Car racing fans get their thrills by watching the action in the stands or on TV. Most can only dream about driving an authentic race car but SAFILO USA and CARRERA made it a reality, inviting customers to a special immersive experience timed with Vision Expo West. Inspired by Carrera’s #driveyourstory campaign and the brand’s motorsport heritage, the event was hosted at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in conjunction with Dream Racing on a 1.2 mile race-sanctioned track.

Safilo North America’s Carrera brand manager Ester Rosa and Dream Racing CEO and former Formula 3 professional race car driver Enrico Bertaggia welcomed guests, and a training session with a pro race car driving instructor followed. Guests suited up in their race gear (Carrera sunglasses included) and were given a test ride around the track. And then the main event—each guest got behind the wheel of actual race cars completing several laps around the track for a full-throttle driving experience. The Carrera branded cars included the Lamborghini Gallardo GT, Lamborghini Huracan GT, Porsche Cayman GT, Porsche 911 GT and Ferrari 458 GT, all non-street legal race cars.

After the driving experience, guests were treated to a Carrera fall/winter 2019 product presentation, a gourmet lunch and a closing ceremony with remarks from Safilo North America’s president and chief commercial officer Steve Wright. All participants received a merit certificate for successfully partaking in the Dream Racing experience, as well as a flash drive containing videos of their personal driving experience and speeds recorded from inside the vehicle.

It was an exhilarating experience for all, even for this “amateur” driver, and an energizing way to kick off Vision Expo—along with memories to last a lifetime.

–Christine Yeh