In my book, any day on pit lane at Pocono Raceway is a good one.

But when I heard I was going to get a 165 mph ride around the track this week, I was high-fiving strangers and grinning like a fool.The Stock Car Experience at Pocono Raceway recently invited the Times News to feel what it's like to do laps at Pocono in excess of 165 mph.For under $150, you can be strapped into a purpose-built race car and get launched around the Pocono Raceway oval. For $349, you can drive it yourself.No matter what you think it feels like to navigate a track at that speed, you have to feel it to truly know.Really, the Stock Car Race Experience is as close as you can get to the action in any professional sport. Your chances of shooting a round at Oakmont, or taking batting practice at Citi Field are slim to none.The experience's president, Jesse Roverana, says a stock car ride is the perfect gift for the guy who has everything. But it's something virtually anyone can do. In line I talked with Pat Palo, a longtime NASCAR fan from the Philadelphia area who got the experience as a gift for her 70th birthday."Any dedicated NASCAR fan needs to try this," Palo said.After taking a few pictures next to the car, you climb in the window of the car and strap in. The seat belt and bucket seat clamped me in like one of those overhead safety bars on a roller coaster.My driver, Andy, actually started out as a customer about five years ago. His only advice is to give a "thumbs-down" if the ride gets too fast."We'll do a few laps to show you how fast you could drive here, then we'll show you what the car can really do," he said.After a few seconds, Andy slams on the gas and we go flying down Pocono's pit lane. For the most part the gears in a NASCAR are only used to get up to speed, and Andy saws through them.As we hurtle into Turn One, Andy doesn't seem to let up at all. It seems like it's his goal to crash us straight into the concrete wall in front of us.But when he turns the wheel, the car, assisted by its huge tires, seemingly defies physics and arcs nicely through the turn.Between the heavy G-force pulling down on me, and the hard seat holding me upright, it feels like Dorney Park's Steel Force - but without the tracks underneath.At a standstill, the wall looks like it's about 20 meters away from the car. But at 165 mph, it feels like it's just inches.I figured Andy would slam on the brakes, but instead he mashed the gas. Instead of smacking the wall, we continued a perfect arc, coming within inches of the wall as we rocketed onto the Long Pond straight.In each turn I clenched my teeth as the G-force pulled me down into the seat. We went so fast down the front straightaway, it was impossible to make out the spectators lined up along the pit lane wall.At one point, a group of slower cars was ahead of us - driven by customers. It looked like Andy wouldn't be able to get by them before the turn - but he inched higher and higher up Turn one, then rocketed down the embankment in front of the cars.A lap later, we were coasting back into the pits.When Jesse asked me about my ride the next day, I tell him it took my breath away. Especially the pass at the end. He says that's a typical reaction for a first-time rider."Driving is even better."