MOTOR RACING LIVE STOCKCAR RACING EXPERIENCE: SUPPLIER INTERVIEW
The Stockcar Racing Championship Day is one of our firm favourites here at Extreme Element and has been one of the best sellers for the past four years. We caught up with Mark from Motor Racing Live, the company that supplies the Stockcar Experience as well as some of the other top experiences on our site!
Hi Mark, thanks for talking to us today. So how and when did you get started in Stock Car Racing?
Stockcar racing has been in my family for 40 years – my father started selling newspapers at Hednesford Hills Raceway, and eventually went on to become the co-owner of the track. I have been watching Stockcar racing for 30 years and became managing director of one of the main promoters of the sport fifteen years ago.
What other aspects of stock car racing are you involved with?
I started off as a race commentator which is still my favourite job. After selling our three tracks 5 years ago, we now focus on running experience days.
What is your favourite part of your job?
Our experience days are fairly extreme – and very different from most car experiences. We give participants the chance to really race in real racing cars! And with trophies, commentators, marshals etc. We try and give people the ultimate motorsport experience. I like doing something that no other company does.
What makes Stock Car Racing so different from other forms of racing?
Stockcar racing is the most intense motorsport around. It is awesome for spectators – you can see all of the action, all of the time. There are more overtaking moves in one lap than in a whole season in most other motor racing formulas. The sport survives because of the huge spectator appeal – with average crowds at an event topping 3000! The cars are powerful, aggressive and very exciting to drive.
What made you set up a stock car experience?
Stockcar racing is a ghetto motorsport – in that it has a cult following, but isn’t widely known about. We wanted to open up the sport to a broader range of people. We also felt that, after karting, there really wasn’t anywhere that people could go to race bigger, faster and more exciting cars. We wanted to create a real motor racing experience that could be a step on from karting.
How long have you been offering experiences?
We started out first experience 10 years ago (Stockcar Championship Race Day), launched Extreme Dodgems 6 years ago and since then have created Auto Stunt School, Wacky Racers and Star in a Car – over the years more than 40,000 people have taken part.
What is the biggest event you have held at Motor Racing Live?
We created an event call “Civil War” – the biggest Banger Demolition Derby in the World – two armies (North and South), 160 cars, 1 left moving at the end! It is in its 12 year now and attracts 10,000 people to Hednesford Raceway every January to watch – madness!
What makes your experiences so great?
I think we offer events that no one else would ever dare to do!
In Wacky Racers you get to travel on open roads in a Street-Legal bed!
In Star in a Car you get to compete to win £1000 on a race track.
In Auto Stunt School we will teach you the most extreme things you can do in a car, and in the Stockcar Raceday and Extreme Dodgems you get to race real racing cars, through Heats and Finals, for massive trophies!!
Why do you think stock car racing makes a unique gift?
A Stockcar racing experience if perfect for anyone who loves cars, and is looking for something that is a bit different and memorable. Our experiences are usually full days, include lunch and offer something very different from the run-of-the-mill car experiences.
What can customers expect from a day at your centre?
Most of our experiences offer many different events during the course of the day. So expect 5 or 6 different challenges alongside the racing.
Groups sizes are small (usually 6 per group) and we are totally dedicated to making sure you have the best time ever!
What sort of people takes part in the Stock Car experiences?
Most days attract a broad range of ages and abilities – there is absolutely no need to have had any racing experience – and we often have winners who have never done anything other than drive their road car. You just need to be prepared to have a lot of fun!
Are there any additions you hope to make in the coming years?
We are always coming up with new events and experiences – and at the moment have just launched our tree house experience in Wales – which is a big change from Motorsport.
We are also working on a top secret new experience for Christmas 2012 – watch out for it on the Extreme Element web site!
That’s great, thanks Mark – we will be looking forward to finding out about the new experience! If you would like to book on to any of Motor Racing Lives’ experiences, check them out below or on our site!
Stock car Championship Racing Day
Take part in a full on day of motor racing action with the Stockcar Championship Experience. Not only will you take part in multiple head to head racers, you will attempt to drive the dual steer car and the ‘Del Boy Challenge’ in tuned Reliant Robbins among others!
Price: £159
Worlds Wackiest Racers
This has to be one of the most memorable motorised experiences available as you go for a ride in the world’s fastest sofa through the country lanes, a cruise round the track as you sit back and relax in a sofa, drive the double decker car and have a meeting in the world’s only motorised office!
Price: £99
Tree House Stays
Get closer to nature with this modern take on outdoor living in a luxury tree house in the heart of the Welsh Countryside. With three unique tree houses set in the beautiful woodland area you will be able to sit back and relax in nature with some of the creature comforts of home.
Price: From £349
Extreme Dodgems
Take part in a full day of metal crunching action as you race the 1300cc bangers around the oval track shunting your opponents out of the way. With commentators, stewards and pace cars make the day feel like the real thing as you take part in 26 action packed laps split into heats and a final.
Price: From £145
