LETTING IT RIDE IN VEGAS

For decades friends and clients have asked where they can rent a “supercar” like a Ferrari or McLaren, often just for the thrill of piloting such a machine, but sometimes to know if it is worth buying one—obviously a dealer isn’t about to let some prospective buyer abuse a half million-dollar asset on a joy ride.

My answer is always the same: While there is nowhere to do so in Colorado, only a short flight away lies perhaps the ultimate amusement park for gearheads: Speed Vegas . Located 15 minutes south of the Strip, the Motorsports Park includes a very fast, yet safe, one-mile road course, where even the untrained can comfortably push one of more than 50 performance machines—ranging from Porsche Caymans, Corvettes and Shelby GT500s to such exotics as a Lamborghini Huracan STO, Ferrari Pista, 488 Challenge Evo and a McLaren GT4. Depending on the car, the price for five laps rang es from $199 to $699. The 110 employees insure a safe, fun, professional experience for more than 40,000 visitors per year. It doesn’t end with pow erful supercars; perhaps the biggest rushes come from sliding and jumping Baja-style desert racing trucks. There are also karts, off-road experienc es and drift ride-alongs. So, whether slip or grip is your drug of choice, it all exists at Speed Vegas. speedvegas.com

Isaac

Bouchard, Automotive Editor, owns Denver-based Bespoke Autos (isaac@bespokeautos.com; bespokeautos.com; 303-475-1462).