New York-New York has the Manhattan Express. The Stratosphere has the Big Shot. But the Sahara has the newest thrill ride to shake you in your boots. It's called Speed -- the Ride, and it's touted as the longest 48 seconds of your life. For good reason.

Speed -- the Ride uses magnetic technology to shoot you out of the starting gate, through a tunnel, around a loop and between the legs of the Sahara's huge marquee, all at speeds over 70 mph. Then the ride blasts you straight up a 222-foot-high vertical tower, where you lose velocity and stall at the top. There's nothing left to do but drop straight back down backward.

You wind up back where you started, a little frazzled, a little shocked and definitely in need of a comb, but the fun isn't over.

Speed is just part of the NASCAR® Cafe. You'll find terrific dining in a racetrack setting. There's a virtual-reality, race-car driving experience called Cyber Speedway, where you will feel like a real NASCAR® driver on the track. There's plenty of memorabilia from famous NASCAR® drivers to check out and a souvenir shop so you can take home a memory of your experience.

Who knows -- racing stars may even drop by to sign a few autographs. And 20 years from now, you'll still be telling your friends, "Yeah, I survived Speed. Let me tell you, it was the longest 48 seconds of my life."