So I went out and did my NASCAR experience with LA racing at Irwindale Speedway. I was suspect at first after reading some of the negative reviews. This was a gift given to me by my staff but I never would've purchased for myself. With that being said here goes. Walking into the location I was greeted by an extremely friendly person. Don't remember his name just remember he was bald and friendly. Very gracious had me sign all the important forms that you would sign before doing something that can cause death. There was no pushy selling of any extra insurance or photos or anything. It was offered. Once my paperwork was completed I took it to the ladies at the desk. On both occasions they offered a special on 10 extra laps during my special. There was absolutely nothing high-pressure about it and they were extremely friendly. For someone who was into this stuff it appeared to be a great bargain. Also what organization isn't going to suggestive sell something. They do it everywhere. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Part of good business. Prior to going in for the driver briefing got to watch a little bit of the other cars doing their laps from an earlier session. We were all called into a room and provided a one hour overview on the cars and what we were expected to do when driving them. We were also given some very informative information about techniques and how these type of vehicles work. The class was extremely helpful. There were a number of individuals in the class who had gone many other times over the last year. Both of the instructors were extremely friendly and there wasn't anything presented that I wouldn't expect. At the end of the class they even offered if you want to get a year segment at a greatly reduced price. Well worth it if this was a hobby you wanted to pursue. The fire suit and equipment they provided was all in great repair and very clean. Everyone of the crewmembers were extremely polite, helpful, and friendly. Had family members there to watch and they treated them just as nice. Now here is some important information. This is not a tall person sport. I am 6 '8 and push the size restraints to the very limit. This isn't to say that a vehicle couldn't be designed to accommodate at 6'8 person but out of their fleet only one reasonably allowed me to fit. It isn't the vehicle that changes it's the size of the seat and how far back they put it from the pedals. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and if you are into NASCAR or driving I would highly recommend it. Being that I am so tall it wasn't a comfortable experience. My recommendation is if you are going to do this find the early morning appointments or a cooler day. Sitting in those tight compartments with fire suits and helmets can get extremely warm if it's a hot day out. I would recommend this experience for someone who is into this type of thing. The staff was great! The equipment was in great repair. And it was a pretty cool experience to be able to say I did it. I forgot to mention the first car they put me in they had to pull me out because it was such a tight fit. It really was quite a funny experience. They put me into another vehicle that had a bigger seat further back from the pedals. It worked for the experience but definitely would not been able to sit in there for any long given amount of time. Give it a try. read more

Dang some of these reviews are dramatic. Well I had a good time at least. My appointment was 1pm. Parked in a nice empty lot with no wrecked cars. I paid $188 for 20 laps. $100 for the 20 laps, $88 for the mandatory insurance. You can read the legal stuff online, but the gist is, don't crash, it's expensive. You can also pay over the phone and apply the Groupon rate without having to book through Groupon. They also have gift cards. Showed up 30 min early to fill out paperwork. Paperwork honestly took like 5 minutes. Staff was nice the whole time. Bathrooms were plenty and in decent shape. You can purchase merchandise and some snacks/drinks but definitely recommend bringing your own. Had the 1 hour "class" right at 1pm on the dot. It's just a bunch of chairs and listening to the instructor with a PPT. Pretty informative. Time flew by and ended at 2pm. He pretty much covered what to do, how to do, and some mechanics. You're broken up into groups and you better hope you're in Group 1 because going last was a real waiting game. Each group takes about 20 minutes. I was Group 4 so I had to wait over an hour for my turn which was 3pm-ish. While you wait, you can get suited in this very thick and sturdy fire-proof suit with a helmet and bandanna to cover your hair, some earphones for the radio communication, and gloves. It can be a bit sweaty so don't wear thick clothes underneath. BRING CLOSED-TOE SHOES OR YOU HAVE TO WEAR THEIR RENTALS. After suiting up, you can take pictures in front of the race car for purchase later. Once it's your turn, you get ferried on a golf cart to the track which was more of a circle than an oval. You typically share a track with 4 people. Obviously, the less people the better cuz sharing is not caring. The staff there help you get in cuz you gotta climb through the window, they strap you in and teach you how to start the car and go. MOST CARS ARE MANUAL BUT THEY HAVE AUTOMATIC AVAILABLE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DOWNSHIFT THOUGH SO IT'S LIKE AN AUTOMATIC ONCE YOU GET GOING. The inside of the car can be a bit claustrophobic, so definitely make sure you check it out before freaking out. Nobody sits with you so it's just you and a really loud engine. It's so loud sometimes that you can't hear the spotter radio-ing you directions because the car doesn't really come with mirrors. You gotta trust your spotter. You also share the spotter with 1 other rider so you hear instructions for both cars. They call you by your car number. Example: "55, you're clear to merge to the center after 53 passes you." Your first two or so laps are discovery laps where you get a feel for the car and driving. After that, your real laps start. 20 laps sounds like a lot but it honestly flew by in 20 minutes. I feel like once you get the hang of things, it's over. Kinda feels like a bumpy video game. My one negative part about this experience was how circular the track was because it's not enough time to really accelerate like a straightaway. So by the time you accelerate off the end of the curve, you gotta slow down for the upcoming curve. And if you're not fast enough, you gotta move aside for the faster drivers to drive by so that slows you down too. The fastest I feel like I went was about 90mph and I've driven faster than that on the freeway (specifically going to Vegas and back lol). However, the G-force is really strong and it's fascinating how the car is always leaning to the left so you really stay on the track even though it feels like you might fall off or crash into the wall. It's like when a rollercoaster turns really hard and your whole body feels that gravitational pull. The steering wheel is really heavy too. I definitely recommend the ride-along after with a professional though (about $79 for 5 laps). The 360 video they provide is really cool and I got the plaque. Both were $100. The video is given to you on a SD card because it's like 3+ GB. It's huge. They also gave me digital versions of my pictures. You can also preview everything before buying it if you're not sure. Overall, I learned a lot, especially because I've never driven a manual before. The staff was very nice and patient. And I had a good time but it's definitely not for the faint of heart or if you're not particularly confident in driving. BUT, driving your normal car is super easy afterwards lol. read more

LA Racing - The almost $50 plaque you can buy. Made out of a decent wood quality. Very shiny. Very hang-able. Cool souvenir. - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

I bought 10 laps for husband's 50th. It was a surprise. He didn't know until we pulled into the parking lot. Later he he confided if I told him, he didn't think he would be into it--However, he's still talking about it a week later. The trainer, the experience, the adrenaline- it was a great gift. Tips- go early in summer, it gets too hot in the suit. They have bleachers to view which provide some shade - bring binoculars. The gopro video from inside the car is cool- little overpriced - $25 would be fair, and you wait a while for it to download to a USB, this process could be improved. The cars are REAL and awesome, even if you are not into Nascar(which we're not) it was quite interesting. Eat a light meal a couple hours before, drink a lot of water. Go with a few friends if at all possible. My husband said he wished he was racing with buddies. The spotters talking in your ear with instructions are great. I am pretty sure we'll be back at some point. read more

