Last month, it was announced that the annual Taste of Lexus traveling test drive tour would be discontinued and replaced with smaller, more targeted events. The reasoning was that too many current owners were taking part, even making up 75% of the audience in some locations.
Regardless of how much sense it makes to close down the traditional ToL tour, the first replacement event, dubbed the Lexus Performance Driving Academy, has been announced, and will be visiting four racetracks across the US:
- May 9 – 11, 2008 Autobahn Circuit in Joliet, Illinois
- May 30 – June 1, 2008 Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California
- June 27 – 29, 2008 Summit Point Motorsports Park in Summit Point, West Virginia
- July 11 – 13, 2008 Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
The tour dates will be broken into two distinct events:
- Friday: The Ultimate Performance Driving Academy. For $295USD, drivers get to spend a half-day on the track in an IS-F, learning advanced competitive driving skills.
- Saturday & Sunday: Performance Driving Academy. This is a free two-hour session with car time in the IS & GS.
The events are invite only, though there is a waiting list should there be any cancellations. You must be 21 and have a US drivers license.