richard Petty driving experience Archives - The Mom Maven

Walt Disney World Speedway to Close in June

cindy — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 11:00:19 +0000

Sad news for race fans, the Walt Disney World Speedway, located adjacent to the Magic Kingdom parking lot, will be closing the end of June 2015. The track, originally built in 1995 for IRL races, only saw 5 IRL sanctioned races, and a handful of Craftsman Truck Series and other races. It was often used as a test location due to the Florida weather. In 1997 the track hosted The Richard Petty Driving Experience during the off season. the track has been the exclusive home to The Richard Petty Driving Experience for years.

Reports say that Disney “has other uses for the property” and it may be used for transportation improvements.

We have had the opportunity to visit the track twice. First was for my husband’s 40th birthday. My parents gave him The Rookie Experience for his birthday. We had so much fun watching him suit up and drive the 1 mile track. In 2010 my husband was part of a group of men chosen to take part in the filming of a British TV and my boys each received a Junior Ride Along. You can read about that day here. Here is the link to the TV segment that was taped that day.

Jordan, my car enthusiast turns 21 next year. Hubby and I had discussed getting the family to help chip in and get him an Exotic driving Experience at the Walt Disney World Speedway as his birthday gift. Unfortunately, I guess we will have to think about doing it at Daytona-if we do it at all.

We will be sad to see the track go. We always enjoy hearing the race cars going around the track as we enter the Magic Kingdom parking lot. My boys have wanted to drive there since the track opened. Now, to have that experience we will have to drive all the way to Daytona.

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Richard Petty Driving Experience TV Segment

cindy — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:05:23 +0000

A few weeks ago I told you about our trip to the Richard Petty Driving Experience to be part of the taping of a television segment for the show Mobil 1 The Grid. Well, I received a link to the finished product and I wanted to share it with you.

We had a great time and I know my husband and sons can’t wait to go back!

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Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World

cindy — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:08:58 +0000

A few days before Father’s Day I saw on Facebook that the Richard Petty Driving Experience was giving away some free Rookie Experience Packages for Thursday June 24th. The people chosen to drive had to agree to be photographed and video taped. At first I didn’t apply, I figured my husband got to do the Rookie Experience a few years ago for his 40th birthday so we should let someone else go this time. Then a few days later I saw the item on Facebook again and I decided to write the 100 word essay and enter my husband, why not.

On Monday the 21st I received an email telling me we had been chosen and did both Ron and Cindy want to drive? I wrote back and said just Ron (I can’t drive a stick shift and it wouldn’t be pretty watching me try to climb in and out of the driver’s window). Then the Petty PR guy told me they had more spots to fill so I offered to use my social media connections and see if I could help, I got him 4 additional drivers but 1 wasn’t able to make it at the last minute. To thank me for helping them find drivers they offered to give both of my sons a Ride Along Experience!

So on June 24th we headed to the Walt Disney World Speedway, located in the parking lot of the Magic Kingdom, to see what the day had in store. We met up with our friend Doug Dierdorf and his friend Victor as well as my Twitter BFF JL Knopp (@ndm_1), her husband Joel and their adorable kids. There were 8 men driving that day for what we found out was to be a segment on a British TV show Mobil 1 The Grid, which airs on the Speed channel in the US.

While the men were getting briefed on what the day would hold, Aaron and Jordan donned their driving suits and helmets and climbed into the passenger seat of a race car to go 140 miles an hour around the Walt Disney World Speedway!

When the boys were done we waited for the men to finish their briefing and come out to start their video taping, interviews and photographs.Ron Doug Dierdorf

Everyone had a great time and we can’t wait til they notify us that the piece will air on TV! Here is a link to my post with the video from the TV segment.

The Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway is open 7 days a week from 8am-4pm. The Ride Along Experience is $99 per person. The Rookie Experience (8 laps) is $449 per person. You can call 1-800-237-3889 or visit DrivePetty.com for complete details.

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