Good luck getting ahold of anyone on the phone. We still have not raced because my husband's wallet was stolen and we were waiting for the replacement driver's license. We let them know right away and their response was, "Well you can give/sell the ticket to someone else. We cannot restock his spot like a sweater." It was infuriating as there was no reasoning with them. We we're accommodating to them when they called to push out race day a week out, yet when a loyal patron suffers a theft and needs a reasonable accommodation they cannot be bothered. We are highly disappointed with the new owners of LA Racing. A few years back my husband and his friends booked 4 spots and one of the pals had an accident and could not make it, I reached out and they reimbursed him immediately. Did not give us a hard time. What happened to this place? Shameful, uncaring, and disconnected customer service, you can do better, try harder! We've been loyal patrons for almost a decade. Sadly, we do not recommend LA Racing anymore. read more

I was given a 20-lap "race" from Groupon as a gift for my birthday. NASCAR isn't my thing but I figured a new experience could be fun, so my +1 took me to Irwindale Speedway to burn some rubber. Unfortunately, we just wasted a perfectly good Saturday afternoon. First of all, they have you park in a lot surrounded by wrecked vehicles. Let me tell you, that's not really what you want to see before you get on a race track. Nevertheless, I walked up, checked in with a lady sitting at a table outside the door, and was told to go inside and I would have to sign a few things before taking a class. After standing around aimlessly for a few minutes with a few other guys (who were repeat customers in their 40's bragging about their Corvettes), a guy in a racing uniform walked out, askes for driver licenses, handed out liability waivers to sign, and suggests you sign up for insurance for an extra $87...which, he explained, only covers you AFTER the first $2500 in damage done to their vehicles. The instructor said it's highly encouraged and everybody does it. One of the other guys immediately said, "Oh yeah, I'm signing up for the insurance this time!" The other guys he was with all nodded and agreed. First of all, I wasn't expecting to have to spend anything on a gift, much less nearly a hundred bucks...and after hearing all that, I was really apprehensive about the whole thing. I took a look at the waivers and decided that I wasn't going to spend $87 up front and STILL be on the hook for $2500 if something happened, much less with a bunch of reckless idiots on the race track powering through their midlife crises at triple-digit speeds. Now, the insurance isn't "mandatory," but if I refuse to sign up? Well, let's just say that these 650hp track cars aren't cheap. Oh, and thanks to the waiver you have to sign, they're not responsible or liable for much of anything. YOU are. Birthday present or not, I wanted nothing to do with this place. I handed the clipboard back, said, "No thanks!" and asked for a refund. Oh, wait, since it was purchased through Groupon, they don't give refunds, but the pass IS transferable... if you want to re-gift a horrible experience to someone else. My +1 is currently waiting on a response from Groupon whether we can receive a credit to use for something else. If I could offer any constructive criticism to the company, I'd suggest you automatically incorporate the $87 "insurance" into your fees, so you can skip the high-pressure sales experience right when they walk in the door. Judging by some of the other reviews here, it seems to be a common issue. My 20-lap "racing experience" turned out to be a waste of gas without even making it to the race track. read more

My first time ever driving a race car. It was a great ecpirence. From the instructor to the employees where very sweet and encouraging for us beginners. I have looked at other tracks. Non where you can have the ecpirence of driving your self. Thank you for making this a great ecpirence. read more

LA Racing - #50 race car - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

I wanted to find the perfect Christmas present for my boyfriend. Then, Living Social had a great offer for the Adventure 20 (20 laps) for $149 regularly at $399 back in November. It was an offer I could not turn down. Driving race cars is my boyfriend's dream, and I'm glad I made it come true. I decided to do it as well because it's was my bucket list. Making a reservation: It just takes a phone call. They email you a racing pass. If you haven't received it with your class and time information, call again to confirm. My boyfriend wasn't on the list for some reason, but they fixed the error immediately. Before the race: We signed in. There are refreshments. You can watch a little bit of the races prior if you are there early. Part of the program includes an instructional class. The instructors and pros go over safety and the basics of maneuvering through the track. 20 minutes before the race: Since I can't drive stick, I requested for an automatic. We suited up with the fire suits, helmets, and gloves. They also put headphones so the staff can properly direct us on the track. It looked like I was the only girl racing in my class, and it was nice they gave me pink headphones. They tested our radios. One of the pros on the radios made sure we remembered our car number which is how they would address us. He also went over a few things and asked for any last questions. At that time, my nerves were going crazy. You could see through my helmet that I didn't want to die. The race: There were three other cars racing in my group, which included my boyfriend. They buckled me in tight. They assured I was going to be okay. Then, I started the car, and I was off. I got a feel for car as we did the warm up lap. It was smooth and gets so fast so quick. The guy on the radio guiding me was wonderful. It was as if he was right there next to me. He kept me focused, gave us compliments, and was very encouraging. He was my eyes since my vision was limited like a race horse as they said. Passing is under controlled circumstances to ensure the safety of all drivers on the track. The guys on radio gave us the cue. I was one of the slower drivers so he directed me when to move into the inner lane and when to move back to the center. My boyfriend was the fastest and zoomed by me each time. It was quite the adrenaline rush. As the checkered flag waved after the 20 laps, I guided my car back off the track. After the race: I was so proud of myself. My car and my body left without a scratch. I had the biggest smile on my face. My boyfriend did too as well as the other racers. We all had so much fun. We took more pictures. We also received a certificate of completion. Overall, I was completely satisfied with our whole day. Every single member of the LA Racing staff made the experience wonderful from the high five as I signed in as she said "Yay! Another girl racing today!" to the "Good Job!" as climbed out of the car. My boyfriend loved it so much that he is interested in doing the Competition Course some day. Tips: 1. Stay hydrated. 2. Insurance is $89. This is optional but recommended for those who like to play it safe like me. 3. Bring you camera so you have proof you did it. 4. Bring friends and family to watch you, take pictures, and film you. 5. They also offer a video package. 6. After the race, they offer re-race passes for you and anyone you know that may be interested. If you bought the package at the Living Social rate, then they will honor that price. 7. Expect to be there around two or three hours. It all depends on what time you arrive and actually get to go up and race. 8. They offer other programs customized to your comfort level. 9. It's the perfect present. 10. Just go for it! read more

