Gosh where do I start? First I have been a Rusty Wallace and NASCAR fan for over 20 years. Second, my parents gave me this experience as a Christmas present this past year. Just had to wait 8 months. Which was well worth it. Third, this was my 1st time in a race car being on the track and going the speed it was meant to do. Been in a race car. Been on a track. But not altogether. I was incredibly excited when I drove in to Chicagoland speedway knowing I was going to Rusty's racing experience. We pulled in to the infield and parked. Walked right in and everything was well marked as to where to go. I arrived 30 minutes early to my start time and was promptly checked in. I had a 3 lap ride along experience. I also purchased the frame and picture set and in car video. Hands down glad I did these 2. What I wished I did was add another 2 laps to have 5 laps in total. I got in line to get one of the driving suits and as a female I realized that I needed to get one 2 sizes bigger because of curves guys don't have. So where I was a medium usually I had to wear a xl. No biggie. Just my upper half was really big. I waited for my number to be called. Not long wait at all. I knew which car I was going to be in. My number was called and I was escorted to the car. I got a couple of pictures with my own camera and then the Rusty photographer took one of me sitting on the door (looks like dukes of hazzard style) with the helmet on the roof. It looked just like it does in NASCAR. I got in the car and got all buckled in. Including the neck brace. I was in there good. My driver was awesome. I told him this was the 1st time in the race car for me. He said that this was his 1st time in the car too. It broke the ice and I could gauge just how this run was going to go. It was going to be awesome. So, we were all set and he started the engine. At that point I knew the experience of my life was going to start. Holy cow coming out of the pit and rolling up to the track was exhilarating! The driver did go easy at 1st but we were easily going around 80 to 90 mph. After around turn 2 into 3 I gave the thumbs up and he dropped the hammer. I could hear the rev limiter screaming. It could not give anymore. We were rocking at 150+ mph. For over 2 laps I was going a speed I never had before. Looking at the in car video I look like I was out for a Sunday drive very comfortable and ironically relaxing. When we came around the last time and had to go back to the pits I was bummed. I was on a high like no other. I was and found my happy place. We pulled back into the pits and I thanked the driver. I pulled myself out and with the assistance of a Rusty employee. They helped get the helmet and neck bace off too. I was happy. I got the SD card and took it over to make sure it worked properly. It did. It. Was. awesome! And the frame with my picture in I was already waiting for me. I wish that the options to buy souvenirs were bigger. What was on the website was not all included there but that is ok. I will buy on line for the other things I wanted. Overall, the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience exceeded my expectations. As a NASCAR fan and now experiencing it really put me on a high. A day later I still have the wrist band on and still on the adrenaline high. Every single person on the RWRE staff was pleasant and genuine. No kidding. They really made sure we were happy. And that I saw with anyone around us. Thank you Rusty for having a very well oiled machine. I will be back. Maybe next time I will take the driving school. Loved it!!! read more

OK, I have done the Richard Petty Driving Experience twice (Vegas in the Lead-Follow program, and Disney with the new side by side program) and I will say the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience was by far the superior program. Now, that does not say it is without problems because my day was full of them but all in all it was an amazing experience. First off I know you cannot control mother nature and the rain delay sucked on Sunday April 29, 2013 but it was what it was. However I feel the staff could have been more concrete in nailing down times and estimate times as we sat at the track for 5.5 hours because of it. I kept hearing 20 minutes till this starts or 1 hour till this and what was a 2:30 PM estimate to get on the track turned into a 4:30 PM. trust me, i love to be at the track and would watch all day long but when you have a 3 year old with you that becomes a long day for mom and dad. If we could have gotten a more solid time for when racing would begin then we could have made better adjustments to our day. Also we were told the afternoon sessions were all cancelled but as we were leaving they were arriving and getting ready. If I knew this I would have switched to an afternoon session. But the staff was very friendly and very accommodating to answering any questions you might have had. I know in time like a rain delay people can get flustered especially when dealing with other people, cancellations, and all that jazz so...kudos to the RWRE staff. Now, the racing was fantastic when I got to race. For my first 3 laps my car would not shift into 4th gear so I was going rather slow. When I had time as I was being passed I finally got up the car up into 4th gear and was off and having a blast. It helped that I had done the Vegas and Orlando racing before as I had a very small learning curve. on being smooth, knowing the line, taking the turns and getting on and off the throttle. But as soon as I got fast I caught a slower car and awaited for my spotter to clear me to pass. That however never came and all of the sudden my 12 laps were done. I was pretty disappointed as I spent my first few laps a gear down, then getting the hang of the track, and my last 4 laps caught behind a slow car. No real racing, not really a good lap....disappointment. As I pulled my car to a stop on pit row I motioned over to the crew chief and explained my passing problem and he immediately sent t me out for another 4 laps that were awesome! Super fast, hitting my marks and just having fun! Also if you are distracted that the max speed on the RWRE are only 125-130 and the Petty cars go 130-145...don't be cause I could not tell...however I did know. All in all it was an amazing time and I would love a chance at doing it again without falling behind the group with the gear issue. The staff was amazing (a bit disorganized at times but thats what delays do), the format was far superior than the Richard Petty program, and I had fun. I will do it again for sure. read more

