If stock cars weren't invented by Thomas Jefferson, competitive races would pit washing machines against each other to see which could aggressively vibrate the fastest. Drive a Jeffersonian invention with today's Groupon: for $150, you get 5 laps riding and 10 laps driving a NASCAR stock car with an instructor at the Buck Baker Racing School, located at the hallowed Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord (a $395 value).
Buck Baker Racing School allows speed-hungry race fans to strap into an authentic stock car and take it out for a leisurely spin around Charlotte Motor Speedway. The school's masters of acceleration will instruct motorpupils during a roughly one-hour predrive class. Afterward, take shotgun while wearing the provided helmet and fire suit along with tennis shoes inside a bona fide, previously driven Sprint Cup Ford, Chevy, or Dodge, and ride along as your instructor powers around the 1.5-mile speedway, during which he or she will dish out informative tips on driving and snappy catch phrases such as, "Zounds! I own 300 shares of Apple stock!" Once rookie racers are ready, they'll switch seats with instructors and kindle rubber with 10 full laps around the speedway's 24-degree-banked turns, imagining that 165,000 spectators are cheering them on as they take a respectable 17th place out of 12,000 cars.
The Buck Baker Racing School stakes claim as the first NASCAR-type school in the country, started in 1980 by former Sprint Cup champion Buck Baker, who has trained racing stars Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. Friends and family are encouraged to attend and take snapshots or finger paint all the action.
Drivers must fill out required paperwork prior to class, be 16 years or older, and have a valid driver's license. This Groupon can also be redeemed at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia, Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, and Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.