LA Racing - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

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Just did the 20-Lap Adventure this morning... Hhhhmmm... Let me see - it was INDEED an eye-opener experience for me when it comes to NASCAR-type racing, but if I were asked whether I'd do it again, I WOULD NOT...! Even if it were at an eCommerce price of around US$140 (LivingSocial), with a regular price of US$399. I just dont find the experience worth it...! Especially NOT at the regular price! Points: 1. Up-sell for the insurance - US$89 (US$2,500 deductible). It is not mandatory, but, like any sales guy, they psyche you out in getting it, ie., crash videos, or some sound bits like "... there was a crash X-weeks back, and the guy paid US$38,000-something..." If you are a person who can control your ego, and learn to take it slow and NOT push yourself in gradually "learning the car" - you wont need the insurance. I learned it the hard way, which is AFTER the experience. 2. Add-on options. YouTube video is about US$79. A DVD, which would supposedly arrive in 3-weeks, is US$99. A large print of a photo of yourself in the car is about US$18. Ouch!!! 3. The 450-500+ HP wasnt much of an adrenaline rush, you indeed feel the G-forces when cornering, but the short straights at FULL WOT - not much of an acceleration! I guess part of the reason would be used to high-powered cars, ie., my daily driver (and track day car) back in Tokyo was a 400-HP STi, I recently did track days with a 700-HP Lamborghini Aventador, a 500+ HP Lamborghini Gallardo, and a 570-HP Ferrari 458 Italia. 4. Short laps. Yes, the course is just 1/2-miles - very short, even at "learning" speeds, the laps just pass by quickly. By the time you've at least bonded with the car, your laps are OVER. It would be great that instead of 20-laps, they should offer 30-laps. The good thing, though is that they ONLY COUNT Green/OK laps; not laps when the CAUTION or RED STOP lights are out! Very nice policy on that! 5. Eye-opener to NASCAR racing. I've done autocross and road course track days with both cars and motorcycles, inclusive of a couple hundred of laps with a FJ1600 Formula-type car. Now that I've experienced NASCAR, I have a better understanding of the challenges, particularly when compared to F1-type of racing. Personally, I see it as the _psychological_ factor - during autocross and track days, even in F1-type of tracks - you have LOTS of run-off. Without that "mild panic," one is usually free to concentrate on controlling the car. But in NASCAR, the wall is just a feet away from you! And I'll be the first to admit that is a BIG thing - if only I was able to lock up my fear/worry - I could have driven faster... 6. Staffs are friendly and very helpful. I'll give them that... 7. Emphasis on safety! I'll give them that, too... read more

I bought a 20 lap racing experience for my honey's birthday this year. We drove out from Ventura to Irwindale Speedway on a (very hot) Saturday afternoon. After reading previous reviews I prepped him to expect a hard sell for the $89 insurance. He swore he wouldn't "waste the money" but totally caved and bought it anyways in the end "just for peace of mind." Doug led a very informative 50 minute class before the drivers headed out to the track. They were placed in groups of 4 and fitted with fire suits, helmets, and gloves. Did I mention it was HOT that day? I felt so bad for them! We passed the time by laughing at all of our favorite lines from Talladega Nights while watching other drivers, waiting for his group to be called. "If you ain't first - you're last." Before I knew it they piled into golf carts and the driver's were shuttled out to their cars. I was a nervous wreck until the checkered flag finally waived but my man LOVED it! If we lived closer I think he'd be there every weekend, trying to go pro. We would absolutely return again but only during cooler weather. Also, the last group of the day actually got to drive when the sun went down and all the track's lights were on - I think we'd opt for that next time. read more

LA Racing - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

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Driving a NASCAR?? It's always one of our fantasy. First, we don't really know there is a company would let you pay and drive their real NASCAR at the real track. But with the Groupon or other online 50% off deals, we got our chance to try this driving experience without hurting so much our wallet. Here are some pros and cons: Pros: - Front store has many great gift items for yourself of your friends. - Love the staffs, very detail, profession. I can't understand a word about cars or any technique but they explain it and so easy to drive. - Guide you drive fast or slow with their radios. - Let you take super awesome pictures and help you take group pictures. - At the end, the host over us great deal for the re-race passes. So we could come race the same package again or give it to our friend. Cons: - The only frustrated part is the reservation, you got to register EACH drive with address and personal information. If you are organizing a group..this is a pain in the XX. - Classroom is connected from front reception and the race track. So the previous class people or new driver are always waling back and forth passing the classroom and created so many distractions. I don't like this and very disrespect the speaker and our attentions. - Gloves are still wet why new driver trying to wear it. Overall, we love the experience. ^_^ read more

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GREAT TIME. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I bought 3 passes, one for my dad, one for my husband, and one for my father in law. My father in law didn't want to do it, so I took the 3rd pass for myself since they are non-refundable. Was I nervous? YES. Did I think I couldn't do it? YES. But I am so happy that I didn't let my anxiety get the best of me and I actually went through with it. It was an experience I will never forget and I am so happy I got to share the track with my dad and my husband (who both passed me more times than I can count, but that's another story) When we initially booked the 1st time, we showed up at 10am and the 8am class still hadn't gone due to some debris on the track from the race the night before, which was a safety issue, so they ended up cancelling for the day and we rescheduled and left. No big deal, not the end of the world. I would rather be safe and have proper track conditions than not. The 2nd time we came back, the instructor welcomed us with some serious high energy that he somehow managed to maintain throughout the entire hour long class. He's funny, witty and tries to make this a fun experience for you: BECAUSE IT IS. After the class, they don't mess around. We went out to the stands and immediately watched the 1st group go out, which were the Advanced drivers. Then before you know it you are suiting up to get out on the track. All of the information you need was in the emails sent to you and told to you in the class. They make it pretty clear. Once you are in the car you have a staff member helping you get situated and fire up the engine, then you hear the spotter in your ear, and if you paid attention in the class, you are aware of what is going on and you GO! You do a couple caution laps, just cruising, getting used to the wheel, engine, track, etc. It's LOUD and it's FAST. After the yellow laps, they give you the green light and you floor it. They teach you about the corners and when to gas and when to let up. I got to hit it hard a few times but I wasn't going fast enough because I did have to pull down to the white line when the other racers passed me. They tell you in the class not to pass unless the spotter tells you you are clear (or you get kicked out) which is again GREAT because I can't see you. This is a big deal and I for one am happy that they take your safety so seriously. I don't know where the other yelpers get off on being pissed about being kicked off the track - literally EVERYTHING is spelled out for you in the class about 10 times. The spotter I had was great, even though he called me "bud" the whole time. LOL. That's fine, I thought it was funny, he didn't know I was a female. He kept urging me to go faster and was really clear on the directions and where the other drivers were, etc. 20 laps goes really fast so try to soak it all in. IT IS SO MUCH FUN, I can see why people keep coming back. I am really happy I found this place and that they offer such a FUN & PROFESSIONAL experience. THANK YOU LA RACING!!! We will be back! A few notes: *They do offer insurance, that we gladly purchased. I had no idea what was going to happen on the track. Slamming into a wall was a high possibility in my mind and I had no intentions of buying a racecar that day. *I would make sure you eat before. The snacks they generously offered were just that, snacks. *If you do bring guests to watch you race, bring an umbrella or wear a hat. IT"S HOT in the stands. *I brought a change of clothes, because you do sweat. They say it gets to 130 in the car, with the suit on, etc. *HAVE FUN, ENJOY YOURSELF & PAY ATTENTION =) read more

