It’s election time!  We hope everyone in Calgary gets out to vote.  The note below has been sent out by members of the Motorsport Council of Calgary, a group consisting of most all the users of Race City.  They (me included) have done a lot of research on which candidates are “motorsport friendly”.  While many (most?) of the aldermanic candidates appear to be in favour of keeping the track available we need to get out and support those who support us!

As many of may know, Ric McIver has been a big supporter of motorsport all along and was instrumental in the extension of the lease for Race City and is going work at either getting Race City a new long term lease or a new home.

I ask that you support Ric as he supports us.

Having a race facility in Calgary is very important for all of us and for many a economic must have.  Tomorrow, go Vote for the one guy that has stood up for us.

VOTE RIC MCIVER!

Over the past 3 years, the Calgary motorsport community has been threatened with the loss of Race City Motorsport Park.  Somewhere along the way, city administration lost sight of the fact that Race City is an important venue to maintain for Calgarians, and they made other plans for the city-owned land that Race City occupies.  By the time that these plans were communicated to Race City owner Art Mackenzie, the public, and city council, administration had progressed so far down this path that it seemed Race City was doomed.

The motorsports community has banded together through the Motorsports Council of Calgary to oppose the termination of the Race City lease with the City of Calgary.  We have so far received support from about half of the aldermen, led by alderman and now candidate for mayor, Ric McIvor.
Council did not support a lease extension in Feb 2009, but Ric McIver tried again and on Sept 28 2009 city council directed city administration to work out a deal to extend the lease with Race City to 2015, which resulted in another two year deal (2010 – 2011).

It is important that we continue to support aldermanic candidates and a mayor that support Race City and/or motorsports in the City of Calgary.

This Monday October 18, we collectively have the opportunity to reach another milestone in the battle to maintain a motorsports venue in Calgary.
Our research shows that we have the opportunity to elect a motorsport friendly City Council.  While we held a slim majority in the past, we were missing the most important part, a motorsports friendly mayor.

We urge you, and your family and friends to get out and Vote for Ric McIver for Mayor, and vote for the motorsport friendly Alderman that represents the ward you live in. Visit www.motorsportcouncilofcalgary.ca for further info.

The Aldermanic picks are as follows:
Ward 1: Dale Hodges
Ward 2: Joe Magliocca
Ward 3: Jim Stevenson
Ward 4: Brad Northcott
Ward 5: Ray Jones
Ward 6: Brent Mielke
Ward 7: Kevin Taylor
Ward 8: John Mar
Ward 9: Mike Pal
Ward 10: Andre Chabot
Ward 11: James Maxim
Ward 12: Shane Keating
Ward 13: Diane Colley-Urquhart
Ward 14: Richard Dur

Your vote is important, and the future of motorsports in Calgary depends on it.

Sincerely,
Motorsport Council of Calgary

The future of Race City Motorsport Park is one very important issue in this years election on October 18!  The motorsports community has been actively polling the candidates for Mayor and Alderman with these and other benefits.

I feel this facility has several key benefits to the city and residents.

1. Social benefit of reducing street racing by providing a safe and legal venue for young people to enjoy their cars.  Friday night Secret Street events attract several thousand people over the summer. Many other cities have found that an active local track reduces the number of street racing incidents significantly.
2. Economic benefits to the city and over 100 local businesses that support racers and events. These include several motorcycle and auto driving schools, repair shops, parts suppliers, caterers and many others.
3. Tourism benefits to Calgary as nearly every event or day at the track has participants and spectators from outside the city.
4. Another entertainment venue for Calgarians and their families to enjoy whether as a spectator or participant.

Unlike most other sports and entertainment facilities in Calgary, Race City receives no financial support from the city.

Let’s all get out and vote in a motorsport friendly city council!

This weekend was a summertime rallycross in Calgary – usually the gravel lot is not available in the summer month’s, but they got an event for this year.  Beautiful weather made for lots of dust and cool photo ops.

More in the Photo Galleries and more to come!

A nice day for photos – good weather (mostly) – lots of interesting cars – close racing throughout the fields.

Full Gallery in the Photo Galleries

Fathers Day weekend features quite a number of Show and Shine events throuoghout Alberta as well as the 23rd Annual Fathers Day Funny Car Classic at Race City in Calgary.  Show starts at 6pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday.

FridayJune 18

• Secret Street Drag Racing  at  Race City

Saturday June 19

• Fathers Day Funny Car Classic – Race City Motorsport Park and organized by the Calgary Drag Racing Association
• Fifty 567 Club 25th Annual Cruise-in, Calgary, AB
• Lake Bonavista S/S, Calgary, AB
• Capitol Hill Car Show, Calgary, AB
• 100 Foot Shootout, Rocky Mountain House, AB

Sunday June 20

• Fathers Day Funny Car Classic – Race City Motorsport Park and organized by the Calgary Drag Racing Association
• Father’s Day S/S, Vegreville, Ab.
• 7th Annual Crossfield S/S, Crossfield, Ab.

