Dream Car Racing 3

[Gauthier Zitnik]

Looking for more flexible options? This Package includes 5 laps each in 2 cars, simply pick one car from group 1 and one from group 2.- Pick one from the Nissan GTR, Porsche Cayman GT4 or Acura NSX- Pick one from the Audi R8 V10+, C8 Corvette, or Mercedes AMG GTR

Looking for more flexible options? This Package includes 5 laps each in 2 cars, simply pick one car from group 1 and one from group 2.- Choose one from the Corvette C8, Audi R8 V10+, or Porsche Carrera S-Choose one from the Porsche 992 GT3, Ferrari 488 GTB or Lamborghini Huracan

Looking for more flexible options? This Package includes 5 laps each in 2 cars, simply pick one car from group 1 and one from group 2.- Choose one from the Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari 488 GTB or Lamborghini Huracan- Choose one from the Lamborghini Huracan Performante, Ferrari F8 Tributo or Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica

Train on an exact laser scanned replica of our track, in our fully immersive simulators, and become comfortable with our controls and commands. This will take approximately 15 minutes.

*Simulator sessions will be substituted with demonstration laps by our intructors when on the Outside Road Course.

A key part of our training process will be your simulator session, the realism, enhanced by the 3D view of the track will immerse you, giving you a true sense of depth and speed preparing you for the real experience on track.

"Words like 'amazing' or 'excellent' don't really seem to describe my experience at Dream Racing adequately. The entire Dream Racing staff is fantastic. I thought this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. But now I know I will have to go back to Dream Racing!"

Dream Racing exclusively operates inside the Las Vegas Superspeedway and offers a variety of unmatched spaces. Our Lounge with panoramic terrace overlooking the track and our theater and simulator room inside of the Media Center are just the highlights of our venue.

Dream Racing has the highest level of professional instructors ready to coach and guide you through your experience. With real racing backgrounds our instructors are hand picked from across the globe to ensure we have the highest quality of instruction for our customers, a level unmatched by other experiences. Do not underestimate how a real racing driver can improve your driving experience.

We went for the Dream Racing experience that permits you to drive a Ferrari F430GT racing car for 5 laps around the track. When I say racing car I mean that this car is a beast! The acceleration and grip on the tarmac is incredible. At first I was weary to push it hard, but I must say that after the third lap I really understood its potential and kept that right foot down beyond what I thought was possible (always following the indications of the instructor).

I think that next time I would for sure go for the Advanced Pro experience, where you can race 8 laps then take a break to analyse with your instructor where you can improve your performance, and then go for another 8 laps where you can really push your limits.

Managers are awesome and do a great job in getting people involved in successful partnerships. New partners are definitely in good hands. I strongly recommend them for anyone looking to get into racing

The have been upfront about expectations. They have made getting into a very difficult game very easy and affordable. They also keep you very informed about the horses. They do a great job of getting video and pictures of horses, I know this is difficult to do as often as they do it.

Their communication with their investors is outstanding. Race and work out reports/updates are so descriptive you can almost visualize what has taken place on the track. I share these with friends and family members who have made the same comment.

Throughout the years, some of the greatest names in motorsports haveparticipated in the Trans Am Series. With five distinct classes(TA/XGT/SGT/GT and TA2), it is the longest-running professional road racingseries in North America.

There are of course other racing experiences to be had across the country but none will offer you the glorious mountain views, the fighter jet roar (as war planes fly into and out of nearby Nellis Air Force Base), and the high level of professional instruction and white glove service of Dream Racing.

*I was in Las Vegas for the Toyota Sienna AdVANture event. My travel, hotel, and Dream Racing experience were paid for by Toyota. All opinions expressed above are honest and unbiased, as always. The best photos in this post were taken by the great Shawn Parkin. Check him out on Facebook.

