Indy Racing Experience Revs Up Interest in Orlando | Media Release
Two months into its daily operations at the Walt Disney World® Speedway, the Indy Racing Experience has already become one of Orlando’s must-see and must-do attractions. Located just outside the Magic Kingdom® Park at the Walt Disney World® Resort, the Indy Racing Experience has been providing several race fans the ride of a lifetime since opening last November.
Daily operation at Walt Disney World® Speedway already becoming one of Orlando's top attractions
Members of the Indy Racing Experience crew have also been working hard to spread the word in Orlando and throughout the Central Florida region, and so far the response has been very positive. The number of rides has increased each week and the phone has been ringing constantly at the Indianapolis-based headquarters, primarily for ride and drive reservations at the Walt Disney World® Speedway.
“The response since our opening has been amazing,” said Indy Racing Experience co-owner Scott Jasek. “We always have a great demand for rides when we’re at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and traveling across the country with the IndyCar Series, so we felt offering a daily operation in Orlando would be a popular attraction.”
So far so good.
In an effort to market the Walt Disney World® Speedway venture, the Indy Racing Experience has reached out to local media and racetracks since its arrival in mid-November. The IRE crew traveled to the Orlando SpeedWorld and New Smryna Speedway for the annual Governor’s Cup – the premier short-track event in the state – and took its 2-seater around the turns for all in attendance to see.
In November, Jasek and IndyCar Series veteran and frequent Indy Racing Experience driver Davey Hamilton took their promoting to the airwaves as both were guests on the Real Racin’ USA Inside Florida Racing radio show in consecutive weeks. Jasek also appeared on the popular open-wheel radio show Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee. On Nov. 20, the crew hosted a media day with track partner Richard Petty Driving Experience™ and received several raving reviews from some of Central Florida’s finest print, radio and television outlets.
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Lauren Tjaden, the sports and adventure expert for VisitFlorida.com, was amazed by the speed she experienced in the Indy Racing Experience 2-seater.
“There is nothing like riding in the coolest car in the world with one of the best drivers in the world,” Tjaden penned in her post-ride blog. “It felt like we blasted around at 400 mph. The design of the IndyCar is made to push it down on the track. It is nimble, cat-like, unbelievably powerful, and can handle the corners faster than even stock cars.”
Orlando Sentinel Automotive Editor Steven Cole Smith offered up his thoughts on both the Indy Racing Experience ride and drive programs in two articles that made the front and back page of the Sentinel’s Nov. 20 edition.
“We averaged about 90 mph, but it feels faster,” Smith said of his 8-lap driving experience. “It's a much rougher, much more involving ride than the stock cars of the Richard Petty Driving Experience.”
Smith went on to add that the particular car he drove – one that Juan Pablo Montoya prepared for the 2000 Indianapolis 500 – enabled him to find perspective of what real IndyCar Series drivers go through each race.
“Eight miles in this car is tiring -- 500 would be exhausting.”
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