Sunday, August 3, 2014 was my second trip to Rusty Wallace Racing. I went last year through a Father's Day gift I received from my kids. I was a little worried as last year's experience was phenomenal and I did not think it would be replicated. This year was even better. We arrived early (me, wife and son) and I asked if my son could do a walk up registration. They said they would and put together a great package deal that did not break the bank. After that, everything went like clockwork. Before I tell you the order in which things occurred, I would like to add that every single Rusty Wallace employee that I came into contact with was polite, engaging, enthusiastic, friendly and willing to help with anything or just chat with the pumped up customers. The training we received in regard to what was going to happen from the time we left training until the time we left Chicagoland Speedway was spot on and easy to understand. The folks in the pit area (also known as the "bucklers") made sure we were properly fitted with fire suits and helmets and then secured in the vehicle for maximum safety. We were also fitted with in helmet headphones as we had a personal spotter that made sure we were able to pass other drivers safely. The spotters also made sure you got the most benefit for the experience by guiding you to get the most speed out of your vehicle. For the first 6 laps I was accelerating in the straight-a-ways and taking my foot off the throttle in the turns (just like they said in training). But for laps 7 through 14, my spotter realized I could handle more and had me hammer the throttle to the floor all the way around the track. I eventually maxed out the speed of the vehicle at 150 miles per hour. Way cool. I would recommend that if you try this experience that you should also do a ride-a-long with a professional driver. Three laps at about 180 / 185 miles per hour. Amazing. I am now 2 for 2 at the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience and would highly recommend this experience for any racing fan. Not just for the fast cars, but also for the people who made the day fun and enjoyable. Thanks. read more

My son and I did the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience three years ago and again this month. They have made several improvements since that first experience. We did the 10-lap shootout package. We chose to do the ride-along this time before we drove and I highly recommend this so you can feel what the cars are capable of. The cars you drive are governed down from what the pro drivers have, but it helps to feel just how well the cars can handle the corners. You can still push them to 155 mph, which is how fast the rev-limiter allows (we both hit the limiter several times). The driving experience this time was much improved over what we had three years ago. There are no warm-up laps behind a lead car this time; you get your driving instructions and you are free to go race. The spotters did a good job of quickly assessing your driving ability in the first few laps and coach/spot you accordingly. After initial instructions about only passing coming out of the corners, once they saw we were more serious than the "cruisers", they allowed us to pass whenever we encountered the slower cars. That way, we didn't waste precious time coasting into corners to wait on the car ahead to move out of the way. We also bought the video package which again was much improved over the first experience we did. We highly recommend this, too! You get a two-camera view (an in-car view and a track view) that has a a fun screen overlay that includes a track layout to show where you were as you circled the track. The video interface also has features that allow you export the video into different formats. If this is your first experience, buy the photo package. They offer a nice plaque and a photo of you sitting in the car window plus a shot of the car you drove. It's a nice memento. Overall, we were very happy with the event and recommend this anyone from a casual race fan to someone that is a bit more serious about going fast. If you're a slower driver, just "left and lift" to let us other delusional "racers" go by! We will do this again. read more

