LA Racing

Attended the Jan 2, 2016 3:30 PM class in Group 4. I’ve driven at LA Racing 3 other times and had pretty good experiences. Since I always wanted to drive «under the lights» I thought I’d go for it. It turned out not to be a good idea. Some background. In addition to this being my 4^th time at LA Racing, I’ve driven a stock car at Charlotte Motor Speedway, California Speedway X 2, Las Vegas Speedway X 2, and Mesa Marin ½ mile (Bakersfield) X 2 for a total of over 400 laps. So, I’m not your average guy. I know how to handle a stock car, in a school type environment and know what to expect as far as how a car should drive. This last LA Racing experience was by far the worst I’ve had. As previous reviewers have mentioned the sales pitches for insurance and videos during the pre-​race briefings get a little repetitive. I get it. It’s a business. However, the constant reminders about Rule # 8, crashing the car and getting thrown off the track can be intimating to a first timer and make a person very cautious when they get on the track. You will here about their great safety record and they put 1400 students a month through the courses. Note: you don’t wear a HANS device and there are no soft walls at Irwindale. The other reviewers mentioned wet/​damp gloves and driving suits. I’ve experienced that since they do have only so many uniforms. My biggest concerns are the condition of the cars, conduct of the «spotters», condition of the track and the face shield on my helmet was severely scratched. I drove the #3 car and found the steering to be very sloppy. Coupled with the car being set up to drive «tight» it was very difficult to drive the line as instructed. The windshield on the car was also scratched along with the helmet visor and my vision was somewhat impaired. I think driving under the lights magnified the problem. The spotter was constantly talking to me and 1 other car. It got to the point of lecturing vs. spotting for safety/​passing. I found that talking while your looking for your marks and going into the turns is very distracting, to me. The markings and lines on the track are very worn and are difficult to see, especially at night. During the briefing you are told to look for a certain sign on the back stretch as a point to lift off the gas for the turn 3. However, there is no clear reference point on the front stretch for turn 1. Your told to figure out your lift point. I guess the rumored closure of the track due to the sale of the property has contributed to what I’ve seen as a deterioration of the track and a less than good handling equipment. When I need my NASCAR fix I’ll be going to other venues. You pay more, but the cars and overall experiences make it worth it. You do get what you pay for!

**MUST READ**
PRO’s
–no instructor riding shotgun. On your own.
–take earliest AM course when temp is cool.
–only 4 cars per session on the track.
CON’s
–no GoPro camera equipment allowed.
–no Q&A session following the training.
–DO NOT BUY THE $ 89 INSURANCE! The other Unilocal!reviews are correct; it’s a total rip-​off. If you crash the vehicle you’re STILL RESPONSIBLE for the first $ 2500.00 and they’ll swipe your card. During the 1 hour training Dave the instructor hits you hard with 4 – 5 horror stories of «this person crashed into the wall» and «that girl cracked the egg and spun out, Ozzie ran her card for $ 10,000» in an effort to upsell the $ 89.00 insurance. At the last 10 minutes of training they bring in «The Closer» named Ozzie aka Danny Glover who echo’s the hard upsell for insurance and buying additional track packages before you’ve even ran your first race. When I returned my waiver for declining the insurance Dave states «you’re the only one declining, just so you know.» Very off-​putting.
According to Dave the trainer he instructs 1,200 students per month and «has 1 – 2 crashes.» You do the math. The stories were very elaborate, seemed embellished so I questioned the authenticity.
What $ 89.00 buys you:
–2 tanks premium fuel in your own car.
–cell phone bill.
–16 tacos, bottle of tequila, 4 Churro’s and a piñata.
I’m a car guy; drive a BMW and work in the industry. It was fun and a pretty good deal if you use a Groupon but I wouldn’t do it again.
DON’T fall for the insurance!