LA Racing - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

Based off a Groupon {$145 for 20 laps} I purchased as a gift for my car loving dad! I didn't encounter any problems with calling, scheduling or receiving the race pass. We arrived early which actually isn't THAT beneficial. If you're thinking that arriving early will get you on the race track faster, you're wrong! But you can watch other drivers and snack on the free refreshments! We were greeted by David B - an energetic, friendly bald man. He talks a lot and fast about how these are "badass" cars, you'll get "goosepimples" when driving, something about darth vader..? I knew about the insurance upselling.. David wasn't pushy or aggressive about it but he did a great job at scaring us with his stories. I got it for my dad just to be safe. Having to pay $2,000 over $30,000+ in case of an accident sounded way better to us! The class was about 45 minutes long. Guests of the drivers are invited to sit thru it. David B was a great instructor.. he's loud and repeats important reminders for the drivers. The drivers were split into 6 groups - 4 people per group. While one group is racing, the next group is getting gowned up in racing gear. After that, you take a ride on a golf cart to the track. My dad had a blast! He said it took a few laps to get the feel of it, but he definitely felt like he was going faster than a legal speed limit. There are no spedometers in the cars. He also mentioned that some things David said in class were the opposite of what his spotter told him to do. At the end of the race, the drivers get a race certificate with their name! It's tough getting a good picture with the driver's face in the car from the stands. The staff takes a picture of the drivers in the car which can be bought for $20. Shirts are also $20. A dvd of the driver is either $89 or $99 with a youtube link for an additional $70!!! Dang! read more

I came by on 1/8/17 for my Nascar Race car adventure =) I saw their voucher on Groupon for a huge discounted price... I thought to myself who else doesn't like a Great Deal so I called the business myself and inquired about any in house promotions directed through them. So the gal in the gal on the phone let me know that they will honor the same voucher advertised on groupon ....sounds pretty Awesome right? She had offered the $99 for the 1 hour in class instruction along with the 20 laps on the Nascar race track. That is a wonderful deal in my opinion and it beats paying $399 eff all that!! As you pull up everyone check in sign a waiver once you hit their grounds...then you are off to check in, all they ask is for your name and proper identification...then your off to the front desk representative to pay for your insurance just in case you crash their race car....the just in case...option it is not required but suggested...so there goes another $89 for insurance then you are off into a room full of adrenaline junkies for the in class room for the to do/ don't do once you are on the track and safety....I forgot the Instructors name since he was Full of energy and educating everyone in class he talked suuupppeeerr Fast but he was wonderful! After the 1 hr in class instruction they separate everyone in race groups then you watch your classmates race untio its your turn to get dressed..to get suited then they put you in the pit with your crew chief ...I had Joseph as my chief..he was absolutely kind and welcomed with a huge smile. I love that he was very informative and down to earth....I am an adrenaline junkie....I love riding my street bikes...but something about being in an actual Nascar race car and riding the track has been on my bucket list since last year. Joseph kept me in the loop the entire time of my 20 laps...of 450hp on the speedway...I couldn't be more happier....it was a fabulous time!! Everyone at La Racing was beyond nice and kind! Once you are done with your race you have the option of purchasing your video & photos and you get a certificate and a discount if you choose to come back. I would highly suggest anyone to come here if you are an adrenaline junkie this place is a must with friendly staff ad awesome experience.....but if you give LA Racing a call for their $99 special for their 1 hr in class instruction with their 20 laps special....no way in hell I am paying $399 for the same thing...personally. read more

LA Racing - My NASCAR race car adventure on 1/8/17 it was Awesome - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

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Don't go there !!! Is just wasting of money!! Find another racing track.. u will have the worst experience in ur life deal with them !! Zero customer service !!! For video recording or pictures good luck 2 month at least and maybe you will not get it at al!!! Come on guys it's been 2 month now ... SCAM I just called today they told me the internet is DOWN!!! Feel like I'm in 90's Worst place ever... read more

Bought a 20 lap pass for my husband (a real adrenaline junkie) as an anniversary gift... and he definitely enjoyed it... the class held before d race was really helpful... staff was really friendly... shout out to JASON... thank u soooo much... see u again... wonderful experience...and don't forget to purchase insurance it's for ur own good... and video too as a souvenir... read more

This can be enjoyable, but to be honest, this was a really big let down to me. it's really all a big hype. As a car enthusiast, I was highly disappointed. I ride a motorcycle, so I'm used to driving a fast vehicle. Unless you've never driven anything more than a standard city car, these cars are NOT that impressive. I've honestly been more impressed driving my friend's subaru than I did driving these cars. The cars have no clutch, and there's no need to do any shifting. (you stay in one gear the whole time) The training session is completely based on hyping the experience up, and scaring you into buying insurance, and driving slow. They basically tell you "These cars are REALLY fast, be careful or you WILL crash" but that's not really true. they control you so much over the mic that you REALLY have to ef up to crash. This ruined the experience for me because I did not trust the car until the driving session was nearly over, so I went pretty slowly the whole time. HOWEVER if you've never broken a few speeding laws, and want to try driving fast on a track, it can be a good experience. But I probably wouldn't recommend this to a motor enthusiast. read more

Came here with the son in June of this year. I forgot to post this review earlier :-/ Anywho, for those who complain about insurance, well, get over it. This is a dangerous activity with very expensive toys in the hands of (usually) amateurs. All racing requires insurance. Yes, I think it's a bit of dissemblance that they don't include it in the package but, hey, they all do it so if you don't want to pay insurance, go have a mocha and pout. So, we get to the track and sit through a long but informative orientation. Got to the track and we were in the last group of 4 (six groups that day). We walked around the grandstands and managed to meet the spotters (guys who sit up in the booth and coach you around the track by radio). They were awesome, friendly and VERY helpful in coaching us before we got in the cars. I have a fair bit of competitive racing experience but haven't been on the oval for over 30 years. My son has some experience in the exotic supercars but this was his first time on the roundy round. He kicked my ass. Yes, he had 10-inch tires compared to my 8s but he was good. We both lapped the other two drivers TWICE! We can't wait to do it again. Here's the rub: LA Racing is gone and replaced by YouRaceLA which is substantially more expensive. Yes, I'll probably still do it but I'm gonna have to dig a little deeper into the wallet. read more

