An Equestrian Trades in Her Saddle for the Driver’s Seat and Gets a Rush of Racetrack Adrenaline

Curiosity about the rush they felt toyed with me when I was behind the scenes focused on event production. Regrettably, I shrugged off invitations to attend amateur racing schools to glean a mortal’s hint at what the illustrious pros experienced.

A few decades have passed since the roar of engines and the glamorous sport were the backdrop of my career, though nostalgia has often tapped me on the shoulder for a look in the rearview mirror at some of the best days of my life. I forged many relationships through the sport that have sustained time, including with Penske Automotive Group. That business connection led to a recent invitation to participate in the Lexus Performance Driving School. With a Cheshire cat-like grin, I seized the opportunity and enrolled my husband, Alex, and me in a full-day program as a surprise anniversary gift.

“We want moments in our lives that excite us. This is one of those!”

After overnighting in Pacific Grove, Alex and I arrived at the track at 7:30 a.m. with our enthusiasm in high gear. We were assigned to the Carbon Team (one of four groups) and were whisked off to a hospitality suite for breakfast and a welcome presentation. Scott Pruett, a native Californian, vintner and one of the winningest American professional race car drivers of this modern era, passionately shared insight from his racing career and set the stage for the day.

The participants were escorted to the track by team leaders with gusto as they set out to synchronize a well-oiled production that maximized everyone’s time in the cars. Instruction by professional drivers alongside Pruett was done with Lexus performance vehicles (IS 350 F Sport, LC Coupe and RC F) that showcased distinctly different driving experiences: autocross, drifting and racetrack.

According to Todd Lewis, the Lexus marketing strategist who was instrumental in starting the program in 2016, “The purpose of developing the school was to position Lexus as not only a luxury brand but also a performance brand. We want people to experience our cars—not just talk about them. You don’t have to be a race car driver to experience speed in a safe environment. Participants leave changed as better drivers with more confidence and improved control.”

Next up on the action-filled program was the part that most inspired me to attend: driving on the racetrack and experiencing the internationally acclaimed corkscrew (a five-story drop from the entrance to the exit of the turn). We navigated the course in groups of four in a lead-follow format while a pro driver in front coached us by radio to push the limits of the vehicles (over 100 mph) with a keen awareness of weight distribution on the tires.

After lunch, Team Carbon’s vehicle control abilities were tested while drifting on a wet asphalt skid pad—full acceleration in a tight circle followed by hard braking and counter steering, while maintaining awareness of the vehicle’s location. Surprisingly, my experience navigating iced roads in the snowbelt as a teenager kicked in, and it was exhilarating—so much so that my hands trembled from excitement when I exited the car with the smell of burnt rubber in the air.

Another timed autocross session followed drifting with markedly improved times by everyone. We then returned to the racetrack for our final lead-follow session (also notably improved). The day culminated with a passenger seat ride with pro drivers performing hot laps around the race track for participants to experience the full potential of the vehicles.