Alum on the Dr. Phil Show

Laurie Ness Barrett, class of 1982, informed us of her new star status.  "I am now on the "A list" in Hollywood!  Last week I emailed the Dr. Phil show on the topic of "Bored Moms: Do you want to try something wild and crazy" and said that I would love to drive a racecar.  So, before you know it  I had a knock on my door and I open it to a film crew from the Dr. Phil show!  They said "Laurie?  You are going out to LA to drive racecars with Dr. Phil"!!!  They filmed here at my house with the family for 9 hours!  The next morning I was on a plane to Los Angeles and not looking back!  I had my own driver and I was staying right on Hollywood Blvd where the Academy Awards were just the night before.  Right out my door was the Kodak Theater and the Hollywood walk of fame.  Out my bedroom window was the hill with the famous HOLLYWOOD sign.  SO COOL!  Tuesday morning my driver picked me up and whisked me off to California Speedway where I was to meet up with the producers.  When I got there they filmed me getting out of the car and running towards the Cheerios car (Nascar for those of you not familiar).  So they suited me up in a Richard Petty Driving suit and now I was off to the track.  They had me go around the car and ohhhh and ahhh over it, which I really didn't need to be directed on!  Next they asked me to put my head in the driver's window and just stay like that and pretend to be looking at the steering wheel.  As I am halfway in the car I feel hands on my waist....I hear my name called and I turn around and who is standing there but the host of the CBS show "The Amazing Race", Phil Keogan!!!  Another surprise I wasn't anticipating!  He was there to race with me all day.  How awesome is that!  Phil and I raced all day.  Yes, I drove the Cheerios car by myself behind my instructor who was in the Richard Petty 43 car.  I was to stay 3-5 car lengths behind him.  We did go around the track with the instructor first at a speed of 165 mph.  CRAZY!!!  The straight away at California Speedway is really short so before you know it you are on a turn again and the turns are really banked!  Now it was my turn and I had all the gear on like the Nascar drivers including the "hans device".  You can't move your head.  You can only look straight ahead.  Strange feeling!  So I did it.  Phil from the Amazing Race had a head set on and talked to me the whole time and asked me questions which I was to answer as I have a death grip on the steering wheel and am going 125 mph ON TURNS TOO!  I also had a camera on me and was miked.  They wanted me to talk through the whole thing, which usually is not a problem for me, but when you are driving at speeds unheard of for me and driving up on the wall, it is a little distracting to be answering questions and talking!  After 7 hours at the track, I was ready to conquer the world!  My show will air in less than a month.  I'll keep you posted."  The show is scheduled to air on Tuesday, April 11th.