I say drop down I don't want you to take 1/2 track to do so. Apparently they have an experienced driver on the track at the same time doing a ride along and they wanted to pass. Maybe they should do the ride alongs while people who are driving the cars may not be as fast as the ride along car. It was obvious the ride along car was faster and has an experienced driver. On Top of this I paid for a video $59.95 of my driving experience and 3 months later say they can not find it and will refund my money and offer a discounted driving experience again. Well this was something I wanted to do one time not every weekend, or every year, was just kind of a thing on the bucket list of things to try. Think I will try a driving experience with an off-road style racing team and see how that rates compared to this one. It was an adrenaline rush but thought they have a lot of room for improvement in the experience. read more

We just finish driving and it was such a blast! The staff was fun and encouraging. We were able to drive by ourselves without anyone else in the car and the spotter was extremely helpful to make the most of the experience! I want to go again! read more

After a few weeks, someone from customer service did contact me and after explaining what happened, I was issued a refund of the majority of the cost. Still frustrating that it took that long to reach an agreeable solution, but in the end they came through. read more

Wow, this was more than I was expecting. I thought I'd be the only one on the track, maybe even a practice track... not the real International Raceway. I figured the throttle would be severely limited, and I'd be in a glorified bumper car. Uhm... nope. This was the real deal. It was actually a bit intimidating - not for the faint of heart... in a good adrenaline way! Don't whine about the class. And listen; you'll be so glad you did. Anyway, there were nine (real) race-cars on the track at a time, each with their own personal spotter. Fast? Yeah, plenty fast for a novice, and I was cleared to pass three times. What I'm saying is, you're not gonna top 200, but there were a lot of drivers slower than me 'cause it takes guts to hit it hard, and I was nervous as heck. My only complaint would be that we should get a slow practice lap or two before the paid laps kick in. Plus, the last lap shouldn't count 'cause you're slowing down and following the inside line the whole time. PS. I would highly recommend the ride-along first to learn the track a bit, and buy extra laps... it goes by really quick. read more

Save your money from the orientation to the lap counter was a miserable disappointing experience !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was my third time with RWRE and it just keeps getting better. The instructor was the best yet. My car was great and so was the staff. There was just one spotter per car so I was getting great feedback. I will be back again next year. read more

Truly an amazing experience for any car and need for speed demons out there at all levels. I went into this thinking no big deal, race around the track, easy, just hit the pedal and go. SOOOO not the case, the training course is spot on, I didn't quite understand all the points being made until I was in the car behind the wheel, all my confidence prior to the race was gone and I was nervous as all get out. What a RUSH once I got comfortable but I'm sure for the first couple laps I was little old grandpa out there in comparison to others (noting: no one is on the same lap as you). The key and what they stress to you in class, do what feels comfortable, the experience is for YOU not the spectators. Additionally, it's not a "race" each driver is eased onto the race track, they no longer do the 4 lap pace, you jump right on once you are cleared to hit the track. Now there are other drivers out there along with professionals giving ride alongs so you could be passing or be passed but your personal instructor will guide you along via an ear piece. The only thing I didn't like was the volume of the ear piece, I understand these race cars are loud but hole cow it was like someone screaming in your ear. That said, it was good to an extent but was my least favorite part of the race. Every part of this experience was amazing, from check in, class, race watching, ride along and most importantly your personal race experience. I would do it again in a heart beat but glad I didn't buy the extra 4 laps, 8 was plenty for my first time. Oh and I wish I did the ride along after I drove, I think I wouldn't have lost all my confidence as quickly. read more

I purchased this as a 21st anniversary gift for my husband...who's dream job would have been to be a professioal Nascar driver. We had read about the experience and knew he would have fun....but our expectations were LOW compared to what we received. It was by far the best money I have ever spent on a gift for anyone...ever. From the moment we got at PIR we were treated with an enthusiatic and helpful staff who's number one priority was to make sure that you had the time of your life. Everyone from the girl selling vendor items to the pit crew were top notch. He did the ride along first, with the professional driver... I HIGHLY recommend adding this as it allows you to get the feel of the car and how things operate before you are behind the wheel. Now for the drive... You are 100% in control of your car and have a personal spotter talking to you through your headset the entire time. They give you instruction from the moment you leave pit row, just like they would for any Nascar racer. My husband reached 140 MPH and his fastest lap was 38 seconds...so cool. When it was over he got out of the race car and you would have thought he won a million dollars. Honestly, I can't find the words to describe the experience. To top things off...all of your guests are welcome to come and watch. They are invited to pit row along with you and can experience everything up close. My husband had all 4 of our kids, my mother, his parents and his aunt and uncle....all had a GREAT time. Trust me....there is no way you could be unhappy when you leave this experience. I highly recommend adding the insurance....and again....add the ride along. Its SO worth it. read more