Sorry had a bad experience. It started out with high hopes then went down hill. All good until suit up. They do a radio check with plugs in ears, heard ok both ears. Putting helmet on plug rips out of ear. They fix it but did not check radio again. Next they told us what car we will be in so my wife would know. Next problem, got out to cars and they switched cars on me. I told them my wife was looking for me in car 50. I was moved to car 29. They told me my wife would be notified. She was not. She did not know what car I was in. Next the guy strapping me in told me to put car in gear one down from neutral but thinks it needs to be two down from neutral. I go to pull out car stalls. It was a spare car sitting cold. They said you get a couple of laps on yellow to get a feel but I was apparently to long getting out to track, because I rounded first corner and it turned green. Next I hear on radio 29 car that's the one I was in. Move down. I'm getting lapped. I moved down but could not make out what spotter was telling me if I could move back up. I sat at bottom. Came back in pit to adjust radio but still could only hear out of one ear. Thought was better. Back out to track now volume to low. You can't adjust it yourself. Bottom line. I did enjoy when I could race car but radio problems, being in different car so family could not find me. Being in wrong gear getting lapped and not being able to move back up to race because of radio put a real damper on my experience. read more

I surprised my man with the Adventure 20 (20 laps around a circle track in a stock car) for his birthday. Before you race you to have to attend a class which is approximately 1 hour long and they heavily suggest you purchase insurance cause if anything happens to the car YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE! Even with the inshrance there is still a 2,500 deductible. Also if you want a video footage of your experience you can purchase that but it takes 3 weeks to get (I now wish I didn't purchase the video because of the 3 week wait to get the youtube link). We were there for 4 hours mostly alot of wait time and class. The experience is good but not a frequent type activity as it's costly and time consuming. read more

LA Racing - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

A Friend told me about this place over a year ago, finally had the chance to make it out. It was amazing! The staff was nice and professional, it definitely helped to take the edge-off those of us that were a little nervous. THANKS GUYS! I would recommend to anyone looking for something awesome to do. I snagged a deal from Groupon and turned it into a office/work event. Our group was made up of girls and guys with zero to some racing experience. I bought more passes to bring our clients! read more

This is the most amazing experience! Our classroom instruction was fantastic and driving a Super Late Model is such a thrill. It's also unique to drive a car with the help of a spotter instead of an instructor in the car. Thank you LA Racing for an incredible day and a deeper appreciation for short track racing! read more

LA Racing - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

This is the most fun I've every had in a car. The people are friendly, helpful and professional. It is a highlight of the year every time I run a car at LA Racing! LA Racing thrills us with the opportunity to drive a real race car as fast as you can. It's awesome!! I have raced every month for the last 8 months, I bought a Racing suit, I'm so hooked. Thank you LA Racing!!!!! read more

Bought the Groupon deal as a gift for my speed-crazed friend, but the experience was such a disappointment. Her spotter on the track was a real prick! There are 4 drivers on the track with 1 spotter to 2 drivers. Her spotter kept yelling at her to stay ABSOLUTELY centered on the line...with no power steering, how the hell is the average driver with no racing experience supposed to do that? All cars (even my friend) basically straddled the line, but none were absolutely centered the entire time. Her spotter never gave instructions or guidance like the class instructor said they would. The spotter also favored and talked to the other driver (that he was spotting) majority of the time, as if my friend was just a bother. In addition, LA Racing should put a height advisement. Car seats and pedals are non-adjustable. If you are under 5'3", go to K1 Speed and save your money. My friend physically could not floor the throttle and got passed several times. Other gripes: If you make reservations online for an open class date but later get an email saying that the date you requested is closed, be sure to give them a call. There are more openings then what is available online. Before the drive, they push the insurance ($89, $2500 deductible) but I'm not sure if you really need it. As the other reviewers here said, the instructor did tell the story of a guy buying a totaled car for $25,000, and they had 19 wrecks in the past 90 days. They also push the in-car DVD or Bluray for $99. That will be the only way you will get your lap time and speed because there is no speedometer in the car and you don't get your fastest lap time unless you have a friend time you from the stands. You don't find out this until after the drive...wish we knew before! Pro: The instructor was very thorough and repeated several important things to remember. Majority of the staff was pleasant and informative. I only wish we knew who my friend's spotter was so we could give him the same damn ear-full he gave my friend on the track. My opinion: the experience is totally NOT worth it unless you have money to burn. read more

My wonderful wife bought me the groupon deal for this place, very thoughtful of her. I was excited and worried that i was actually going to drive a race car. I was so worried I extended my pass, took me over a year to actually do it. I think I was expecting crazy power, uncontrolable horse power. When I arrived, right away all i could hear the guy tell all the drivers is how this guy wrecked a car and cost him an arm and leg. These guys selling the insurance are worse than car dealer sales people. They really push the insurance and for those who dont get it, they try and scare you during the briefing in hopes that you sign up for it. To be honest, I was worried I didnt get it, I thought of the worst possible what if's. Ok, anyways, i wont get into the details of how they suit you up and stuff. All I have to say is... These cars are slower than my daily driver!!! Seriously, I know I may get some yelpers if not most to disagree with my comment. I drive a sportscar so im used to horsepower. These cars, sound stupid loud. For most people they relate LOUD cars with FAST! Now I understand why all these kids put loud mufflers on their Civics, it all makes sense now! ANYWAYS, these are old beat up cars with engines maybe putting out 300hp and did i mention theyre loud? So I get in the car and when im given the go sign to get on the track, I cautiously press on the gas to avoid burning rubber... cause its so LOUD and FAST. Well gently pressing on the gas pedal at the start (as instructed) didnt get me far so i pressed down a bit more and here we go. After the first warm up lap I realized... my car is LOUD and not so fast! You really have to press on the pedal to get some kick out of it and by the time you start feeling some tiny G's, you have to slow down for the turn. Youre basically driving in a very small bowl type track with a short straight away so its not possible to reach crazy speeds. From the beginning of the Straight to the turn will probably get you up to about 80mph if you push the car but you actually feel like youre going 180 because again... its so loud it actually fools you into thinking youre going faster than you are. These cars are tuned to fool you into believing youre driving a real nascar with true 800+ HP. Dont be fooled. Again, I know friends or regular drivers of this bussiness will criticize my review, so let it be. One last thing. If you do decide to try it out and youre a newbie... make sure they dont put you in the mix with other drivers who have driven this track. You will be asked to remain on the lower inside of the track to let the faster drivers pass you. They will eventually instruct you to move back to the upper level of the track and by then, you may have to move back down to let another fast driver pass you. I saw that happen a lot while waiting on the bleachers. Would I do it again, sure if its for free. Otherwise I rather spend my money on something more worth my time. I cant even check this experience off my bucket list! What about the insurance? Im so glad I didnt get it! read more

