A Need For Speed

Circling NOLA Motorsports

The “Try This” summer has been full of non-stop, adrenaline-filled events. Skydiving and fly boarding have now been followed by a “need for speed” that had to be mollified. NOLA Motorsports filled that need and then some. An afternoon filled with fast cars and sharp turns ensued when we made our way across the Huey P. Long Bridge to the NOLA Motorsports facility in Avondale.

NOLA Motorsports is a 1,700-acre property with a multi-million dollar track and facility. The area is the site of a world-class racetrack, which holds national and international racing competitions, a convoy of exotic cars, a 40-acre karting facility for the kids – or the young at heart – and motorcycle options are available. Drive your own vehicle on a real racetrack, try out one of their fleet of racecars or accompany a trained racecar driver in a Mustang Challenge FR500S.

On our trip to the NOLA Motorsports facility, we had the pleasure of accompanying their racecar driver in the Mustang Challenge. This is a vehicle undeniably made for speed and the experience – even in the passenger seat – is unlike any other. You twist and turn your way through 2.75 miles of track, hitting 16 speedy turns throughout. With no windows and speeds reaching well over 100 mph, the wind hits your face and swooshes past your helmet. You hear nothing but the revving of the engine and the sound of the tires screeching along the pavement. My heart was beating as we hit each turn, not certain we were going to make it without tipping over. After two laps, the screams of laughter – much like when you’re on a rollercoaster – and a high-five from the driver, we made our way back into the covered pit area in one adrenaline-filled piece. Because of the sporadic bouts of rain throughout the day, we were unable to reach the speeds of a normal day, but that didn’t take away from the overall feeling of the track experience.

Racecar driver is one of those jobs found high on the list of answer to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” NOLA Motorsports offers each person’s inner child the opportunity to fulfill the dream of putting on that helmet, hoping in an authentic racecar and racing down a state of the art racetrack. Times for each of the vehicle options are offered throughout the summer. To drive, one must be 18 years of age with a valid driver’s license and ability to operate a manual transmission.