The new Gallardo Superleggera is aggressive, visceral and unabashedly Italian. It will take your breathe away all the way up to the 196mph top speed. (Photo: worldclassdriving.com) » More Photos

Participants in several sold-out sessions of WCD experienced all of that and more last weekend at the beautifully restored French Lick Resort and Casino and West Baden Springs Hotel. The Southern Indiana resort was just one stop on WCD's 2008 U.S. Tour. The company will return for an even bigger program there in September.

All of WCD's cars are new. The company trades them in for something newer after they reach about 20,000 miles. Four of the five cars offered at French Lick last weekend carry a top speed of 200 miles per hour or more. (The top speed of the Audi is "only" 187 mph.)

Following the leader, which last weekend was Didier Theys, that two-time Rolex 24 winner mentioned earlier, each participant gets to drive one of the five cars for approximately 20-30 minutes, following the speed limit. Then the whole group pulls to the side of the road, and the participants exchange cars. Further stops and driver changes are conducted until everyone has driven each car.

Exotic sports cars are low to the ground, so the drivers are cautioned to watch out for bumps and low curbs.

"Small mistakes can mean a big price tag," explained a note in some of the pre-driving literature. "For example, replacing a scratched or bent Ferrari wheel costs around $3,000."

Perhaps the most succinct advice was delivered very calmly, backed up by more than 30 years of experience. "Be careful of what you ask the car to do, because it will respond immediately," Theys pointed out.