I recommend staying away from this company! Every time I have called them to set up an appointment they have been rude, the first 3 times that I called I was not informed that I would have the option of purchasing insurance, that in my opinion is extremely expensive. I finally made an appointment and they canceled on me 50.5 hours before I was supposed to be there. I purchased this experience for a friend and both him and myself got the day off of work in order to participate in this experience. When they called to cancel my race they were very rude and because of their EXTREMELY limited schedule I didn't have any opportunities to go for the rest of the year. The manager was completely unsympathetic and offered me a solution that really didn't work for my case. I had to call Spree Bird to get a refund and unfortunately am embarrassed to have to tell my friend that I must cancel the experience. I urge this companies management to contact me to hear my complaint in further detail! read more

We bought a voucher through Travelzoo as a gift for my dad for Father's day of last year. Due to the piss poor scheduling, my dad has yet to use his father's day gift and it's almost been a year. Thankfully, Travelzoo has proper business practices and are in the process of refunding my money. Yay Travelzoo....BOO LA Racing. We tried to be flexible with the company in scheduling the race day for my dad. Although the dates they offered (all weekdays) were not conducive to a work schedule my dad scheduled them anyways. He has been rescheduled (with at the most a weeks notice) three different times. And now, we've been offered an alternate date in OCTOBER!!!! Really??? This was LAST YEARS GIFT!!! The "manager" was less than helpful and directed us to contact Travelzoo. Which we did....and ended up with better results. So when all is said and done, we'll take our money elsewhere. But I'll take my review here, and hopefully discourage others to waste their time on a company that doesn't mind jerking people around. read more

I purchased a pass through Groupon and long story short I wasn't going to be able to get in for months. Next time they should think about this before unleashing more groupons than they can handle on weekends in addition to not advertising in the groupon that there would be additional insurance charges. read more

Setting up the appointment was easy. Getting there & signing up was easy. Then then up-sell started. I am allergic to up-sell. From the moment I walked in - $89 insurance. $100 video, $100 second run. All sorts of other things...sell sell sell. They have you trapped there, excited, nervous, whatever. Down with up-sell! Then I began to wonder...there are huge signs in every room, selling their crappy insurance. The instructor is selling their crappy insurance. $89 gets you a $2500 deductible for 2 minutes of coverage. So I wondered why all the push for insurance. I asked, they average 8 accidents per month. WTF???? EIGHT ACCIDENTS EVERY MONTH?? That's what the instructor said. I fly small airplanes. If we had 1 accident per month at any given airport, they'd shut down the whole system!!! Eight???? I tried to put that annoying up-sell out of my mind & enjoy my $100/minute experience. It was OK. It took most of my 20 laps just to figure the car out. That's OK, part of the experience. The guy telling me how to drive pretty much ignored me and focused on the other driver on my frequency. Part of the experience? On the way out, they tried to sell me a $13 photo of myself. Or I could have a digital version for...$13. A photo of me is not worth $13. And I like my face just fine. All in all, it would have been OK, if not for the annoying up-sell. I say stay away. Or take your own photos. Well, yeah. Just stay away. read more

Let me just start by saying that they kicked me out after 5 laps. For all you K-1 Speed go kart reckless, like to smash into-other-cars people, this ain't the place, this ain't as fun. They first stopped me "CODE RED CODE RED" because I wasn't following orders to split the white-dashed line that they paint on the track to make a "perfect" turn. In plain English that just means I didn't drive in the middle of the road, and instead drove on the outside to make the turning angle wider so I could come in at a quicker pace. Actually, if you never drove a car without power steering, you would find precision handling nearly impossible, so really, I don't think I could split that damn line EVEN if I wanted to. They then pulled me out of my green machine when I made an illegal pass - passed a car without my spotter's approval, even though the guy in front of me had already moved on the inside of the track. Let's talk about their spotters. You have 1 guy who talks to 2 cars simultaneously through a radio for directions (you each get some ear phones), but they definitely need more training on how to do this correctly. He asked me if I could hear him, I said yes. But could I understand him? Not a word that came out of his mouth. How can I even attempt to use your guidance if I don't know what you're saying On top of his accent, he mumbled at 80 miles per hour, which by the way, is faster than you get to drive those "Nascars" due to its short, only 1/8th of a mile childs track & real lack of horse power. By the time the "throttle" as they call it, or a gas pedal in real world, hits the floor, you my friend, have got to slow down. Why? Because you don't want to push it - not only must you drive a certain way or get kicked out, their insurance is also bullshit. $90 for a limited liability, where in case of a crash you pay up to $2500. If you drive that bitch into a bank, it will be more than the deductable 100% of the time, I guarantee you. So bring that 2.5k just in case if you do decide to try them out. Maybe I'm not a big fan of driving in a circle, maybe I just have a hard time being told how to do drive (I paid the money, let me figure it out!) , but I did not enjoy la racing one bit. Also, how about maybe a warning for your first offense? read more

Like many other reviewers I bought a LivingSocial or Groupon or some other discount code over a year ago. Sadly, I let it expire - but LA Racing called ME, out of the blue, to let me know they'd still honor it if I wanted to come out. So that's one star right there - and on a cool mid-week morning, I found myself pulling into Irwindale Speedway. It's evident from the moment you arrive it's a well-oiled machine. All the staff are uniformed and welcoming, the reception/store is clean and well-organized, there are refreshments available, and the signage makes it all easy to find. Doug was my instructor, a charming bloke who's obviously passionate about the experience he's selling. He also sells insurance that alarms so many people on this site, but seriously, what do you expect? You're driving a race car, on a race track, and encouraged to race it! Sure, it'd be nice if they advised that when booking - or even better, simply bumped up the purchase price to make it mandatory and included. That all said, if you don't want to buy insurance, you don't have to. The driving briefing is detailed and lengthy, but by no means boring - Doug delivered it like a toastmaster, made everything crystal clear, and, like all the other staff, acted like it was his first day on the job with regards to enthusiasm. It's important you listen to all the tips he gives. Before you know it you're suiting up with the charming ladies trackside, and headed into your car. it all gets very real, very quickly. People on this site bitch about the cars being 'fake' or 'detuned', but make no mistake, they're weapons. I very much doubt they crack 100mph, as someone mentioned - the track is tiny - but there's a ton of raw power (much more power than 98% of drivers will ever use, myself included), visceral atmosphere, feral sound, and grip. Oh sweet Jesus, the grip. I've done a ton of track days, race experiences, and driven a lot of fast cars fast. I rate myself as a driver and others do too. But I was not prepared for the absolutely insane levels of grip these cars provide. It's like cornering on rails, but that takes a big mental leap to get over. You're going so hard into turns you think SURELY traction is going to break, but it doesn't. (Although there obviously is a break-point, I just didn't reach it: refer insurance note above). I went hard as I could, and was exhausted after twenty laps, mentally and physically. It requires so much concentration and effort, and I have a new level of respect for NASCAR drivers. My only minor gripe - more my fault than theirs - was not being able to hear the 'spotter' radio clearly enough. What he tells you is absolutely invaluable with regards to race lines, throttle control, and of course passing (they tell you when to pull aside or overtake), so you want it to be clear. The interior of the car is extremely loud, so make sure you have your volume turned way up accordingly. To be honest I could have pulled over so they could adjust it, but I was having so much fun I didn't want to stop, or rob myself of precious laps. Wouldn't go again by myself, but I'm going back to this place with any other fellow revheads that come to town to share the awesome experience. read more

