I drive the General Lee As part of my birthday present in January this year, Mrs Baldwin bought me a red-letter day driving experience from fivestardays.com. Given that my appreciation for these kinds of car is well known, the voucher was for a blast in an American muscle car.
The Background
I arranged to redeem my voucher with a business called Everyman Racing and to utilise its Prestwold venue, which is near Loughborough and thereby geographically closest to me.
When I originally called to book up a visit, I was advised that I could choose from a series of cars to drive, the lady was going through the list and when she said the “General Lee”, I said “stop there, yes please”. No further options needed to be explored.
Not only was I going to get to drive a 1969 Dodge Charger, it would have the legendary orange Dukes of Hazzard livery. I was well chuffed.
But patience was required because Everyman Racing was shut down in light of coronavirus and gratification would have to come once lockdown was lifted. So, though my birthday was in January, I had to wait until last weekend (18th July) to be able to enjoy my present.
During the booking procedure, I was subject to upselling and ultimately purchased a collision damage waiver (£20), a couple of track demo laps (£10) and a photo (£10). More on the value of these later.
On the 18th July, Mrs B and I made our way to the circuit, me dressed in a vintage leather jacket and wearing a tee shirt celebrating 50 years since the Apollo 11 moon landings (another reference to 1969).
Most of the vehicles being driven around the track were modern sports and supercars, but there were a collection of much more interesting vehicles including a Smokie and The Bandit Trans Am, a Knight Rider KITT Trans Am, an A-Team GMC van and a sixties Ford GT40.
Once I went through the socially distanced checking in protocols and driver briefing process, I was able to get my demo laps. My driver pointing out the track apexes, braking points and general track etiquette.
Then it was my time to have a drive with The General and my instructor, Nathan, because it turned out that I wasn’t going to be unsupervised on the circuit. I was led across to the car and allowed to spend a few minutes appreciating it and taking some photos (shared here for your enjoyment).
The General
I was pleased to find that the doors on this Charger weren’t welded shut, because I really wouldn’t have looked elegant climbing in through the driver’s window.
Once in the driving seat and belted up, Nathan, who also instructs on the Lambos, joked with me that I’d have the slowest car on the circuit, with the potential exception of the A-Team van. And despite the roll cage suggesting raciness, he was right.
The Dodge was a column shift auto and once it clunked into gear, we headed to the track. We queued at the circuit entrance for a moment to have a photo taken and await our launch slot. When it was time to put the hammer down, the General’s V8 made a lot of lovely noise, but advancement was rather more pedestrian. The carburettors caused some fuelling related lag, and presumably the engine had been detuned – it certainly wasn’t set up for the drag strip put it that way. No smoking or squealing tyres.
Progression around the track was shall we say, stately, like a galleon. The long bonnet and low seating position reminded me greatly of my old HC Vauxhall Vivas. Obviously, there was a lot more auditory drama with the Dodge, but the driving experience wasn’t all that different, rear wheel drive, vague and heavy steering, rubbish brakes, body roll in the bends and all accompanied by a cacophony of rattles, shakes and squeaks. With little pillar obstruction and no head rests, visibility was good though.
To be frank, the car looked lovely on the outside, but on the inside, it was rather more tired and its 50 years of service and relatively poor original sixties build quality were obvious - cheap plastics, missing trim elements, there was even orange hand brushed overpaint on some of the internal trim panels. To be frank, the car felt like the kind of film set car that it was. For filming purposes, the outer appearance is key, and in this respect the Charger was wonderful.
On the track, the advice I had been given on my demo laps was irrelevant because Nathan had me braking much earlier than the posted braking points and was very keen that I took different lines into the bends so that the car would stay on the track instead of going straight on.
After two laps of the Prestwold track, the experience was over and it was time to park the General – fortunately there was plenty of space for its considerable turning circle.
The Verdicts
The Package
The basic cost of the experience was good value. I would however have liked more time in the car, two laps of the circuit and circa three miles of travel just wasn’t enough, and the drive was over within minutes of it starting.
