Patience is not included in my (admittedly limited) repertoire of virtues so, being soaked to your underpants after spending the most part of a day exposed to rain in a race track would, in any other occasion, is too much to tolerate.

Uncharacteristically, though, the cold wind that’s making my body shiver cannot wipe the wide grin off my face. If anything, the past few minutes have erased my grumpy mood and, right now, I’m up for almost anything.

I am at the Ascari race circuit in southern Spain for the launch of Bridgestone’s new Adrenalin RE002 tire. The weather did, as mentioned, its best to throw off this nicely organized event and the cars brought along for us to sample topped off with an Audi TT 1.8 TFSI; hardly something to get truly excited about, right?

Not to brag, but I had a sneaking suspicion that there would be something more to this launch. Something to really stimulate our adrenalin glands and, as it turned out, I was right.

Bridgestone has arranged for its group of pro drivers to give us a high-speed ride, though it kept it as a last minute surprise. Four Radical SR3s are ready and waiting in the pits. Thing is, they are on semi-slicks and the track is still too damp. There are talks about abandoning this plan and going straight to dinner.

As I watch one of them leave the pit lane to investigate whether it was safe to continue, its tail twitching as the driver short-shifted into second, I seriously doubt they will OK the thing.

When he returns, we are told that due to time restrictions only some of the assembled participants would go on a ride. Upon hearing that Team Green, to which I was assigned, would be one of them, I knew lady luck is smiling on me for the first time today.

Time to suit up in FIA-approved Nomex racing overalls and find a helmet in the right size; the Bridgestone people question if it is too tight but I manage to snug my glasses in and it felt OK.

Just getting in the SR3 proves a bit of a challenge, as my body is not as flexible as it should. With some help I fall in the right seat, the racing harness is fastened tightly to hold me firmly in place and with the camera in hand, as the mounting suction cup is many miles away back home. I decide to use the roll bar to stabilize it as much as possible. I give “my” driver the thumbs up, he does the same and off we go.

No need to get excited. After all, it’s just a passenger ride. Well, I hate to admit it but I’m having a total blast. It’s not the acceleration that amazes me the most but the late braking and the absurd speed it carries into corners along with experiencing firsthand how a true racing car’s downforce works. I’m certain the man behind the wheel is driving at 4-5 tenths just to be on the safe side and I wonder how it would feel to be flat out on a dry track. Probably too much for my neck, judging from the G-forces we pull a couple of times.

Soon enough we enter the pits and my allotted lap is over. Those who haven’t had a ride yet ask me how it felt: a mumbling “great” is all I can muster and it’s probably the understatement of the year.

That was an Adrenalin Experience, alright…

You can view the videos, one from the driver’s side courtesy of Autophorie, and one with a handheld camera from the passenger’s side by yours truly, along with the image gallery, right after the break.

By Andrew Tsaousis

PHOTO GALLERY

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