GREAT TIME. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
I bought 3 passes, one for my dad, one for my husband, and one for my father in law. My father in law didn’t want to do it, so I took the 3^rd pass for myself since they are non-​refundable. Was I nervous? YES. Did I think I couldn’t do it? YES. But I am so happy that I didn’t let my anxiety get the best of me and I actually went through with it. It was an experience I will never forget and I am so happy I got to share the track with my dad and my husband (who both passed me more times than I can count, but that’s another story)
When we initially booked the 1^st time, we showed up at 10am and the 8am class still hadn’t gone due to some debris on the track from the race the night before, which was a safety issue, so they ended up cancelling for the day and we rescheduled and left. No big deal, not the end of the world. I would rather be safe and have proper track conditions than not.
The 2^nd time we came back, the instructor welcomed us with some serious high energy that he somehow managed to maintain throughout the entire hour long class. He’s funny, witty and tries to make this a fun experience for you: BECAUSE IT IS.
After the class, they don’t mess around. We went out to the stands and immediately watched the 1^st group go out, which were the Advanced drivers. Then before you know it you are suiting up to get out on the track. All of the information you need was in the emails sent to you and told to you in the class. They make it pretty clear.
Once you are in the car you have a staff member helping you get situated and fire up the engine, then you hear the spotter in your ear, and if you paid attention in the class, you are aware of what is going on and you GO!
You do a couple caution laps, just cruising, getting used to the wheel, engine, track, etc. It’s LOUD and it’s FAST. After the yellow laps, they give you the green light and you floor it. They teach you about the corners and when to gas and when to let up. I got to hit it hard a few times but I wasn’t going fast enough because I did have to pull down to the white line when the other racers passed me.
They tell you in the class not to pass unless the spotter tells you you are clear (or you get kicked out) which is again GREAT because I can’t see you. This is a big deal and I for one am happy that they take your safety so seriously. I don’t know where the other Unilocalers get off on being pissed about being kicked off the track — literally EVERYTHING is spelled out for you in the class about 10 times.
The spotter I had was great, even though he called me «bud» the whole time. LOL. That’s fine, I thought it was funny, he didn’t know I was a female. He kept urging me to go faster and was really clear on the directions and where the other drivers were, etc.
20 laps goes really fast so try to soak it all in. IT IS SO MUCH FUN, I can see why people keep coming back. I am really happy I found this place and that they offer such a FUN & PROFESSIONAL experience. THANK YOU LA RACING!!! We will be back!
A few notes:
*They do offer insurance, that we gladly purchased. I had no idea what was going to happen on the track. Slamming into a wall was a high possibility in my mind and I had no intentions of buying a racecar that day.
*I would make sure you eat before. The snacks they generously offered were just that, snacks.
*If you do bring guests to watch you race, bring an umbrella or wear a hat. IT“S HOT in the stands.
*I brought a change of clothes, because you do sweat. They say it gets to 130 in the car, with the suit on, etc.
*HAVE FUN, ENJOY YOURSELF & PAY ATTENTION =)

my perfect Birthday present, I had a great time in the 01 car, it looks so cool. All the rules were very well explained! before we drove!, by the great staff. I can see why people would be upset. but you do have to be aggressive so as you don’t get passed all the time and not so aggressive that you wreck the car that would be an expensive day out. These are not go karts you are racing and playing by the rules set out at the start. The track is very small I will do this again but on a much bigger track but this was a great first time experience. Don’t gripe about the insurance, you should expect that.
Great day out, I got 20 laps 40 corners without interruption, My kids were proud of me, lol

Don’t waste your time or money! One hour class from a want to be auctioneer who talks so fast you can barely understand him. Then comes in guy number two for the last five minutes just to clarify the fast talking auctioneer. Except this guy has a mush mouth, and we could barely understand him. Ok, fair enough they know we’re beginners, right? Wrong!
Now to the «racing», One unprofessional spotter for two cars, only four cars on the track should be simple. I found out I was doing something wrong without warning by getting kicked off the track in the same manner user Josh C did. (8 out of 20 laps) Watch his video from 7months ago. It’s a first time for us, adrenaline is going, nerves plays apart but nobody was in danger, not at the slow rate of speed we were going. Again no warnings just removed. Then the young unprofessional spotter and his laughing condescending ways tells me what I did wrong when was at the «principals office». I believe they find any little thing you did wrong to take you off the track without warning to save money, save fuel, and have more profit because you might have gotten a discount deal on Groupon or some other discounted coupon. I was in no danger of «crashing the race car»! Believe me I don’t want to crash anymore than they would want me to. I would never do this again, Not with this company they treat you like a child.

This was total waste of time. I bought this for my husband for Father’s Day and booked a race on that day. on our way there to LA Racing they called us and cancel. So we had no alternate plans for Father’s Day. That was a major bummer.
They gave us a VIP (doesn’t mean shit)
And an additional ticket for s friend to drive.
We made plans to drive and sit threw an hour class made both guys pay for liability insurance. Drive 2 laps and got kicked off for passing. Stopped everyone from racing to kick them off and bring them to an office and continued to scold them like children. I mean arguing and yelling as if they demolished a car. It was childish and unprofessional. Very disappointed!
Won’t do this again!

