Mario Andretti Racing Experience

Last year for Dan's 59th birthday, the kids bought him a ride-along from the Mario Andretti Racing Experience. He has wanted to do this from the time he saw the first ad for it. On Sunday, April 12, he got his chance. Jessica, Dan, and I drove down to Phoenix International Raceway for his big adventure. It was so exciting! I love Indy car racing and Jessica is a NASCAR fan, so we were both thrilled to be standing along Pit Row for the ride. You can buy a package to ride in an Indy car with a professional driver or you can drive the Indy car yourself. The height limit is 6'4" which is Dan's height, so he barely squeezed in. As a rider, you get 3 laps. We were told afterward that he went at least 145 mph. So cool!

We didn't know it at the time, but this is the car he rode in

These are the cars the "drivers" drove

Dan's driver checking out the car

Safety first - getting the helmet and neck brace on

Ready to go

Climbing in

Climbing out!

Here's a video of one of his laps - it's short!

Phoenix International Raceway

I love Indy car racing. I have loved it since I was a girl. One of my wishes in life is that I could attend an Indy car race in person.

We actually got tickets one year for the race here in Phoenix. It was on an Easter Sunday. I worked at a church. Get the picture?

I carried that disappointment for years.

Yesterday, Dan had an appraisal down in south Phoenix. I went along for the ride. As we drove nearer to the Estrella Mountains, he pointed out that PIR is located down there. It was pretty exciting for me because although I knew PIR was somewhere down south, I didn't know where exactly.

We came to Broadway, the road I knew we had to turn on to the reach the subject property, but he drove on through. I pointed out to him that we missed our turn. He told me he was going to show me PIR.

I was so excited!

You can tell I was excited, by the fact that I allowed two photos to be taken of me in shorts with his cheap
"for appraisals only" camera. Haha!

I also got to see the Gila River, which I've never seen before. It had water in it, and there was loads of people fishing in it. (Yes, I know, rivers generally have water. That fact is not true in AZ. It's a desert.)

Dan is the greatest! He knows how much a little thing like driving me by PIR would mean to me, and he was willing to make it happen.

What a great morning...