When Eisenhower designed the interstate-highway system, he envisioned a lawless, death-race arena where only the fastest could avoid being killed by mechanical gulls. Experience a thrilling fraction of his racing dream with today's Groupon: for $249, you get a two-hour intro class (a $499 value) at Formula Drivetech Racing School, located at the Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in Desert Center.

Formula Drivetech provides classroom instruction for fledgling racecar drivers on a variety of professional racetracks across the country. The intro to road racing package hands you the reins of a Porsche Boxster, a Chevrolet Corvette, or a Formula car. After one hour of orientation and 45 minutes of classroom instruction with a master motorist, you'll learn the bends and curves of the course in a standard streetcar before gripping your chosen racer's controls and speed-wheeling through about 15 laps on the raceway's track (students are guaranteed at least 15 minutes of track time). The experience eschews straight, open road in favor of high-speed turns and will leave your hair mussed, eyes bulged, and torso coated in corporate sponsorships. Check out the schedule here.

Stock-car racing is a grand American tradition, smelling, like most American traditions, of baseball players, McDonald's apple pie, and diesel fuel. At Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, you'll navigate a track mapped out by world-renowned designer Ed Bargy and built by fellow racing enthusiasts. You'll find nothing but professionalism and experience at Formula Drivetech—the drivers are veterans of Busch North, and the cars are safe and meticulously maintained.