My wife Sue (who is very afraid of going fast) was trying to find a nice safe spot to video tape our laps at the Texas Motor Speedway Laps for Charity Day. She asked one guy working the event where a good place would be, and he said the best vantage point was the pace car! So she climbed in the back and off they went...I still haven't figured out why she rode with him and not me . She did say that she got the camera lined up and then buried her head in her arm until it was over, so that makes me feel a little better, I guess. Here it is:

YouTube - Texas Motor Speedway Crossfires View from the Pace Car on Laps for Charity Day

Sorry it took so long to post this - I had a devil of a time with the conversion and finding a place to post it.

 

What FUN! I could almost hear Stogey screaming from his car!
I'd be tempted to pass the pace car! What are they gonna do, make me leave the track?

 

LMAO......And I was three cars back !

 

Your wife did have the best seat... Thanks, That was awesome...... I was 4 cars back... after seeing that, I think I should have hit it more..... guess I'm not one for tailgating... lol

 

Nahhhh.... the best seat was and still is behind the steering wheel
Never less, awesome video, thanks for posting.

 

I agree! Driving was the best.

Great video though. I enjoyed the alternate perspective. I was the 5th car back. Thanks for posting.

 

That looked great! Very cool angle, thanks for shareing that video.
Wonder what it would be like if?
Maybe next time we can get some one to chant (FASTER FASTER) to the pace car driver?
Like Stogey's Co-Pilot......
Rock N Roll!!!!!!

 

Great video, I didn't realize anyone was in the pace car. I wish she had been sittiing their for the second trip out of the the track when we really picked up the speed.

 

I was amazed that she got in there for the first run - there was no way she would have gotten in for the second! The first run was a spur-of-the-moment thing -- if she would've thought about it, she wouldn't have gone. I've tried to get her to enjoy a little 'spirited driving', but no luck. When we go to an amusement park, she'll go on one fast ride, then that's it for the day...

 

Jon,
Thanks for posting and Sue what a great video. I knew it would be a good one. See you soon.
Joe

 

Did any one see the Indy Qualifying Avg speed 220 mph!!!!
There was also a segment on the Nurenbergring race track in Germany.
When theres no racing they let the public RACE.
And there is only one death a week on avg!!!!
Imagine If we had no pace car?

 

Great video guys ! Thanks for posting ! What a fun time, can't wait till September........ FASTER, FASTER !!!

 

The Spring Cup qualifying record is 196.235 MPH by Brian Vickers who set that mark in 2006. I remember reading a while back that the Indy Cars actually had to cancel a race there because they were going so fast that the G Forces on the drivers were complaining of dizziness and a few other things. They were experiencing upwards of 5 G's on their bodies. The fastest practice speed was recorded at 236.678 MPH. CART brought in some experts and they determined that the fastest speed at which the Indy Cars could go on the track without potential blacking out of drivers was around 225 MPH. So ultimately CART cancelled the race and Texas did not hold a CART race ever. (Note: CART and the current Indy Car Series are 2 different entities)

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