The professional photo was good value.
The demo laps were a waste of money at least as far as my experience went. When I agreed to them, I didn’t know that I would be accompanied when driving the General, or that Nathan would demand that I ignore all the instruction I was given during the demo process. The demo laps helped one determine how the most track speed could be extracted from a car. All ultimately irrelevant to me.
The indemnity insurance was a waste of money. Having never been to the circuit, when I booked the package, I was being sensible. I didn’t know the risks and felt that the extra expense was justifiable. On the day though, the actual chances of an accident were minimal, the performance of the car underwhelming, my instructor firm, the focus on safety by Everyman Racing - second to none.
Of my forty extra pounds spent, thirty of them would have been better allocated to getting a few more laps, or diving one of the other vehicles as well.
The Process
Getting the package booked was easy and the communication in the run up to the 18th was excellent. The organisation at the venue was good and the coronavirus safety measures all taken very seriously. The people that I interacted with were all friendly and accommodating in as far as they could be. For example, I got to take some close-up pictures of the KITT interior, shared below, after being allowed to go trackside (accompanied) with my camera.
The General
To be brutally honest, driving the car wasn’t particularly pleasurable, a modern car would kick its butt in every meaningful measure. Once you are in the driving seat, you can’t even see the beautiful body.
You might be thinking that the car was a bit rubbish and that I didn’t enjoy myself …
… but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Don’t get me wrong, I spent the whole time smiling and I BLOODY LOVED IT.
I wouldn’t have swapped driving the General for any of the supercars that were on the track with me.
The End
I want to go again. Next time, I will most likely opt for a multi car package with the aim to drive some of the other film set vehicles. I particularly want to drive KITT.
And I’d like another tango with the General.
My thanks to Mrs Baldwin, who doesn’t share my love of old cars, but dutifully accompanied me to Prestwold anyway. She pulled an absolute blinder with this year’s gift, an inspired choice.
Thanks to Everyman Racing, I look forward to my next outing.
Click on any image below to enlarge and open the gallery
The Background
I arranged to redeem my voucher with a business called Everyman Racing and to utilise its Prestwold venue, which is near Loughborough and thereby geographically closest to me.
When I originally called to book up a visit, I was advised that I could choose from a series of cars to drive, the lady was going through the list and when she said the “General Lee”, I said “stop there, yes please”. No further options needed to be explored.
Not only was I going to get to drive a 1969 Dodge Charger, it would have the legendary orange Dukes of Hazzard livery. I was well chuffed.
But patience was required because Everyman Racing was shut down in light of coronavirus and gratification would have to come once lockdown was lifted. So, though my birthday was in January, I had to wait until last weekend (18th July) to be able to enjoy my present.
During the booking procedure, I was subject to upselling and ultimately purchased a collision damage waiver (£20), a couple of track demo laps (£10) and a photo (£10). More on the value of these later.
On the 18th July, Mrs B and I made our way to the circuit, me dressed in a vintage leather jacket and wearing a tee shirt celebrating 50 years since the Apollo 11 moon landings (another reference to 1969).
Most of the vehicles being driven around the track were modern sports and supercars, but there were a collection of much more interesting vehicles including a Smokie and The Bandit Trans Am, a Knight Rider KITT Trans Am, an A-Team GMC van and a sixties Ford GT40.
Once I went through the socially distanced checking in protocols and driver briefing process, I was able to get my demo laps. My driver pointing out the track apexes, braking points and general track etiquette.
Then it was my time to have a drive with The General and my instructor, Nathan, because it turned out that I wasn’t going to be unsupervised on the circuit. I was led across to the car and allowed to spend a few minutes appreciating it and taking some photos (shared here for your enjoyment).
The General
I was pleased to find that the doors on this Charger weren’t welded shut, because I really wouldn’t have looked elegant climbing in through the driver’s window.
