SpeedVegas critic now CEO of high-speed operation

Romain Thievin will never forget the horror of Feb. 12, 2017, the day two people died in a fiery crash at SpeedVegas, a race track where tourists pay hundreds of dollars to drive high-performance cars capable of reaching speeds of 200 mph.

Thievin, then the operator of Exotics Racing, a rival attraction at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, was one of SpeedVegas’ critics after the accident, pointing out safety flaws that may have led to the tragedy.

Now, Thievin and his co-operator, David Perisset, have moved their Exotics Racing operation from the speedway to SpeedVegas, near Sloan Road off Interstate 15. Thievin and Perisset no longer have a car-driving attraction at the speedway after their lease expired and the space was turned over to research and development for autonomous cars and autonomous delivery company Nuro.

Another supercar attraction, Dream Racing, currently operates at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

But before a single lap was run, Thievin ordered $1.5 million in safety improvements to bring the track up to what he felt were necessary standards for a Las Vegas tourism enterprise.

Move to SpeedVegas

After an unsuccessful bid to buy SpeedVegas out of bankruptcy, Thievin went to work as its CEO for longtime industry acquaintances Henrique Cisneros, Mike Self and Sam Schmidt, the new owners of the track.

Cisneros, an amateur race car driver with a passion for safety, and Schmidt, a former Indy Racing League driver who was paralyzed in a car accident in 2000, bought SpeedVegas and brought on Thievin and Perisset to manage day-to-day operations. Thievin and Perisset did more than that, transforming the 100-acre track into a three-experience driving attraction with multiple price points for car enthusiasts and expanding safety measures.

“I removed 600 feet from the straightaway and the corner before the straightaway is now slower so that cars can only get up to 130 mph instead of 160 mph,” Thievin said. “It’s still a great experience.”

Thievin and Perisset also added gravel traps and Formula One safety barriers.

“They cost a fortune, but not having safety is more expensive than having safety in the long term,” said Perisset, now SpeedVegas’ chief operating officer.

Go-kart track added, popularity outpaces supercars

With a trimmed-down 1.2-mile supercar track, SpeedVegas made room for a go-kart track that has proven extremely popular with local drivers, since it’s less expensive than driving the exotic cars.

Known as Vegas Superkarts, the go-kart racing experience starts at $35 a race with customers driving a four-stroke gas-powered Sodicart SR5 go-karts. Exotic cars, meanwhile, can run up to $549 for five laps in a Ferrari 488 Pista.

The Exotics Racing division of SpeedVegas includes a fleet of 40 cars Thievin brought from his Las Vegas Motor Speedway experience with car models by Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Audi and Mercedes.

The track features seven turns, a 2,000-foot straightaway and multiple safety barriers. Guests can also go for a drifting ride-along on the track in a 700-horsepower police Dodge Charger with a professional driver.

Supercar enthusiasts drive the course in timed trial runs with results posted online. Thievin, a former stunt-car driver who has performed in 150 movies, has the second-best time on the track behind New Zealand professional racer Fabian Coulthard.

Thievin’s wife, Doreen, also a professional driver, serves as director of communication for SpeedVegas and said professional drivers and celebrities often frequent the track along with tourists who see the attraction when they’re coming into Las Vegas from Southern California.

“(Celebrity chef) Gordon Ramsay, who has a car collection, is a really, really good driver,” she said.

Around 40,000 customers a year drive the supercars.

While the supercars have their appeal, the go-karts are even more popular, drawing 5,000 drivers a month. A monthly all-comers race features 36 drivers on a first-come, first-served basis, and positions sell out quickly.

Twelve go-karts race in three heats race every month and winners can earn points toward national and international competitions.

Thievin and Perisset first offered go-kart races at their speedway location in 2019.

The off-road track attraction — the only one of its kind in Las Vegas — was brought to SpeedVegas by Self from a Boulder City course.

Additional investments planned

Management of the three attractions occurs at SpeedVegas’ 20,000-square-foot, two-story welcome center, which has indoor and outdoor observation decks and meetings and event space for up to 500 people. Decks overlook the supercar track straightaway.

Thievin is hoping to invest a total $10 million in the track, including the $1.5 million safety upgrade. Next on the agenda is developing two more go-kart tracks, including a junior track. Drainage studies are underway for those additions.

The company also plans to introduce all-terrain vehicles to the park.

But safety is always at the forefront.

“When you choose to be in a race car and in a race environment, there’s some risk that you accept,” Perisset said. “In the U.S., where the mentality and the culture is NASCAR, you’re a hero if you hit the wall. In Europe, we left that behind a long time ago. It’s a different culture and mindset. But safety is always the most important thing.”

This story was edited to reflect Mike Self as one of the owners of the track.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.