I had an excellent experience at the Chicagoland Speedway. What an experience and privilege to have driven on the same track that you can watch professional stock car drivers race at. All of the facilities at Chicagoland Speedway are excellent. We were able to sit in the briefing/media room to go through the pre-race instructional which was straightforward and very helpful. Everyone that we interacted with that was involved with RWRE were very nice, very helpful and especially enthusiastic. We were able to talk with and share stories with some of the guys working there about our experience, which was nice to know they also have a great time at these events. The cars that our group of 3 drove were all indeed REAL stock cars bought from the NASCAR circuit. It was very exciting to drive the #8 Dale Jr car from many years ago. The cars were used on the exterior/interior, but rock solid from every standard I could observe as a driver. If you are someone not involved with racing and this is your very first time getting into a non-factory, not-brand-new car, do not expect things to be cleaned, polished, tight and perfect. Even brand new race cars are not built that way. Safety comes first for these cars and the structures underneath are what gets paid attention to the most. I would recommend booking an earlier time slot so you don't have to get into fire suits and helmets that have already been used that day. I am not aware of any absolute limitations for height and weight, but taller people over 6'2" may find the car to be too uncomfortable to fully enjoy. Similar to the fact that many stock car drivers are on the smaller side. One participant in my group was 6'2" and found that he had to crouch to see adequately. Overall I, and the other two drivers in my group had an excellent experience, 5/5 stars. I can't wait for my next trip to a RWRE event. read more

My son gave me an 8 lap qualifier package for Christmas 2012. After one cancellation and two rainouts and a year and a half later I finally had my Rusty Wallace Racing Experience and it was well worth the wait. I drove at the Chicagoland Speedway which is a fantastic high back track. The event was very well organized and every member of the staff that I came in contact with was friendly and extremely helpful. The racing experience was as it should be. They get you on the track and you go as fast or as slow as you are comfortable with and your spotter gets you around safely. You can pass or you can get passed so your experience is yours and your laps are not burned up following someone slower or you don't feel pressured because you maybe holding someone else up. I did the ride along with the pro to start off. I would highly recommend doing this because it will save you at least four or five laps of you own drive just getting use to the track and getting a feel for how many G's you can pull in the turns. My Honda Pilot did very little to prepare me for this experience. I had the 8 lap qualifier and added 4 more laps for a total of 12. It took me about 4 laps to settle in and get the feel of the line and the car so I had 8 laps that were pretty good and felt great. I wish I had done more laps, but everyone wants more laps. If you are a NASCAR fan or if you just enjoy racing then I would highly recommend this experience. Unlike the other programs where someone rides with you or you follow someone around the track this experience is all yours to go as fast or as slow as you chose and when you done you know that this was what you did and not someone else's race. I wasn't a Rusty fan when he raced. I always liked watching Dale beat him, but I am a Rusty now. read more

My wife is the best!! This was my second time with the RWRE gift for Fathers Day, first time was at the Milwaukee Mile last year. How could I possibly get a better wife than that!!! Both times the staff were professional, courteous and willing to make your experience the best possible. The Chicagoland Speedway is definitely the faster track, I will be looking forward to my next track experience no matter where it ends up being. John, our instructor, was great, very informative, answered all questions, stressed the safety and comfort level often. Getting the equipment moved quickly except they ran short on small helmets for my peanut head. The car was responsive and smooth, no problems handling or getting to speed quickly. My spotter was super, encouraged me to try to chase down the race car driver, even though you know you can't keep up, it is fun having someone encouraging you to go that little bit faster. Passing two cars in the back stretch was a complete rush, so to whom ever my spotter was, thanks a million. Car stayed in the groove pretty much like John said, so here it is John, John was a great instructor and should get a raise, along with my spotter. The pit crew and check in people were great also, the experiences were great, both times. Keep up the great work and I will keep coming back, but probably at a different track. read more

My father drove stock cars back in the 1960's. I have always loved driving fast. I received this as a birthday gift and it was the best gift ever. Arrived a bit early to see what happens. Check in was easy, class started pretty close to on time. Decided to add the ride along to get a feel for what I would be doing. Loved the ride along. The professional driver takes you at a faster speed than when you drive and shows you where you should be driving. Did a 10 lap drive on my own. After a bit of adjustments in the car, I'm only 5'2" so I had trouble reaching the clutch, I was on my way. The spotter talks you onto the track and lets you know how you're doing. I was completely comfortable with the cars handling by the second lap. Twice I was given the ok to pass a slower moving car and was driving at full speed.This was such an exciting experience. I wish I were able to drive longer and faster than I did. I was driving in the last time slot of the day and we decided to get my dad a ride along. Even though I was the last driver of the day they were able to accommodate my father's drive along to start after I finished so I could see him do it. My father is 71 and they were able to help him get into and out of the car. Thank you to all the staff who were friendly, helpful and accommodating. I would definitely do this again. read more

