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Speedworld rides at the Sahara are incredible. Follow the signs from the casino floor to
enter into a world of simulated Nascar and Indy car racing. In the 3d motion theater you
can choose from three different shows: Petty Nascar hijinks, Indy challenge and off-road
Iron man. In these three shows, you are the passenger as your car participates in action
packed racing. The 3d motion makes you feel like you're in the car with a mad-man behind
the wheel.
What we found more interesting was the Sahara Speedworld ride where you
actually get to drive a grand Prix Race car. OK, you don't get to drive a real car, but
this is as close as it gets. After watching a brief film on safety procedures and tips on
how to drive a race car, you enter into a simulator that looks just like an Indy car. One
main difference is that these cars are mounted on hydraulic presses that respond to
conditions of the track and your controls. In front of the car is a screen that wraps
around to enclose your entire field of vision. It's like a flight simulator for Indy car
drivers. Each person gets their own car to compete against the other riders as you race
across the Las Vegas Strip or the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
As your car reaches simulated speeds up to 220 MPH, the conditions of
the car are like those faced in racing. Your steering wheel shakes, the car tilts to
mimic banked turns, and you loose control if you hit another car or the wall. It's really
cool. One negative side effect is that it is very easy to become nauseous on the ride. Our
editors have been on every simulator ride in Las Vegas, and this was clearly the most
troubling for the stomach.
Another cool feature of the ride is that upon completion of the race, you get a detailed
computer print-out of your performance. It will tell you how you handled turns and speeds
compared to the pros. It will also give you recommendations for better driving.
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