Do you feel the need for speed? Well add to that a spa treatment. Did the global recession stressed you up? How about letting it all out while going 145 miles per hour?
Members of the private race clubs do that every weekend. Add to the picture amenities ala golf club while on the track. They also can finish a day with a round of scotch and relaxing those tired muscles in the steamy sauna.
According to these guys, the recession really didn’t leave their hobbies black and bruised. There could have been some delays in the opening of their multimillion motor sport clubs but business is booming. Memberships to the club are still going fast.
If stepping on the gas pedal sound as an excellent therapy to you, you have a number of options to consider. You can go to Palm Beach Driving Club which is just two years old or to the Aspen Motorsports Park which is half century old.
We listed some of the well known racing clubs and tracks. We considered availability of private instructions, cars you can loan, members who are racing pros, track time allotted, and these things added up will provide a great driving experience.
Location: Woody Creek, Colorado
Members: less than 30
Fees: $75,000 to signup plus an annual fee of $12,000
Track Shape and Distance: You have to negotiate 8 turns along the 1.1 mile track
Amenities: The membership fee buys you some equity in the property
Note: Members also buy a Toyota spec car priced at around $40,000
Location: Joliet, Illinois
Members: Around 400
Fees: The initiation fee would cost you around $35K to $112K; Annual dues will be from $4,000 to $16K plus consider track fees
Track Shape and Distance: There are two tracks with a total distance of 3.56 miles. You have nine turns and 15-turn courses
Amenities: Once you sign up for the race club you get automatically signed up for the Joliet Golf Club
Note: The property has a total area of 350 acres
Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving
Location: Chandler, Arizona
Members: They have taught more than quarter of a million students in their 41 years of existence
Fees: It can range from $400 they usually charge for a four hour training to around $5,925 when you take the anti-kidnapping course. There are also courses in between to fit your budget.
Track Shape and Distance: There is a road course plus three tracks at the Firebird International Raceway for the advanced courses.
Amenities: The driving academy has partnerships with car companies which gives you an option to choose from a long list of cars. You can also get customized courses depending on your need and purpose
Note: Among the famous graduates of the academy are Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, David Hasselhoff, and Paul Newman.
Location: Lakeville, Connecticut
Members: Max of 300
Fees: You have a sign-up fee of $27,00 to around $110K plus annual fees ranging from $275 to $550.
Track Shape and Distance: This is a 1.53 mile road course with seven turns that you need to negotiate.
Amenities: You get VIP access for events at the Lime Rock Park
Note: The race club is owned by Skip Barber who also owns the renowned Skip Barber Racing Schools. You will also not see bleachers along the track but spectators watch from the grassy hills.
Location: Monticello, New York
Members: Around 500
Fees: Sign up fee of around $125,000 with an annual fee of $7,500.
Track Shape and Distance: Floor it on 1.5 miles straightaways but the track is 4 miles in total with 22 turns.
Amenities: As a member of this private race resort, you will have access to spa, fitness center, pro shop, bar, restaurant, fleet of exotic cars, valet service, luxury suites, and the helipad.
Note: There are plans to put up condos and a tuning center.
Location: Hastings, Nebraska
Members: Only around86
Fees: Annual fee of $500 and sign up fee of $1,000
Track Shape and Distance: This is a 14-turn course stretching 2.15 miles.
Amenities: There are track-side garages so you will really feel like a pro and around 9,000 sq. ft. of space.
Note: Kool-Aid was born at Hastings, Nebraska (Yes, that’s a cool good-to-know stuff J ). The property is around 150 acres.
Location: Lake Village, Indiana
Members: Membership is limited to around 560
Fees: There is an initiation fee of $37K to around $110K plus an annual fee of $3,000 to $10,000.
Track Shape and Distance: There are 5 tracks which are approximately 7 miles of road courses. Expect all the works from double apex, carousel turns, blind turns, hairpin, and off camber.
Amenities: Full blast luxury with rooftop dining, two restaurants, landing strip, home sites along the sides of the track, playground, tennis courts, sauna, pool, and fitness center.
Note: The membership has three tiers. The better you want it the more expensive tabs you should expect.
Location: Jupiter, Florida
Members: Just 200 members.
Fees: Fees go for $125K to $145K with yearly membership dues that range from $6,000 to $14,750.
Track Shape and Distance: The track stretches for 2.034 miles that features 11 challenging turns. There is also a concrete drag strip.
Amenities: Day in and day out you can race on the tracks all year round. There is a concierge service, bar, overnight accommodations, and indoor or outdoor dining.
Note: The clubhouse and pavilion are multimillion projects in progress.
Whatever racing club you choose, we are pretty sure it will be a unique driving experience. The luxury amenities that come with it is just icing on the cake. The adrenaline rush and the skills you learn top the list of benefits. Another good thing is the lower risk of crashing.
1 comment
Hi,
Are they going to build the speedway in Lake Village,Indiana soon? Thanks for your time.
Mari