Before car racing, checkered flags were used only as symbols of surrender following skirmishes between chess clubs. Embrace progress with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
- $62 for a 5-lap racecar ride-along (a $125 value)
- $187 for a Thunder course 12-lap racecar drive (a $375 value)<p>
Ride-along passengers buckle up beside an experienced racecar driver for five laps. Alternatively, the two-hour Thunder course debriefs students on racetrack safety, before strapping on a fire suit, helmet, and HANS device for head and neck support. Instructors take off in a lead car while patrons zoom along behind, piloting their own ARCA-style stock car for 12 breakneck laps. Click here for a racetrack schedule.
Fast Track High Performance Driving School
Students at Fast Track High Performance Driving School don't need to prove that they can parallel park—they're more concerned about taking a turn at more than 100 miles per hour. Most of them have never even felt the rumble of a 600-horsepower engine before. After plenty of safety debriefing from expert instructors, however, they usually are no longer intimidated by its purr. They'll then hop into the vibrant shell of an ARCA-style stock car, a former racing vehicle that's still capable of rocketing down the track at a blur-inducing speed of 165 miles per hour.
Since 1989, the school has been fulfilling speed-demon fantasies with its courses and ride alongs at racetracks throughout the country. The staff meets with everyday fans and aspiring competitors alike to cover racing protocol, safety, and appropriate postrace dance moves. Depending on the depth of their lesson, pupils might take the wheel during a four-car passing exercise or simply sit back in the passenger seat as a professional flies through three–five laps.