I was VERY nervous when I arrived at the track on April 29th for my racing experience, since not only had I never driven on a track before, but I had just learned how to drive a manual car! After sitting in the informative class and listening to JJ, who answered all questions and explained every aspect of the driving experience, I was ready and nowhere near as nervous. We did have a 5 to 5 1/2 hour rain delay, but I was satisfied with how they kept us informed periodically. The staff was always willing and able to answer any and all questions that I had and were very professional. Once I did get into my assigned car I was VERY excited and no longer nervous. I couldn't wait to get started. I did have an issue with the first car that I started with, but was immediately put into a different car and sent off to get started with my driving experience. What an experience it was! It was exhilarating, exciting and quite the adrenaline rush. The only complaint that I have is that it went by WAY TO FAST!!! I would definitely recommend the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience to anyone and everyone (and have :) !!! I booked my experience with a friend of mine from Chicago (I flew in from Florida) and would fly to anywhere to experience the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience again. read more

I have to say that Rusty Wallace Racing Experience is amazing! I did a shootout race at Milwaukee Mile in the fall and recommended to everyone they needed to try this! This past weekend I went to Chicagoland speedway and the track was amazing! I will share my GoPro video with all of my friends so they can see how amazing this is! This is a must-do adventure! We had a few people with us do the ride along and they loved it! I did a ride along and 20 laps and have to say this track was amazing! We arrived early and they were able to get us in early which was great. The entire RWRE team was so helpful and accommodating the whole morning! The training class was very helpful and focused on safety protocols and track details so that in case of fire emergency I would know how to get out of the harness and the car. The ride along was great as the driver talked me through the track and helped explain how to drive it for a few laps, and then he let it loose so I could really experience the speed! Memories for a lifetime! (And the pics they take are great and will help with that!) Thanks again to the whole team at Chicagoland speedway, and don't waste a moment, this is an adventure that is worth it! John K Twin Lakes, WI read more

I thought this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I will be back! I'm 42 years old and my wife purchased the racing package for my birthday. Without question, the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience was the best present of my life. If you have a bucket list like me, this is one item that needs a check mark. This is a first class outfit from the time I walked into the gate to the sincere thank you and goodbye on the way out. The training session was thorough and extremely helpful, though I understand now why they suggest the ride along session before taking the wheel on your own. They make it very easy to follow the right line, but I think some additional time in the car would have helped me go even faster! The best part of the experience for me? It was racing at speeds of 150 mph with only the voice of spotter and an open track. These folks truly understand the importance of making it as "real" as possible. I passed two cars and was looking for the third when the checker flag came out. I highly recommend the DVD and the photo as I'll talk about this experience for weeks to come. Great people, safe, exciting, fun and professional all the way!!! read more

I cannot begin to even rate this experience. I purchased (2) 6-lap packages. One was as a high school graduation present to my nephew and the other for more selfish reasons. During our drivers meeting it became clear to me that 6 laps wasn't going to be enough, so I upped our experiences to 10 laps each (highly recommended!). I hit the track with the goal of not hitting a wall and accomplished that and so much more. By the 3rd lap I was comfortable in the car and by lap 6 or 7 I was looking for the acceleration and deceleration cones and was hitting my marks with those and the pink hashes on the track. I feel confident that I pushed the car as hard as I could. This was beyond any describable experience. I told my nephew, besides the day my daughter was born and my wedding day, this was the best day of my life. He's only 18 and said it was without a doubt, the best of his life. If I could give this experience 7 or 8 stars on the 5 star scale, I would. My only disappointment is I would have liked to know what my mph really was....but since I don't, I'm telling everyone 145mph hahaha......thanks RWRE!!!. read more

Wow, what a 50th birthday present. My wife and kids gave me about 10 laps and I added to the pot and pulled a 20 lap race. I had the greatest experience I could have ever asked for. My car was very fast. The staff were exceptional and professional always making sure everything was to my liking. I think if I had another 40 laps I could shave the 11 seconds off my lap time and be racing with the big guns. This was my first time ever doing something like this. The only suggestion to RWCE would be to have a speedometer in the reply video and let me drive #12 again. My suggestion to anyone who reads this is don't get under 14 laps, you'll wish you could stay out there for another 6 or more. To those that didn't have a good experience I'm shocked. They told me if the video didn't work I would get back out there and do it again. I know they were giving people more laps if they were not satisfied. I never thought I would get to experience driving a NASCAR and to drive under my driver Rusty Wallace Racing Experience, what a dream come true. Great experience RWRE, thank. read more