Good service. I will like to thank every body work there for the good service. Special Mr Blackwell and David. For there service.

I just got back from LA RACING! What a thrill! 20 laps goes by fast, but it is really fun. Everyone on here complains about the insurance add on. I bought it, and when you go through turns 3 and 4, you will be happy you did too! Theses cars are legit. You can go as fast as you want. Spotters are really cool and they really help you around the track. I was worried about the classroom time, and it was kind of boring, but everything they went over was totally helpful once you get in the car and start driving.
The only suggestion that I would give them is to have the ability to tell the drivers how fast they went, and what their lap times were. If K-​1 can do it, I am sure that these guys could figure that out.
I can see where it would not be that fun if you were a slow driver, driving with fast drivers. My friend was slower than the rest of us, and he spent a lot of time down at the bottom of the track waiting to be passed. Make sure that you get put into a group of people that are equal to you, or slower than you, you will have way more fun.
Overall, great time.

So I would like to thank everyone in LA racing today even though the racers from the night before from the crash up Derby left the track such a mess they had to cancel the day everybody there was very nice took very good care of us gave us a free 20 lap race plus a four pack of tickets family fun at a Saturday night race you guys were the best thank you so much and sorry your day was ruined as well…

Great value for money, you really do get full control of a 450hp racecar, with no pace car slowing you down, and no instructor alongside with dual controls. These guys tell you ahead of time that they want you to enjoy yourself and drive fast, and that is absolutely evident throughout. All the staff were incredibly friendly and provided you keep to their small number of safety rules, you will be able to go as fast as you can handle, and the spotters will STILL urge you on.
The insurance deal is not really a heavy sales pitch, it’s completely optional and all the staff do is mention some of the costs that are liable if you damage the car without insurance. I wouldn’t have as much fun if I was exposed to a $ 38k repair bill so it’s an easy decision for me — I’ll take insurance every single time. If you want to push hard and take the car up to its limit, then it’s the wisest thing to do. The cars don’t have a huge surge of torque (it’s true), but that’s not really the point here, it’s about taking the car through the corners with correct technique and fast speed. When they tell you they will do 19 second laps, they are 100% accurate and not sugar coating it. I took my car to mid 20 second laps and easily left a second on the track.
Both times I’ve been the spotters have been great. Giving driving advice and helping you out (it borders on tuition even though that is never promised). For the price you pay, the return is fantastic. Recommended.

Was given a gift to take a race class with my brother from a family member for the holidays. We scheduled our class and were then informed, the week before class, that an additional $ 89 was due if we wanted limited liability insurance which would keep the cost of any damage we did to our cars at $ 2500 or less (instead of the potential $ 38,000 if we didnt purchase the $ 89 insurance).
I purchased the insurance because I thought I was actually going to get a chance to DRIVE these awesome stock cars.
Unfortunately, I was put into a group with 3 drivers other than myself, one of which is an avid driver at this track who has been going there to race for several years.
Once on the track, the veteran was whipping around super fast which was causing the other drivers (myself included) to have to pull to the inside white line, and stay at 25 mph until passed (otherwise you get kicked out).
WISH THEY COULD HAVE SIMPLY SAID …
«HAS ANYONE HERE DONE THIS BEFORE»
AND THEN MOVED THOSE ADVANCED DRIVERS INTO THEIR OWN GROUP SO THEY COULD ENJOY RIDING AT THE FAST SPEED THEY ARE COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE AT… WHILE I (like the other first time drivers whom there were many of) WOULD STILL GET THE CHANCE TO DRIVE AT THE SPEED WE ENJOYED AND FELT COMFORTABLE DRIVING AT without simply being left on the inside of the track for the whole duration of the ride, going 25 mph while being lapped by the experienced drivers.
REALLY BUMMED. WANTED TO ACTUALLY DRIVE :(
PS: the snack shop that they said they have was CLOSED during my 1pm class, and I was forced to wear the gloves of the person who drove before me because they only had one size small. The gloves were sweaty and nasty and really gross. These things just added to my not very enjoyable, but very expensive, day at the track :(