Always remember to check the relevant event / track websites for schedule updates, rain-outs etc.

Come back each week as we update the coming events on the blog and check the calendar for events in the near future. Also, follow the links in this post for information on the local motorsports clubs and organizations.

If you have an event or track schedule to contribute, please let us know. events@rallysport.ca

Alderman Ric McIver is holding a “Ric’s Block Party” on:

Wednesday April 21, 2010
5:00 – 8:00 PM
803 – 24 Ave SE.

Tickets are $150 and fall under the municipal election rules. Dinner and refreshments will be served.

His official announcement will be made before or at the Block Party.

It’s time for us to step up and support a person who has been supporting us and the motorsports community in Calgary for the last 2 years.

I’m planning on attending … See you there?

www.ricmciver.ca

Those of us itching to get out to some motorsports events may want to check out the next 3 weekends in Calgary!

Sunday, February 14, the Calgary Sports Car Club is holding the first event of the 2010 ‘Winter Autocross’ (Rallycross) series at Race City spectator parking lot.

The Calgary Sports Car Club (CSCC) Winter AutoCross program is a recreational off-road solo2 event in which participants compete individually against the clock on a temporary pylon course set-up on a gravel parking lot, (hopefully snow/ice covered). The series consists of 6 events over the next 3 month’s.  Any safe vehicle is eligible to enter.

For more information, check out the CSCC website.

World Of Wheels

Next weekend is the annual start of racing and car show season withe the World of Wheels Car Show.  Some 200+ show cars, race cars and others on display at the BMO Center (Round up Center).

We’ll be there with some cool racing gear and other products.  Come on down and say HI!

Just saw this …. not sure what happened to 2015 …

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/story.html?id=2541535

Race City Motorsport Park

CALGARY – Race City will run for two more seasons and then shut down at its current location, after a tentative agreement was reached by its owner and the city.

“Basically it’s a compromise we proposed to them in December,” Race City owner Art MacKenzie said Tuesday morning. “It’s a shorter-term commitment from the city.

“It gave us some security and the ability to operate as a viable business, as opposed to paying a million dollars in rent, literally, so we can run economically for the next while.”

Late Monday night, city council approved a proposed settlement but details are to remain confidential until it is signed.

Race City and the city have been battling about the speedway’s southeast site following a dispute over its lease.

The track has occupied 64 hectares of city-owned land since 1985 and while the current lease expires this year, MacKenzie believed he had done the necessary work to extend it to 2015.

However, the city disputed that, arguing it needed the land back to prepare for the Shepard landfill expansion.

Last fall, in an 8-7 vote, council directed administration to go back to the table with MacKenzie to find a way for Race City to operate until 2015, despite being told it would cost the city $3 million because of additional work required on the site.

MacKenzie said the city wanted to hike the facility’s rent to more than $1 million from $37,000.

Tuesday MacKenzie said of the two-season deal, “I’m happy to be able to get some agreement. I can get on with the business of trying to run a business.”

He added he will also begin looking for a new location for Race City.

Ald. Ric McIver, who has championed the race track, said he can’t comment on details because the agreement isn’t finalized.

“Council did give instructions to administration to complete the deal that’s been negotiated,” he said. “There was strong support from council at this time. I’m optimistic we can conclude this in an amicable and successful way.”

MacKenzie said he expects to have the track open for racing in May.

kguttormson(AT)theherald.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

City council has voted to extend Race City Motorsport’s lease for another five years.

The future of the Calgary racetrack at 114th Avenue and 68th Street S.E. was up for debate, because the city said it needed the land to expand the Shepard landfill site.

On Monday afternoon, however, aldermen voted 8 to 7 in favour of an amended motion by Ald. Ric McIver giving the racetrack another five years at the site. McIver argued, in part, that the racetrack provides an outlet for drivers who would otherwise race in the streets.

A regular event called “Secret Street” opens the racetrack to “street racers and drag enthusiasts” with registered and insured vehicles who pass a safety inspection, according to the racetrack’s website.

City officials estimate leaving Race City on the land will cost taxpayers $600,000 a year for event security, garbage collection and future remediation of the land, but McIver argued it was worth the price.

“The biggest reason is because it’s better for Calgary, it really is. It’ll keep the streets safer. And yes, there will be a cost. We do things every day that have a cost and why do we do them? We do them because it makes our city better,” he said.

Speedway fans held a rally on Saturday, with a reported 200 people driving downtown, some with signs showing support for the racetrack.

from cbc.ca

Photo Gallery from the weekends road course racing. Close racing, cool cars, great weekend of GT Cars, Vintage racing and open wheel formula cars.  Full gallery is at http://rallysport.ca/blog/photo-galleries/