I ran across these pictures from the Derek Daly Academy (now American Racing Academy) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I went there for my 30th birthday. My father said “bring a book, we’ll be in class all day”, but they immediately put us in F2000 race cars and set us loose on the track - it was an absolute blast. Learned about threshold braking, how to heel-and-toe, the whole McGilla.

My favorite memory: one of the instructors took all of the slowest people aside (myself included) and drove us around the track in a 15 passenger van. He basically matched our times. At that moment, it all clicked. My next lap immediately dropped from around 2:00 to 1:40.

Derek Daly Academy: The Pack

Derek Daly Academy: Ready Freddy

Derek Daly Academy: At Speed