Play a racing game as a way to unwind

Back when I was a kid, I loved to go to the video arcade after school and play a racing game as a way to unwind. I was never a big fan of violent video games. I could not see the thrill of trying to shoot someone – even if they were an evil alien or a robot. Car racing, however, held a distinct appeal to me. Cars symbolized freedom, and I was much too young to drive one. By playing a car racing game, I could live out a fantasy for only a quarter.

I especially loved to play a racing game called Off Road. I don't know if you were raised on old-school video games, but if you were you surely remember this one. In off road, you had control over an off road truck. You start off with a stock racer without any upgrades. As you win prize money, you can add better shocks, a more powerful engine, and a variety of other upgrades. Your car would get leaner, meaner, and faster around the course. It was a tough game, but it sure was a lot of fun.

Although I still enjoy having the opportunity to play a racing game now and again, my passion for video games has sort of waned over the years. That was why it was such a surprise when I happened to win a chance to drive a real race car. It was a promotional trip to an authentic racing training camp, and it was certainly a strange prize for me. It was the kind of thing I would have gone into convulsions over at the age of 14, and I couldn't help getting excited about it even now.

Once I got there, my excitement quickly grew. It really was a great place to be. I had never had the chance to drive in such high speeds before, and I relish the thrill of feeling the engine roaring is I flew. I actually got to go faster than 200 miles an hour on land – something almost unheard of in backwards countries like mine that don't have a sophisticated rail system. Ever since then, I can't play a racing game without flashing back to that glorious moment of speed. I was absolutely terrified, but I was also having the time of my life. Unless you have tried it, you can't even imagine it. There is nothing out there that remotely compares.

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