Bought this for my husband and we did it last week. He LOVED it! We did the NASCAR Racing Experience at Joliet last year and it was interesting to compare and contrast the two. The RWRE was very cool in that they offer the option to purchase the in-car video recording (which we did) and the video is very slick - with side by side shots of my husband in the car and his view through the windshield. The track locator at the bottom was a very nice touch! He also liked the ability to drive with other cars on the track and practice passing, etc. Everyone we dealt with was very friendly and we had a great experience. About the only thing that was preferable with the NASCAR experience was the one-on-one radio communication. With RWRE it was one channel for all of the drivers and my husband said it was nicer to just hear from one "spotter" and only get the chatter related to your specific drive. Nevertheless, I'm sure we'll be back! We brought my nephew along to watch, as he is becoming a NASCAR fan, and we'll likely be bringing him for a ride-along sometime soon too. read more

This was a awesome experience if you like to go fast this is for you. There were 4 of us that drove to the track together 3 men 1 female all had a great time. We had originally purchased the 8 lap experience but opted to buy 4 more laps which I would recommend. The staff did a great job explaining everything to us in the driver meeting. Then out at the pits the staff assisted you in selecting your fire suit & helmet. Then on to the cars where you are assisted in getting in the car thought the window which is 15"X25" but there were guys there that wore 4X fire suits that were able to get in the cars. Once in the car the staff helps you get your 5 point safety belt on & Hans Device for your neck, then your helmet. Finally they have you insert ear pieces inside your helmet to hear the spotters & instructors. (one thing I would suggest is to bring your own ear buds, because at high speed with the noise of the car & wind with the ear pieces provided it is hard to hear the spotter). I will definitely do it again read more

First of all, let me say that my wife is awesome, for among other things, getting me this Rusty Wallace Racing Experience package for a gift! I have always wanted to do something like this. I couldn't wait for the day to get here. Race day started a little before 8:00 with registration followed by an hour long class. Our instructor, JJ, was very nice and informative. By the end of the class, I felt very comfortable with what I was about to do. The on track part was great. Armed with the knowledge from JJ, I enjoyed every second of driving the Mello Yello #51. If I get a chance to do it again, I will get a package that gives me more time on the track. I wasn't ready for the checkered flag. I didn't want to come down pit row but, I did so with a huge smile on my face because it had been a GREAT morning at Chicagoland Speedway! I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys going fast! read more

My mom and I bought the 6-lap qualifier experience for my dad for Christmas. We were all so excited for him, and even more excited when we arrived at the track! My dad added on the ride along experience, so he went through the driving school and got his gear on and waited to be called for his ride along. After he got in the car he realized he was honestly too tall to fit in the car comfortably, and decided he couldn't go through with any of it. Thanks to the WONDERFUL event staff, we were able to switch the experience over to my brother who had a BLAST! They were willing to switch everything without any hassle which was great. I can't say enough how wonderful and helpful the entire staff was, and I definitely recommend this to any NASCAR fan out there! read more

really think they should change the name to Rusty Wallace Greatest Experience of Your Life. When I got there to race there was an accident and everything was delayed 1 hour. Which was totally ok, the staff was excellent and they completely kept you informed as to how long everything would take. The class instructor was excellant also he did not leave out anything you need to know during the class. Even with the delay, the staff moved everyone through the procedures perfectly. While your waiting for your time to race the excitement made the time go by fast. The head phones you wear so you can hear your spotter are so clear that you hear as clear as if they were sitting in the car with you. I would rate this as a "TEN STAR" Experience! read more

This was by far the BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was my first time, but it will NOT be my last! EVERYONE there is very nice. It was very organized, it moved along very quickly. John,the instructor, was great. He was very informative but kept it fun. He stressed the important parts, answered any and all questions. Getting the fire suite and helmet moved along quickly. From the time we got out of class until I was strapped in was less than 10 minutes. The track was clearly marked and easy to follow. The spotter was clear and easy to hear. There was no pace car either. They strap you in and send you out for eight exciting laps. This is worth EVERY penny spent. It is a MUST TRY.......... read more