SPARTA — Hundreds of people experienced life in the fast lane Saturday during the Kentucky Speedway's Drive the Track day.

        From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., drivers who spent $40 in the gift shop received a pass to careen around the same track that Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip and Al Unser Jr. have lapped.

        Speedway security officer J.J. Human said a few classic car clubs, such as the Central Kentucky Corvair Enthusiasts, and many families showed up at the track throughout the day. Robin Brown, 46, came to the track with her extended family and husband, Jim, as part of the Good Time Cruisers club.

        Driving a jet-black 1971 Nova SuperSport, Mrs. Brown took her two grandchildren, Chris and Cory Johnson, around the track. Longtime car enthusiasts, Mrs. Brown and her husband both work on her car and his gleaming red 1975 small-block Corvette. “It's a fun sport,” Mrs. Brown said. “Women really don't realize the nice people that you meet out with car folks.”

        Driving minivans to classic cars, groups of two to five drivers “raced” around the Speedway's 1.5-mile track behind a pace car.

        Drivers had to follow the pace car and were not allowed to pass one another on their three laps.

        Still, said Mr. Brown, the 14-degree banking and turns made it exciting.

        “The corner was scary,” the Florence man said.

        “You kept seeing the marks (from professional race cars) on the wall.”

        Howard “Buddy” Sproull, 75, has driven on the New York International Speedway.

        He said that though driving a real race car in New York was more exciting than driving his 1983 Ferrari at Kentucky's Speedway, Kentucky offered a superior track.

        The day did not just belong to cars. Paul Reeves, 33, drove the track on his 2000 Indian Chief motorcycle.

        “I've got a $2,500 truck and a $25,000 bike,” said Mr. Reeves, who made a trip of several hours from Kentucky's Fleming County.

        “My truck probably would have died before I got here.”

        Mr. Reeves said the track was exciting because at high speeds his bike is too low to the ground to take roads' sharper turns.

        “You could really open it up,” Mr. Reeves said.

        Spectators also enjoyed the day. Mabel Swing watched her son and friend Mr. Sproull take their laps on the raceway. Mrs. Swing said she saw her first Indy 500 race in the 1950s.

        “The first time I went, I didn't think that I would like it,” Mrs. Swing said. “I liked it so much, I wouldn't talk to anybody. I was watching. I even picked the winner.”

        This is the third Drive the Track that the speedway has held. Approximately 300 people attended the last one, in March 2001. Gift shop manager Vickie Caulley said sales were excellent Saturday, and estimated 400 customers for the day. Proceeds from Drive the Track gift shop sales benefit the track.

        Mrs. Caulley said the speedway would hold another Drive the Track in the spring. The Speedway also offers race car driving classes.

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