The Bucket List: Why Driving a Supercar on a Racetrack Should Be on Yours

Red Ferrari driving fast around a race track.

Most people have something outrageous on their bucket list. For some, it’s skydiving. For others, it’s hiking Machu Picchu or learning to sail. But if you’ve ever dreamed of driving a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche flat-out on a real racetrack—without owning one—there’s never been a better time to make it happen.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be a millionaire or an experienced race car driver. You don’t even need to own a fancy car. Thanks to a growing number of nationwide driving experiences, you can now get behind the wheel of a high-performance supercar, on a legit road course, without mortgaging your house or begging a friend with a Ferrari.

And no, this is not some slow-speed parade lap nonsense. This is real driving, on a real track, with real horsepower—and it might just be the most thrilling thing you ever do.

Why "Someday" Is a Terrible Strategy

Let’s talk about that bucket list for a moment. How many things are on yours that have been sitting there untouched for years? Decades, maybe? It’s easy to get stuck in the idea that there will always be time later—when the kids are older, when work slows down, when you retire.

But here's the reality: if you keep waiting for the perfect time, you may never do it.

This is what some people call the “Someday Effect”—putting off amazing experiences until some vague, magical future moment that may never come. And that’s a tragedy, because experiences like this aren’t just for adrenaline junkies. They’re for anyone who wants to squeeze a little more joy and power out of life. Right now.

Driving a Supercar on a Racetrack Isn’t Just for Car Nerds

This kind of experience is often seen as something only die-hard motorheads do. But you don’t need to know the difference between horsepower and torque to enjoy it. In fact, a lot of first-time track drivers aren’t "car people" at all. They’re just people looking to do something bold, fun, and completely different from their daily lives.

Once you strap into the driver’s seat, fire up a 600-plus horsepower engine, and rocket down the straightaway with a pro instructor guiding you from the passenger seat, you quickly realize: this isn’t about going fast for the sake of it. It’s about doing something that pushes you just enough out of your comfort zone to feel alive.

And yes, it’s perfectly legal. Let’s not forget that part.

No Garage Required: Just Show Up and Drive

Here’s the beauty of modern supercar experiences: you don’t need to buy, rent, or wrench on anything. You just pick a date, pick a track, pick your car, and show up.

Companies like Xtreme Xperience (which operates across the U.S.) make it turnkey. Their fleet includes everything from Ferraris and Lamborghinis to Porsche 911 GT3s, Corvette Z06s, Audi R8s, and Nissan GT-Rs. Their events pop up in cities nationwide, using real racetracks—not parking lots or gimmick setups.

When you arrive, you’ll get a full safety briefing, a ride-along to familiarize yourself with the track, and an in-car instructor who helps you extract the most from your drive—safely and with confidence. Whether you’re a total newbie or a seasoned track day regular, the experience is tailored to your skill level.

Just to be clear—this isn’t a sponsored post. I don’t get a dime for saying nice things about Xtreme Xperience. I just love fast cars, and I firmly believe everyone should experience what it feels like to drive one properly.

They’ve removed all the friction. You don’t have to maintain the car. You don’t need special insurance. You don’t even need to know how to heel-toe shift. You just need to show up ready to drive.

Why This Is Better Than Renting a Ferrari for the Day

Let’s get one thing straight: renting a supercar for the street might sound glamorous, but it’s wildly underwhelming. First, you’ll pay thousands of dollars just to cruise around at 35 mph and fight with traffic. Second, you don’t get to drive the car. You just pose in it.

On the street, you’ll never know what these cars are truly capable of. On a racetrack? You get to feel every bit of the engineering that went into that chassis, suspension, powertrain, and brake system.

These cars weren’t built to look pretty parked in front of a hotel. They were designed to handle G-forces through high-speed turns, rocket out of apexes, and brake hard into tight corners. And they can’t do that safely—or legally—on a city street.

If you’re going to experience a supercar, do it in its natural habitat: the track.

What You’ll Actually Learn

One of the biggest misconceptions is that this kind of experience is just about raw speed. That’s not true. The best part of driving a supercar on a racetrack is learning how to control it—and by extension, how to control any car better.

You’ll gain real-world skills like:

• Understanding vehicle balance and weight transfer

• Finding and following the racing line

• Braking in a straight line before a turn (not during it, unless you want to go backwards)

• Using throttle input to control the car’s behavior in a corner

• Learning the difference between oversteer and understeer—and how to correct both

These aren’t just racing skills. These are driving skills. You’ll take them with you every time you merge onto the freeway or encounter an unexpected curve on a mountain road.

And let’s be honest—knowing how to properly apex an on-ramp is a level of driving competence that far too many people lack.

If You Must Try a Ferrari, Fine—But Drive the Porsche Too

Most people gravitate toward the flashier, louder, more Instagrammable choices—Ferrari, and Lamborghini. And if you’ve never driven one, go for it. But if you want a true driver’s car that rewards skill over spectacle, do yourself a favor and try the Porsche Cayman GT4.

It’s beautifully balanced, precise, and confidence-inspiring. You’ll actually learn how to drive better, not just hold on and pray. It’s the car that instructors love, and for good reason. You drive it with finesse, not brute force. And it feels like an extension of your body in the corners.

The Italians bring the drama. The Germans brings the precision.

You Can Afford This. Seriously.

People assume this kind of experience costs thousands of dollars. It doesn’t. Most packages range from around $300 to $500 depending on the car and track location. That’s less than a decent hotel weekend—or a speeding ticket and higher insurance premiums if you try this nonsense on the street.

If you're buying this as a gift, it beats another generic "experience gift" any day. And if you’re treating yourself? It’s one of the most legal, controlled, and unforgettable ways to blow off steam, hit the reset button, or just celebrate being alive.

Street Racing Is for Amateurs

Let’s be clear. Street racing is not cool. It’s dangerous, illegal, and just plain stupid. Crashes involving exotic cars make the news regularly—usually because someone with more money than skill thought public roads were the place to test launch control.

If you can afford the car, you can afford a track day. And if you don’t own the car, good—drive someone else’s for a few laps. But leave the street antics to the idiots with a death wish.

Racetracks are where these machines belong. That’s where you get to unleash them, push your limits, and still make it home safely at the end of the day.

Make It Happen

If this is on your bucket list—or if it just jumped onto your bucket list—don’t sit on it. Schedule it. Do it. Whether you want to feel the raw speed of a Ferrari, the razor-sharp handling of a Porsche, or just something different that shakes up your routine, this experience is worth every penny and then some.

And if you want the full story behind the movement making it possible, check out my conversation with the founder of Xtreme Xperience in this episode of The Straight Shift podcast.

Listen to the episode here for the behind-the-scenes, the crazy stories, and a little extra motivation to go chase your own version of someday.

Because someday isn’t a plan. It’s an excuse. Go drive something fast and loud instead.