SPEEDZONE AND IMAX GENERATE SOME THRILLS.If you kind of envy people who go white-water rafting, bungee-jumping or shark-diving, but you're really a not-so-secret chicken who's more comfortable curling up with a cup of cocoa and your bunny slippers, two new Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, attractions might be able to jazz up your summer without stopping your heart. SpeedZone, a new racing simulation park in the City of Industry, lets licensed drivers (sorry, kids) experience some of the thrills professional auto racers face on the track - but under computer-controlled conditions. Four tracks offer drag racing drag racing Form of motor racing in which two contestants race side by side from a standing start over a straight quarter-mile strip of pavement. Winners go on to compete against others in their class until only one is left undefeated. , Grand Prix Grand Prix n. pl. Grand Prix Any of several competitive international road races for sports cars of specific engine size over an exacting, usually risky course. , sprint and road racing Road racing can be a term involving road running, road bicycle races, or automobile races. As contemplated in this article, the term will be treated as it relates to motorsport, specifically, automobile racing and motorcycle racing. cars with continuous in-track guidance rail systems, equipped with computer controlled pneumatic braking systems controlled by track operators. A sample of the racing available: Top Eliminator allows six drivers to compete in dragsters on a 140-yard drag strip drag strip n. A short, straight course or track for drag racing. in 18-foot-long, 300-horsepower vehicles that accelerate from 0 to 70 mph in 3 seconds. Grand Prix racing Grand Prix racing Automobile racing in which formula cars are run on closed highways or courses that simulate road conditions. Formula cars are open-wheel, open-cockpit, rear-engine vehicles and are generally smaller than those used in speedway races such as the Indianapolis features head-to-head competition between two drivers through hairpin turns in custom-built Indy cars. Slick Trax racing pits up to 20 drivers against each other in high-torque racers that go into a controlled four-wheel slide through each turn. And Turbo Track road racing allows up to 28 drivers to test each other on a 1,100-foot serpentine track in custom-designed race cars. SpeedZone, which opened this month, is at 17909 Castleton St., City of Industry; (888) 662-5428. The park, which also includes a 36-hole racing-themed miniature golf course, is open daily; hours vary. Only drivers 18 and older are admitted after 9 p.m. Admission is free; prices to drive racers start at $5. For those with even less inclination to actually experience adventure, two IMAX IMAX Noun a film projection process that produces an image ten times larger than standard theaters in Orange and Riverside counties might be able to gently jazz up your summer. Starting July 11 and continuing through the winter, theaters in Ontario and Irvine will show ``Thrill Ride - The Science of Fun,'' a white-knuckle adventure for those who'd rather stay safely tethered Attached to a data or power source by wire or fiber. Contrast with untethered. to their theater seat while getting the same view they'd get sitting in the front seat of a roller coaster. The film traces the history of thrill rides - from early-day ice sleds to Ferris wheels and roller coasters While there have been hundreds of different roller coasters built, there have been just a few that were notable for specific reasons. Some reasons include:
On the giant IMAX screens, viewers can experience thrill rides that include the Big Shot roller coaster atop the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas, and Kumba and Montu roller coasters at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla. The films will be shown at Edward's IMAX Theatre at the Irvine Spectrum, 65 Fortune St., Irvine, (714) 450-4900, (tickets are $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 kids) and the IMAX Theatre at Edward's Ontario 22, 4900 E. Fourth St., Ontario, (909) 476-1500. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: IMAX captures Kumba, one of the world's largest roller coasters. |
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