Took my husband here for his birthday! As a surprise! I was so nervous because I wasn’t sure he’d be up for it. However, the staff and instructor were really helpful, fun and knowledgeable. The class prior to racing was really nerve racking because they enforce the safety and the warnings because you ARE racing on your own and there are rules to follow because there are three other cars racing with you. Once my husband got in the car, he had a blast! He loved the spotter talking to him in his ear giving him directions and treating him like they were in a real NASCAR race! It felt thrilling and real he said! The adrenaline was amazing and he felt safe. They really prep you to have the best time. I suggest doing the 8am class as it gets really hot in the car. I also suggest wearing shorts under your suit with tennis shoes and socks that cover your ankles and a light T-​Shirt. You are provided with a full racing suit to go over. I also suggest, prepping your loved one rather than surprising them so they can be prepared for what they are about to do! Haha! In the end it was awesome, but leading up was nerve racking. My husband was so happy, he bought another race for the future! He wanted to gift it to someone else because the experience was so amazing, which I attribute to the staff and the real NASCAR experience!

Expect to pay 90 $ for insurance after you pay for$ 200or $ 300 for 20 laps and the lecture that just drag on on and on there is no way horsepower they claim those cars a lie it’s has enough power to get you in trouble but in a straight a way punch I was bored jus my opinion it was slow has shit!!! overpriced overhyped over lecture glad it was a gift

The LA Racing Experience was enjoyable ONCE WE GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL but was not what we hoped it would be. The pre-​driving class was comparable to sitting through a sales pitch for a time share when all you want is the freebie. Only this was many. many times worse. I know the $ 89 for insurance is a huge money maker for them but we were battered with countless pitches until I almost felt like walking out on my pass. Enough is enough is enough!!!
That isn’t the worst of it though. I know Dave does hundreds of those presentations and his style, which turned off everyone in our group, works for him. He prides himself on his commendable ability to remember the names of students. That included one in our group. Rudy was self conscious of his weight and almost didn’t make the 135 mile trip from Santee. So what does Dave do? He singles Rudy out by name and points out his size might be an issue. Not in a serious way. He cracks wise that Rudy shouldn’t worry because they will grease him up and shove him through the window. Way to stomp on a guy’s self esteem, Dave! To top it off, Rudy could not fit in the race suit, which was not LA Racing’s fault but the situation was handled about as bad as humanly possible.
We brought 5 drivers from Santee so LA Racing made their money off us, minus the $ 89 they could not bleed from us.
Dave made what should have been A Thrill Ride into A Chill Ride.
At the very least, they owe Rudy an apology!
The Fontana Nascar Experience is head and shoulders better and you’re not subjected to the nauseating insurance sales pitch!

Took my bf here for his Valentines Day gift! He had an awesome time! The instructor was hilarious, but like many people mentioned they really push the insurance and he kept saying «Dont crash my race car!» He didn’t really have to push that hard because who would want to worry about a $ 38k payment?! No thanks! Insurance for $ 85 was just fine and dandy with us!
The class went by really fast and it was pretty intimidating for a newbie to go into a race car after it, but it was still a fun experience!
When my bf got out of the car he said how awesome it was and how much he enjoyed it!
The only thing I wish they would do differently is maybe try to group drivers by skill level. My bf was a beginner in a group with 2 guys who seemed to know their way around a track. As a result, he was constantly having to ride the bottom line! I get they want to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone but if you’re constantly making someone ride the line and never giving them the chance to get back up on the track and gain speed, he’s never going to be away from that bottom line! Also, one of the 2 speed demons out there kept getting right on the tail of the driver in the lead, but they never made that guy ride the line. I just remember sitting in the stands getting scared that a crash was going to happen. It was just kind of weird to me, but whatever nobody crashed!
All in all it was a good experience and we had a fun time there! They could just do a couple of «tune ups» to their rules and practices!
OH and to top it off, the photo they take of the driver in the car was free as a special Valentine’s Day gift! Woo hoo :)

I have been to many different race tracks but this one is the WORST! First off they pressure you into buying the insurance, don’t buy it! They are so strict on the rules it’s almost impossible to crash unless your a complete idiot. They kicked everyone out except one person before our 20 laps were up because they are so strict on the rules. My girlfriend only got to go one lap and I only got to go 8 laps. The race suits are dirty and the spotters are kids that aren’t experienced. This place would be awesome only if you have experienced people racing with you, or if you have the track to yourself. Go someplace else.