Dream Racing CEO Enrico Bertaggia is a former Formula 3 champion. He also competed in Formula 1 and was runner up in the '95 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GT2 class. His racing career includes director and coaching roles with the factory racing programs at Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and others. So while the business of Dream Racing is to provide supercar experiences, the culture of the company is to train race car drivers. This is why Dream Racing offers GT race car experiences. These are the same machines that compete in both professional and amateur series throughout the world, such as the US-based Pirelli World Challenge. This is also why I've come to Dream Racing for the third time this year: to learn to drive race cars and ultimately figure out how I want to compete. For this trip I'm testing three cars: the aforementioned Lamborghini, the Ferrari 458 GT and the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

There's a certain convenience to training with Dream Racing in that you can only drive so much on a given day. The mental fatigue when you're learning is fairly intense. You're consuming so much new information. The mind and body are adapting to an intense new skill, that of driving a race car, while simultaneously unlearning the bad habits of street driving. In between sessions, you need time to relax and process what you've learned. What better place to do that than Las Vegas?

The track is about 30 minutes north of the Strip. Dream Racing provides a shuttle that picks up at The Shops at Crystals. The most convenient hotels are those within walking or tram distance, such as the brand new Park MGM. After a billion-dollar renovation, MGM converted the Monte Carlo into the modern concept that is Park MGM, complete with a 5,000-seat theater, an art collection rivaled only by the Bellagio and a small city's worth of restaurants, bars and lounges. The more upscale and luxurious NoMad Las Vegas occupies the top floors of the property, complete with a private entrance separate from the casino. Designed by French architect and designer Jacques Garcia, the 293 rooms range from a Classic King at 404 square feet up to the 2,000-square-foot Suite Royal Premier with a sitting room, two full bathrooms, dining room, full-sized pantry, billiard table and a freestanding bar.

Driving: The Ferrari 458 GT is the predecessor to the current 488 Challenge, which adds turbocharging to the V8 engine. Though it no longer competes in Ferrari's one-make series, the 458 is still a phenomenal race car and set the bar for GT cars of its time. It produces 570 hp and puts that to the pavement through a 7-speed, dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifting. The car is superbly balanced and even a bit forgiving for beginners. I was able to easily correct oversteer and clocked my fastest Dream Racing lap at 53 seconds. According to JT, the 458 "likes to be driven smooth but on the limit to be fast and comfortable. It's great for first-time experiences of the GT racing world."

Driving: I'm a big fan of Porsche 911 street cars. So I was especially excited to drive the GT3 Cup. This race version of the GT3 street car uses the same flat six engine, which produces 460 hp and launches it from 0-60 mph in three seconds flat. But the suspension and body work have been amped up to enhance corning ability. According to JT, "The 911 is for more advanced drivers to reach the limit in. The driving style is very different from the 458 GT." I'd learn this the hard way.

After a warmup lap, I started my first flying lap down the straightaway and through turn one. Accelerating out of turn two, I lost the rear end and spun 360 degrees to a stop inside the track (see 360 VR video above). Since the 911's engine is over the rear axle as opposed to being in front like the 458, the car is weighted to the rear. This makes it more important to fully unwind the wheel before getting back on the accelerator. The cold track and tires may also have been a factor, but that's not an excuse I'm willing to make.

Driving: The Lamborghini Huracn GT race car made a huge leap in 2018 with the introduction of the Super Trofeo EVO. When you combine a next-level body kit with its engine, steering wheel, six-speed sequential gearbox and Pirelli tires, it's perhaps the fastest and most advanced GT car ever built. Indeed, this is the fastest car in the entire Dream Racing livery. The Huracn's V10 engine pumps out 620 hp and 419 pounds of torque at 8,250 and 6,500 rpms, respectively, and hits a top speed of 202 mph. According to JT, "The trust you have to put in this car is unbelievable but the faster you keep going, the easier it becomes to drive. This car is top notch in engineering, power delivery and grip level." As such, this is the top pick of the three cars. It's not entirely an apples-to-apples comparison, but this is what Dream Racing has to offer. Plus, the Lamborghini driving school and race series appear much more accessible than other factory programs.

If you want to race the Super Trofeo EVO, such as in the North American Super Trofeo Series, the list price is $295,000. According to Dream Racing, you'll want to budget about $500K for a season of racing.

Eating: Just off the casino floor at Park MGM, Bavette's Steakhouse & Bar has been imported from its origins in Chicago. With a distinctly French flair, it's a departure from the traditional steakhouse where seafood is really an afterthought. Bavette's is known just as much for its crab cake appetizer and seafood towers as its bone-in filets and ribeyes.

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