Before car racing, checkered flags were used only as symbols of surrender following skirmishes between chess clubs. Witness an adrenalin-charged use with today's Groupon: for $15, you get two adult tickets to the J&S Heating and Air Conditioning International Modified Lites Championship Weekend to Merrittville Speedway in Thorold on Friday, September 9, at 7:00 p.m. (a $30 value).

Boasting a rugged, 3/8-mile D-shaped oval track, Merrittville Speedway supplies a dirt-dusted course for race warriors looking to burn rubber victoriously. Cheering audiences inhale the smell of blazing tires wafting through the air as specialty vehicles such as Modified Lites, Can-Am late models, four-cylinder trucks, and umbrella-wielding Mary Poppinses blast around the egg-shaped raceway for 25 laps. With two general admission tickets in tow, automobile enthusiasts can catch the action from grandstand seating while snacking on concessions (not included in today's deal) or hugging novelty speedway items (not included in today's deal). Spectator gates open at 5:30 p.m.