It’s a stereotype as old as the automobile itself: A lot of people who buy fast cars really can’t or won’t drive them. They rev them up for impressionable valets, sure, bait speeding tickets on the freeway. Or they lock them away in private garages, letting them accrue value while depriving themselves (and us) of the joy of seeing them driven the way they were built to be. So, we’re begging you: Don’t be that guy.
Luckily, the latest generation of car clubs provide a way to wring every drop of performance from your gajillion-horsepower, six- or seven-figure acquisition, all while keeping you in the lap of luxury—when you aren’t sweating it out behind the wheel, that is.
Palm Springs, California
Membership here is a serious commitment: to join, you must buy real estate adjacent to the track (an empty plot starts at $750,000), and that’s before getting to the annual fee (another $14,400, with a one-time membership fee of $85,000). Opt for a pre-built villa, and all-in you’re looking at around $3,000,000. As a result, the crowd here isn’t full of novices—you’ll find professional motorsports teams testing on the track, in addition to amateurs like yourself. But in return for all that, you get what might be a gearhead’s perfect all-in-one vacation: a Tuscan-inspired paradise around a 5.1-mile track, with full-time race support so you don't have to do anything so gauche as a change a track tire yourself. Race until you drop, then retire trackside. thethermalclub.com
Scottsdale, Arizona
Centered around a state-of-the-art 33,000 square-foot garage housing up to 185 drool-worthy rides, Otto is a club for collectors who want to display their cars where they can be seen, instead of in a dark garage, and mingle with those in the know, not just slack-jawed teens in a parking lot. The in-house detailing unit gets every car pristine, while the billiards room, library, and wet bar keep the people who own them lubricated, too. ottocarclub.com
New York City
If maintaining and housing a supercar collection is pricey everywhere, it’s triply so in the middle of America’s most populous city. Which is why New York’s enthusiasts have long cabbed it over to the Classic Car Club, which recently received a $4 million renovation of its new Hudson River Park digs. Members can take the Club’s assortment of thoroughbreds out for a spin on the public roads, lounge among its many amenities, or book exclusive track days at the next entry on our list. classiccarclubmanhattan.com
Monticello, New York
Not only does the Monticello Club help you get your reps by granting nearly unlimited access to its challenging, 4.1-mile track, but there’s also plenty of support for you on your way to driving greatness. Private instructors will hone your reflexes, and the club offers members-only races of various makes and formats, too, so you can compete with others on your level. monticellomotorclub.com
Joliet, Illinois
Located about an hour outside Chicago, this is not only the go-to racetrack in the Midwest, but it’s also the best choice for those just dipping their toes into the car club game: not only does membership start at “only” $5,250 a year after a $40,000 initiation fee, but there are downright affordable single-day passes available, too. And the short, 3.56-mile loop provides plenty of twists and turns, perfect for those still learning to go around corners without spinning off. (It’s harder than it looks.) autobahncc.com
Ronda, Spain
Flying across the world just to drive? In circles? For those with the will and the way, the Ascari resort, named after famed 1950s F1 driver Alberto, will reward the dedication: a full vacation destination, replete with farmhouse restaurant, pool, and helipad centered around a 26-corner track, purposely designed to replicate some of the greatest turns and chicanes from famous tracks around the world. It’s a driver’s paradise, enough to make you never want to leave—and if you’re there already, you can probably afford not to. ascari.net