So, I saw the deal on Living Social over a year ago and bought it for my beautiful adventerous wife's birthday. Scheduling was a little quirky, the place fills up fast. Over the phone, the staff was friendly, professional and helpful. I finally found a date to race. We got rained out, by the time I got home, LARacing had already sent the cancellation notice and new passes to my email to make a new reservation. Looked online for a new day, the place was packed, so I called and found openings that worked for us. Race day arrives.. The place is easy to find and plenty of free parking. Upon arrival, we were greeted by friendly staff to check us in and lead us inside. From there a insurance sales pitch began that rivaled any Amway sales meeting I have ever been roped into. He put up a good front by appealing to emotions, most racers this day bought the insurnace. We chose not to, especially at $89 each. I figured out of thousands of drivers, how many actually crash? If it were THAT dangerous, why are simpletons placed into a rocket ship and launched with onlu 45 mintues of training. The cource is tightly controlled and I feel confident with my driving abilities. The pitch was tough!! The pitch continues with DVD package, Blu-Ray package, YouTube package, still photos, merchandise, discount race passes... Knowing this is how they make their money, I (we) chose to just drive and get the ending picture ($19 each) and certificate. I could have spent hundreds more than the experience cost me. Classroom: Count how many time the instructor says "Super Star", quite comical. Listen, the info will be helpful. it is not overwhelming, but important. They talk about lines on the track and reference points to use while driving, the spotter with the radio in your ear will tell you differently, just use your get to make the right decisions. They will break you up into 4 person groups, hope for group 2+, this allows you to hang in the stands to watch and listen to the first group, this is a great help when you get into your car. Out on the track... The 1/2 mile oval is small and no longer intimidating. With four cars out at one time, you should no problems staying out of the way others. Getting into the car is pretty simple, put your feet in and let them rest wherever they land, squeeze yourself in. Don't worry about breaking anything, there is nothing to break. Your belter will get you and strap the car onto you. You sit very low and field of vision is small. If you are clausterphobic, this may not be the sport for you. The car is hot, but once you get moving, it cools off a bit. read more

Was given a gift to take a race class with my brother from a family member for the holidays. We scheduled our class and were then informed, the week before class, that an additional $89 was due if we wanted limited liability insurance which would keep the cost of any damage we did to our cars at $2500 or less (instead of the potential $38,000 if we didnt purchase the $89 insurance). I purchased the insurance because I thought I was actually going to get a chance to DRIVE these awesome stock cars. Unfortunately, I was put into a group with 3 drivers other than myself, one of which is an avid driver at this track who has been going there to race for several years. Once on the track, the veteran was whipping around super fast which was causing the other drivers (myself included) to have to pull to the inside white line, and stay at 25 mph until passed (otherwise you get kicked out). WISH THEY COULD HAVE SIMPLY SAID ................... "HAS ANYONE HERE DONE THIS BEFORE" AND THEN MOVED THOSE ADVANCED DRIVERS INTO THEIR OWN GROUP SO THEY COULD ENJOY RIDING AT THE FAST SPEED THEY ARE COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE AT.........WHILE I (like the other first time drivers whom there were many of) WOULD STILL GET THE CHANCE TO DRIVE AT THE SPEED WE ENJOYED AND FELT COMFORTABLE DRIVING AT without simply being left on the inside of the track for the whole duration of the ride, going 25 mph while being lapped by the experienced drivers. REALLY BUMMED. WANTED TO ACTUALLY DRIVE :( PS : the snack shop that they said they have was CLOSED during my 1pm class, and I was forced to wear the gloves of the person who drove before me because they only had one size small. The gloves were sweaty and nasty and really gross. These things just added to my not very enjoyable, but very expensive, day at the track :( read more

Thank you LA Racing for the wonderful experience. I would have given five stars if I had and idea of my times and speeds. I wish I had some print out at the end or something to tell how I did. These are real racecars, in spite of what you might hear from other yelpers. I feel bad we have become a society of cheapskates. Yes, they want you to buy the insurance. They are in business to make a profit. Any idea how much it costs to run this type of business? People who are buying those "deals" must understand that the merchant only gets about 50% of what you pay. If you are into fast cars and racing you will in enjoy the experience. Pay attention to what they tell you about the turns and breaking in the driving school. Don't be afraid to push the car (that is how you are going to have fun). The race will be over in a blink of an eye! Make sure you can hear your spotter (in both ears for you older guys). Keep your visor up a bit to let some air in if you are hot! read more

On a sunny Sunday morning I got to drive a real NASCAR 450 Hp stock car. It was an exhilarating experience! I drove 20 laps around the Toyota speedway 1/2 mile track in Irwindale trying to both keep the car in control and utilize everything I had learned in the one hour morning class to enhance my speed. I have a bit more respect for NASCAR drivers now that I know what it's like to sit in a hot and tiny car without power steering, AC, or any other creature comforts. It's a claustrophobic little coffin where one can only see what is directly ahead. It brought on some minor moments of hysteria in my own head but I pressed the gas and never hit the brake for those 20 laps. I attempted to be as smooth as possible, accelerating at the apex of the turn so I can shoot out onto the straightaways and then easing off the accelerator to enter a turn. It was intense and I was sweating bullets and not just because on an 80 degree day I was wearing a fire suit, gloves, and a helmet. The 3 other cars and myself were at the mercy of our spotters who would give us instructions through the headphones we were wearing. No need to check your blind spot folks or worry you're holding up traffic, they'll tell you when to pass, when to be passed, when to speed up, and overall coaching to help you better drive the car. I was gripping the wheel so hard and I don't even remember breathing but it was such a rush! LA Racing is a company that takes safety seriously but also encourages fun. I can definitely feel their passion for the sport. The hour long classroom session was informative and interesting, hardly even seemed like an hour! The nitty gritty: It is a super fun experience albeit expensive. I would absolutely do it again if it wasn't $399 for 20 laps plus the $89 insurance you'll probably convince yourself to buy. i got a fabulous deal on Groupon for $149 for the 20 laps. If you're thinking about doing it for a specific event such as a birthday, I'd call a few months ahead because they only offer the class a few times a day and they book up fast. I made my appt in mid February for April. They had to cancel a week before my date and the earliest weekend date I could get was in August. Keep hydrated as the cars are very hot. Be prepared for a long day, bring a book because after the classroom, everyone goes to the bleachers and waits their turn to ride. Only 4 cars go at a time and it takes about 10 minutes for 20 laps plus 5 to get ready which equals 15 minutes for each group. This doesn't account for any mishaps, such as spinning out, losing connection with the spotters and a need for new earphones, crashes etc, which will delay the process. You do the math if your class is large. We had an 11:30am classroom and we were the 4th group to drive and didn't get out of there until almost 3pm. They have both automatic and manual cars. The don't have speedometers on the cars and I think the idea behind that is they want you to drive a speed that is comfortable and not be overly concerned about actual mph. I believe the record for one lap at that track is 16.3 seconds and I was timing some of the early drivers and it seemed that most people started at 30 seconds per lap and as they got more comfortable came down to about 25 seconds a lap. That equates to about 70 miles an hour. I wish they had at the end of our ride tell us our split times, or the fastest times we had. and our overall speed. The workers are super nice and friendly, ready to make you feel at ease. I truly loved the experience and so glad I did it! Perfect for the race car and speed enthusiast! read more