Cons:
–Short ½mile oval means you only get a few seconds of hard acceleratiom
–They claim these cars are not detuned– they have to be, not nearly the power I expected.
–They sucker you into the $ 89 insurance, which you would be foolish not to get on your first time.
–If you go in the PM, you will be fighting sun glare in both turns.
Pros:
–Spotter was awesome! He seemed to be having just as good a time. Always engaged, helping you find the line.
–Classroom instruction is no nonsense, informative, if not repetitive.
–On your race day only, you can buy unlimited $ 100 passes to go again, but no insurance is included.
–WOW are these cars awesome, incredible grip.
–As fun as advertised
4* because for the price, I wouldn’t do it again. I can do go-​karting 11x for the same price, and half the speed but left and right turns. Insurance sucks to pay. But do not get me wrong, an unforgettable experience, and if it were half price always, I’m sold!
PRO TIP!!!
My spotter told me that no amateur is going to get going fast enough to need the brakes. So roll on the gas, stay smooth and find your line!
If you are really good you will crack a 20sec or 21sec lap, but guess what? The pros do it in 14sec. Your car is not even CLOSE to its limits.

I have now done this experience twice and have signed up for a third session. My first time was with a Groupon special, and after you complete your session there is a special $ 100 re-​race which I have taken advantage of the offer. When you arrive there is a talk about insurance and the importance to purchase it. It is about 89 $ for that but better safe than sorry I suppose.
This whole experience really was a dream come true for myself. I have always dreamed of driving a fully loaded stock car and LA Racing made that dream a reality. I have always been a huge fan of racing my entire life and this definitely fulfilled and satisfied my need for speed. I attend this track quite often so I was familiar on how to navigate the course.
The experience itself was a great one. It was organized and smoothly run thanks to a helpful and friendly staff. The cars itself were as real as could be. I am almost 6’5 and barely fit into the car through climbing though the window but I wasn’t going to let that stop me! Some things I did notice, the cars itself are incredibly fast and the accelerator pedal is not so much a pedal but a bar across, so it did take some getting used to.
My first time I did this it was in the morning and my second time was at night under the lights. I have to admit I much prefer driving under the lights, it was cooler and much easier to see the track compared to the glaring sunlight during the daytime. The driving itself is awesome, and they have a white line painted on the track for drivers to follow to ensure quick lap times. The spotters help you out while on the track by guiding you along and giving you tips for how to improve your driving.
I would HIGHLY recommend this for any special occasion especially for people who are into auto racing! And I will admit that the more times one does this experience the better it truly becomes. Plus there is a strong possibility that one might get hooked on LA Racing! I know I plan to continue the LA Racing experience for years to come! :)

I saw on Groupon that LA Racing was having a deal on a race car experience by driving laps on the race tracks and thought that was perfect for my husband. He also had to go through a brief instruction class, then get strapped for racing gear. It was quite a long wait when it was time for my husband’s turn. However, my husband had a great time and an amazing experience with LA Racing.

Bought 2 race passes about 2 years ago from groupon for the wifey and myself as a anniversary gift. Evette from LA racing was great in proving all the information I needed as to booking our driving date and time. I had to reschedule twice. Excellent customer service. I booked about 2 months in advance since I was coming from SF.
20 laps in a NASCAR? Yeah it’s pretty BAD A**. To me, it looked intimidating at first but it’s pretty awesome once you get behind the wheel. When you’re on the track, they only count green laps so that is pretty fair cause there is always somebody with some sort of problem.
Try to check in early so you will be the first to go out on the track with your group. Only 4 cars at a time. 20 laps = about 25 – 30 min. This place is pretty legit. They have you wear earbuds to listen to the spotters (your field of vision is very limited) you’re wearing a helmet, driving suit, gloves and bring sunglasses for the daytime. They have firefighters on stand by just in case and really harp about safety. That’s cool with me.
I didn’t get nervous until I was behind the wheel. During the drive, I thought I was going pretty fast but then all these cars passed me. What!!! Then it was over! it was over so fast just when I was getting the hang of it. The turns on the track and pretty awesome as you just glide through it. The G force is no joke, so bring your muscles because there is no power steering. The wheel is all you. Also, trust your spotter and if he tells you to speed up, do it! The car will stick to the track– promise. I wish I listened to him. He told me to trust him, I was like «fool, I don’t even know you!» Damn, should have listened.
We will be back, hopefully they will have another groupon. Try to sign up for a later time like at night. It will be a lot cooler. We went at 1pm and it was like 130 degrees with my gear on in the car.