Once in the driving seat and belted up, Nathan, who also instructs on the Lambos, joked with me that I’d have the slowest car on the circuit, with the potential exception of the A-Team van. And despite the roll cage suggesting raciness, he was right.
The Dodge was a column shift auto and once it clunked into gear, we headed to the track. We queued at the circuit entrance for a moment to have a photo taken and await our launch slot. When it was time to put the hammer down, the General’s V8 made a lot of lovely noise, but advancement was rather more pedestrian. The carburettors caused some fuelling related lag, and presumably the engine had been detuned – it certainly wasn’t set up for the drag strip put it that way. No smoking or squealing tyres.
Progression around the track was shall we say, stately, like a galleon. The long bonnet and low seating position reminded me greatly of my old HC Vauxhall Vivas. Obviously, there was a lot more auditory drama with the Dodge, but the driving experience wasn’t all that different, rear wheel drive, vague and heavy steering, rubbish brakes, body roll in the bends and all accompanied by a cacophony of rattles, shakes and squeaks. With little pillar obstruction and no head rests, visibility was good though.
To be frank, the car looked lovely on the outside, but on the inside, it was rather more tired and its 50 years of service and relatively poor original sixties build quality were obvious - cheap plastics, missing trim elements, there was even orange hand brushed overpaint on some of the internal trim panels. To be frank, the car felt like the kind of film set car that it was. For filming purposes, the outer appearance is key, and in this respect the Charger was wonderful.
On the track, the advice I had been given on my demo laps was irrelevant because Nathan had me braking much earlier than the posted braking points and was very keen that I took different lines into the bends so that the car would stay on the track instead of going straight on.
After two laps of the Prestwold track, the experience was over and it was time to park the General – fortunately there was plenty of space for its considerable turning circle.
The Verdicts
The Package
The basic cost of the experience was good value. I would however have liked more time in the car, two laps of the circuit and circa three miles of travel just wasn’t enough, and the drive was over within minutes of it starting.
The professional photo was good value.
The demo laps were a waste of money at least as far as my experience went. When I agreed to them, I didn’t know that I would be accompanied when driving the General, or that Nathan would demand that I ignore all the instruction I was given during the demo process. The demo laps helped one determine how the most track speed could be extracted from a car. All ultimately irrelevant to me.
The indemnity insurance was a waste of money. Having never been to the circuit, when I booked the package, I was being sensible. I didn’t know the risks and felt that the extra expense was justifiable. On the day though, the actual chances of an accident were minimal, the performance of the car underwhelming, my instructor firm, the focus on safety by Everyman Racing - second to none.
Of my forty extra pounds spent, thirty of them would have been better allocated to getting a few more laps, or diving one of the other vehicles as well.
The Process
Getting the package booked was easy and the communication in the run up to the 18th was excellent. The organisation at the venue was good and the coronavirus safety measures all taken very seriously. The people that I interacted with were all friendly and accommodating in as far as they could be. For example, I got to take some close-up pictures of the KITT interior, shared below, after being allowed to go trackside (accompanied) with my camera.
The General
To be brutally honest, driving the car wasn’t particularly pleasurable, a modern car would kick its butt in every meaningful measure. Once you are in the driving seat, you can’t even see the beautiful body.
You might be thinking that the car was a bit rubbish and that I didn’t enjoy myself …
… but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Don’t get me wrong, I spent the whole time smiling and I BLOODY LOVED IT.
I wouldn’t have swapped driving the General for any of the supercars that were on the track with me.
The End
I want to go again. Next time, I will most likely opt for a multi car package with the aim to drive some of the other film set vehicles. I particularly want to drive KITT.
And I’d like another tango with the General.
My thanks to Mrs Baldwin, who doesn’t share my love of old cars, but dutifully accompanied me to Prestwold anyway. She pulled an absolute blinder with this year’s gift, an inspired choice.
Thanks to Everyman Racing, I look forward to my next outing.
Click on any image below to enlarge and open the gallery
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