Jeff Gordon Racing School

The NASCAR Racing Experience, formerly the Jeff Gordon Racing School, gives NASCAR and auto racing fans the opportunity to be trained in driving real cars used by NASCAR drivers. Though this program is undeniably popular, the various packages the program offers can be cost prohibitive.

The deal that made the Jeff Gordon Racing School an official, NASCAR-certified program was agreed upon in July of 2009, and resulted in the renaming of the program to the NASCAR Racing Experience. The program is also connected to the Mario Andretti Racing Experience. Available at 12 different race tracks nationwide, the NASCAR Racing Experience offers participants the ability to drive an actual NASCAR car on a race track up to 170 miles per hour, depending on the package you purchase.

The most basic package, known as the "Qualifier," gives students the chance to drive a NASCAR car up to 150 mph for an eight minute session. The Qualifier package is priced at about $430. All students who purchase the Qualifier package or better receive a Graduate Certificate, training and instruction regarding how to drive a NASCAR car, and the benefit of receiving instructions through the in car radio while driving. Being the most expensive package at about $3,000, the "World Champion" package is also the longest, lasting a day and a half. Students have six opportunities to drive a NASCAR car up to 170 mph, four of which are 8-minute standalone sessions and two of which are 15-minute "side-by-side racing sessions" with a maximum of five other drivers. The World Champion package is perhaps the closest experience a person can receive to actually participating in a real NASCAR race, if he or she can afford it.

Ultimately, the Jeff Gordon Racing School has received an upgrade thanks to NASCAR's official involvement.