LA Racing - Arcades Near Me - Irwindale, California

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This was total waste of time. I bought this for my husband for Father's Day and booked a race on that day. on our way there to LA Racing they called us and cancel. So we had no alternate plans for Father's Day. That was a major bummer. They gave us a VIP ( doesn't mean shit) And an additional ticket for s friend to drive. We made plans to drive and sit threw an hour class made both guys pay for liability insurance. Drive 2 laps and got kicked off for passing. Stopped everyone from racing to kick them off and bring them to an office and continued to scold them like children. I mean arguing and yelling as if they demolished a car. It was childish and unprofessional. Very disappointed!! Won't do this again!! read more

I, like many other posters, purchased a living social deal to come here. If you are planning on going here without some type of deal...don't! I hope no one has ever paid the $399 retail price they list the experience as, it's just not worth that amount. First, they try soooo hard to sell you the insurance that it really starts the whole thing off on the wrong foot. I wish the guy selling the insurance would calm down and just state the benefits of insurance without making a huge scene and yelling like a crazy man. He was like a used car salesmen on steroids & red bull. As for the driving itself, it was a lot of fun! I wish I had more time though. The first 5-10 laps you are learning what the car is capable of and how it reacts. Once you get a feel for it, it turns into a great time. However, at that point you only have 10 or so laps left to experience the fun. They should extend the deal to 30 laps and allow people the first few laps to really understand what it feels like to turn at high speeds and to get a feel for what the car is capable of. If I were ever to go again, I would look for a deal with more laps or time. While 20 laps is great, it is truly not enough to say you got a good feel for what the car is capable of doing. 5 stars for the last 10 laps 3 stars for the first 10 laps 1 star for the insurance pitch read more

This is probably fun for many people and I think the staff are pretty professional and you get a fair deal here. If you're a big fan of racing, I can see how this would be a blast. But I found it to be more scary than fun. Honestly, the cars and the racing outfits are incredibly uncomfortable. The helmet made me feel like my head was being crushed and I couldn't see a damn thing in the car--no rear view mirrors! And the steering wheel is jammed right up against your chest. All the while, you have a guy barking in your ear to go full throttle. That's great if you're an experienced race car driving, but it was really unsettling and uncomfortable to be unleashing all that power when you're driving an unfamiliar car almost blind. The cars don't have power steering or power brakes and when you go through the banked turns, the rear of the car feels like it's going to slam you into the wall. I get it. They're race cars, not road cars. But it just wasn't a fun experience for me. read more

My friend Donna and I went to LA Racing today. Neither of us had ever driven a race car before and we had an awesome time! In reading some of the earlier reviews, we were worried that they would be really pushy with the insurance, etc. We both agreed that they handled it well...they did strongly recommend it but that was the extent of it. (we both decided to get it, just for the peace of mind) You get almost an hour of classroom education/training to start off, and they do a good job of getting you to remember and understand what you will do on the track, as well as emphasizing the risks and encouraging safety. All of the staff we interacted with were good but one went above and beyond....Brad gave us some tips on driving, drove us over to watch the first group before we were up, and even walked us to our cars and took some pics (with our phones) as we were getting into the cars. They were some angles we wouldn't have gotten otherwise and they ended up being some of the best of the day! This review was probably closer to 4.5 stars but the extra attention from Brad bumped it up. When you get on the track, you are with 3 other cars. For each 2 cars, there is one spotter giving you instructions through the headset. I wish I remembered our spotter's name because he was great, but we met him right after we drove so we were all amped up on adrenaline and apparently didn't really register what he said. Regardless, they give great instruction, telling you when you can go full throttle, when you can pass someone, etc. I wish the track were a little bit longer so there was more of a straightaway since that's when you can really get to higher speeds, but it was still a blast! We both felt like we had really started to get a feel for the track and the car when the 20 laps were up and we wanted more time....luckily they have a deal for that! After you race, if you want to do it again, you can buy another race pass for only $150. It's good for a full year so you have time to use it. We both bought it because we know we'll be better (and therefore faster!) next time since we learned from this first session. One last tip: if you're going in the summer months, book the 8 or 10:30am time. It gets insanely hot in the car and they occasionally have to cancel the 1pm session due to heat. They cancelled last week at 1pm because the temp in the car was almost 140 degrees! You will be drenched in sweat when you finish but it's totally worth it! read more

I have nothing bad to say about our experience with LA Racing! I bought this as a birthday gift for my boyfriend. I was glad I checked Groupon first, thanks to these reviews, because it really did cut the cost in HALF! If you do go to the races in Irwindale often, they also offer serious discounts if you book while watching a race. I won't repeat what everyone else has already said on this page, but I do want to comment on the several comments about the insurance. The orientation was maybe 30-45 min. and I thought it was very useful to know what to expect once we got out there. We were not "cornered" to buy the insurance. We were simply told stories that happened to other people that did not buy the insurance. In my opinion, it is only sensible to insure at $30,000 car that you are driving. It is NOT as intense as many of these Yelpers made it sound. He got to drive a fancy car, suit up and go fast. This was a great time and we will do it again! read more

When you arrive for your class you get your self signed in. The training class started on time and lasted about 45 minutes. The class moves along, there are some hefull points that are brought up during the lecture. I had a friend that was one hour late and he was able to go to the follow up class that started two hrs later with the next round of students To the track: You are paired up in groups of four to race on the track. The event that I went to I ran 20 hot laps (yellows\cautions won't count against your lap count). Here is what kicks ass @ this event, passing is allowed! A spotter will talk through your com set and tell you when you are clear for passing. Or when to move down low so a faster car may pass you. These car's are fast so be ready for some action! That track has 12 Degree banking and is a 1/2 mile. read more