My husband is one of the easiest going guys ever. This means when it comes to gift giving I am normally stumped. You’d think that after ten years I would know exactly what it is that he wants, but nope!
Since his birthday, my birthday and our anniversary are weeks apart, I decided to do something xtreme. I wanted him to have the experience of a lifetime, and I also wanted it to be something that he and I could share in together. And I wanted it to be something that didn’t involve us sitting at a sporting event (no offense to the Bulls, Bears or Panthers).
We first heard about Xtreme Xperience last summer and had to wait quite a bit for them to come back towards us in the Charlotte area. But it was well worth the wait. What was even better is that I didn’t tell my husband what we were getting up at 5 am for so to see the look on his face as we pulled up to the Charlotte Motor Speedway made the entire experience worthwhile!
Our check-in time was 8 am so that meant that we had a super early start to our day. What I loved the most, is because everyone is given a certain time to show up, it’s never super crowded and you genuinely get to enjoy the entire experience, without getting frustrated due to large crowds. When we arrived at the park we were able to get our wristbands and instructions and then it was off to the classroom training!
Classroom training
Before heading out to the track, we had to sit through a training session so that we could get an overview of how our instructor in the car would be helping us, as well a what to expect on the track. This was extremely important, especially since they went over the hand signals that would be used while in the vehicle. We also learned the do’s and don’ts. The last thing anyone wants to do is crash a $100,000 car!
The classroom training was only about 30 minutes long, which wasn’t bad! Since we had the kids with us it was perfect and they even got in on answering some of the questions!
Suit Up! Lead Car Ride Along
After the training class, the first thing Chris and I did was the lead car ride along. If you get to do an Xtreme Xperience I highly recommend purchasing this as an add-on. This helps to get you familiarized with the course, plus the driver talks you through all of the turns and how to handle each one.
And if you are lucky, you may even get paired with a professional race car driver as we did! The Lead Car was a Chevy SS and although we were going fast, it was the smoothest ride ever!
https://www.gritsngrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/img_0136.movThe lead car was the perfect Segway into Chris and I each being able to drive two amazing luxury supercars!
Lamborghini Huracan
My husband had the opportunity to drive a Lamborghini! His dream car, however, was a bit small for him! Being 6’2 it was a bit of a tight squeeze for him, so keep that in mind as you book your cars. However, he loved how fast it went. Because of how short the track actually is, you max out at 80 mph, but even while only hitting 80 he said it was the best experience ever!
Ferrari 458
I had the chance to drive the Ferrari and it was like a dream come true! My instructor was so patient with me, as I told him when I first hopped in the car that I was absolutely terrified of driving the car! There were a few tight turns on the track that made me super nervous, but he coached me through them and but the second and third go-round, I felt like a pro!
Check out a portion of my drive below!
The gift of a lifetime
This is probably one of the best and most unique gifts that I can think of for anyone who is a car lover! Since the holidays are right around the corner, I urge you to check out their website to find out when they will be In a city near you!
Another awesome perk is that you also get video of your drive, it’s one of the best experiences anyone could ask for. As a thrill-seeking couple and now parents of five young kids, this was the absolute perfect Saturday activity for our entire family.
It was such a treat for both of us to have the kids cheering us on and as parents it blessing that they were actually able to witness mom and dad having “real” fun! (We deserved it!) Even though the morning was for mom and dad, we were able to make an entire day out of it for the family!
Thank you to Xtreme Xperience for having us, all opinions are my own.
Love of impromptu dance parties, 80’s cartoons, and horizontal life pauses (aka naps); Natasha Brown is a stay at home mom of 4 kids, and wife to one lucky guy! In her spare time, she is co-editor of Grits & Grace, as well as editor for The Mother Hustler Blog and Creative Director for the Mother Hustler podcast.
