Xtreme Xperience started five years ago in Chicago and is now touring the nation providing supercar, dream drives around real race tracks. And now, Xtreme Xperience has come to the Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA.
“It’s our number one goal to make dreams come true,” Alyssa Butler, Xtreme Xperience communications coordinator. “We feel very lucky to be able to do what we do.”
Xtreme Xperience brought several dream vehicles to Pacific Raceways. Driving experience started at $299 (sans taxes) and included 3-laps in a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, the Audi R8 V10, or a Porsche 911 GT3. The Lamborghini Huracan, and Ferrari 488 GTB and 458 Italia were all $399. Purchasing in advance offers some discounted pricing.
“This track, it’s one of the best we’ve interacted with,” said Cal DeNyse, Event General Manager and Chief Instructor. “Even the people coming to the events, they all seem to be – not just the people checking off the bucket lists experience – but car enthusiasts.”
Whether bucket lists or car enthusiasts, or both, more than 1,080 people signed up for a test drive in a supercar or ride-along in a race-prepped car around the twisty corners of Pacific Raceways.
“It’s hard to describe it,” Jack McBrien, 88 years young and from Lake Stevens. “I didn’t do good driving [the Aston], but I got it up there.”
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McBrien took a drive in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage for a spin around the track, the first time the vehicle has been part of Xtreme Xperience’s lineup. McBrien, like all participants, went through a quick course lesson before touring the track with an instructor (along with the driving experience being instructor supervised).
“I never really declared a bucket list, but I think I will now,” McBrien said. “It’s the first time ever doing something like this. I drove a Triumph TR3 in SCCA years ago and my Triumph would have been spinning on every corner.”
Of course, track days aren’t just for the guys anymore. More and more females are participating in motorsports and car events.
“It was fantastic!” Alex Cole said of her Audi R8 experience. “My boyfriend did a couple things like this and wanted me to have the same experience – I wanted to have the same experience.”
Cole drove from Federal Way to test out a supercar from her dreams. While the Lamborghini she was hoping for was down for the count, she enjoyed the Audi R8 that was available.
“I like cars, I like driving and I drive a Hyundai Elantra so I don’t get that power that I would really like to have,” Cole said. “Combined, too, with the fact that it’s on an race track – that was actually the thing that I was most excited about.”
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It isn’t just a dream experience for the drivers, either, but for those who work with Xtreme Xperience.
“It has been very interesting. Xtreme Xperience has played a huge part in my life, [the first] weekend was when I met my wife,” said DeNyse. “This is pretty much my second family, and that’s the way that Xtreme Xperience operates.”
DeNyse joined the team at Atlanta Motorsports Park, where he’d raced since he was 7-years-old.
“Working here, it’s impossible to be in a bad mood when surrounded by so much positivity,” DeNyse said.
Not even the rain made for a bad day at the track. Xtreme Xperience has rarely had to shut down a course for rain. According to DeNyse, rain has to be puddling badly for a day to be canceled. It did rain on the weekend that Xtreme Xperience was in town, and the track remained open all day.
Xtreme Xperience plans to come back next year, pending track rental approval. Find Xtreme Xperience on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Tumblr.
