 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Writer and Editor Markham Hislop has rebranded the former "SE Calgary News" to the "Calgary Beacon". The online newspaper has been providing excellent coverage of the Race City issue over the past year, and yesterday provided the following news article and editorial opinion (read both articles):
http://www.calgarybeacon.com/2010/02/video-race-city-negotiates-2-year-reprieve-from-city-hall/
http://www.calgarybeacon.com/2010/02/time-for-calgary-motorsport-community-to-step-up/
Voting ballots have been sent out by e-mail for the 2010 CMRA Executive Committee members and rule changes. Make sure you get your votes in by December 31! If you have questions or if you are a 2009 CMRA member but did not receive an e-mail ballot, please contact cmra@roadracing.org to make sure your voice is heard.
Thank you to Carey Fougere (Riders Rep), Kelly Gingras (Secretary), Edwin Herrenschmidt (Director), and Stu McColl (Volunteers Rep and a founding member of the CMRA) for their tireless efforts and service to the club in 2009.
SE Calgary News gets it right again - check the latest story at:
There will be a CMRA General meeting at the Laugh Shop (formerly Yuk Yuk's) at the Blackfoot Inn on Monday December 7 starting at 7:30 pm. We will be discussing what the club has planned for 2010, and provide an update on the future of Race City and what you can do to promote the health of motorsports in Calgary.
Members may have noticed that the Executive and rule change voting have not arrived in your inbox. Our Secretary has unfortunately had to resign due to other time commitments, and the role is open for nominations. If you are interested in the position, nominate yourself or someone you think would be good for the role! A description of the duties of Secretary can be found in the Bylaws. Nominations will close at the end of the meeting Dec 7, and voting will commence later that week. A BIG thanks to Kelly Gingras for all of his contributions as Secretary over the past two years.
If someone wants to bring a DVD, we can watch a little racing and talk about plans for next year - it will be interesting to see how 2010 shapes up! See you at the meeting.
See the article on SE Calgary news at this link:
The Race City lease has been extended for five years, and they even got the photo right! See this Calgary Herald article.
Read the latest news from Markham Hislop from SE Calgary News at the following link:
CMRA Executive nominations are due Monday September 28, and the latest nominees are as follows:
Volunteers Rep: Ben Wheeler
Director: Lee Smith, Michael Sutherland
Riders Rep: Carey Fougere, Curtis Lindenbach
Members are encouraged to nominate themselves or other members that would like to contribute to the organization. Send your nominations to cmra@roadracing.org before the end of Monday Sept 28.
Everyone is invited to attend. Gates open at 6:00PM. Action gets underway at 7:00PM and admission is $5.00.
For more information, please contact Rick Francescone, chairman of the Motorsport Council. He is available by phone at 403-250-2845 (work) or 403-850-8773 (cell).
Dave Stokowski 2nd PlaceIntermediate Superbike
Mike Zottmann 3rd Place
Pete DeGraaf 1st PlaceExpert Open Supersport
David Amyotte 5th Place
Dave Stokowski 1st PlaceIntermediate Open Supersport
Mike Zottmann 4th Place
Pete DeGraaf 1st PlaceExpert 600 Supersport
David Amyotte 5th Place
Rob Darlington 4th PlaceIntermediate 600 Supersport
Matt Schmidt 5th Place
Trevor Bernhardt 4th PlaceCongratulations to all you above on your great showing! I would like to also congratulate ALL the racers from CMRA who participated in the WCC especially the following racers who attended all 3 rounds and showed up for all 6 races:
Tom Bodrovics 5th Place
Blue Line Racing Association, a non profit organization formed by a volunteer group of Edmonton Police Service officers, will drag race their high performance police cars at Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park. The event is part of an initiative by the Motorsport Council of Calgary to illustrate the benefits of the speedway to the community and the potential negative impact the proposed closure of the facility might have if displaced racers take their cars back to the streets.
Friday night at Race City law enforcement officers from Edmonton and the Calgary area will be competing for the title of “Alberta’s Fastest Cop” to help publicize the perils of illegal street racing.
The impending closure of the Calgary motorsport facility will me an the end of the Friday Night Secret Street program, which for many years has provided a safe and legal outlet for drivers wanting to race their street cars.
The Motorsport Council of Calgary (formerly the Calgary Motorsports Association) and Race City Motorsport Park will host “The Battle of Alberta, Law Enforcement Style” on September 25 at 7 p.m. at Race City, 1150 – 68 Street S.E.
The Blue Line Racing Association, a volunteer group of officers from the Edmonton Police Service and teams from the Alberta’s Sheriff Department and the RCMP will be competing against each other and talking about the dangers of street racing and the likelihood that it will grow with the closure of Race City.
The City of Calgary claims Race City defaulted on its lease in 2000 when it was several weeks late providing a notice of renewal, which is required every five years. The City has told Race City it must vacate the property by March 31, 2010. The City plans to use the 160 acres to expand the Shepard Landfill.
In addition to the demonstration races by law enforcement officers, the weekly Friday Night Secret Street program will be run. The event sees over 175 racers and hundreds of their friends fuel their passion for racing in a alcohol and drug free environment. The competitors race in a safe and controlled environment with emergency personnel in attendance and on a racing surface separated from the spectator area.
Also in attendance will be youngsters that participate in their various forms of organized Motorsports, from Miniature Nextel Cup Cars, Mini Road Racers, Junior Dragsters to Karting Racers. Other members of Calgary's diverse racing community of drag racers, oval racers and roadcourse racers will be showing their cars along with business from the automotive after market sector.
Gates open at 6:00PM. Action gets underway at 7:00PM and admission is $5.00.
About Blue Line Racing Association
Blue Line Racing Association is a non profit organization formed by a volunteer group of police officers who are all members of the Edmonton Police Service. The association aims to promote traffic safety, responsible driving and strives to reduce illegal street racing by providing heightened awareness and safe racing alternatives while cultivating positive relationships between young drivers and police.
Blue Line Racing is funded solely by community partners without the support of federal, provincial or municipal tax dollars and currently operates four race cars; a 1972 Plymouth Duster, a 2003 pre-production model Hyundai Tiburon, a 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, and a Supercharged 2009 Ford Mustang GT that are painted to resemble police cars.
The association and Edmonton area race facility, Castrol Raceway, hold approximately 20 Street Legal race events each year averaging 175 participants and 1500 spectators at each event. For more information, visit www.BlueLineRacing.com
About Motorsport Council of Calgary
The Motorsport Council’s mission is to bring together all forms of motorsport enthusiasts and be a positive voice in the quest to curb illegal street racing on the streets of Calgary and surrounding communities.
For more information, please contact Rick Francescone, chairman of the Motorsport Council. He is available by phone at 403-250-2845 (work) or 403-850-8773 (cell).
(Editors Note: The CMRA has been represented on the Motorsports Council of Calgary (MCC) by Joe P. and Tim Johnson since it's inception in 2008. CMRA members are encouraged to put on a display this Friday at Race City to show their support for this initiative.)
The date for CMRA Executive nominations has been extended to Monday September 28. The nominations so far for the open three positions are:
Volunteers Rep: No nominations yet (Stu McColl declined his nomination)
Riders Rep: Carey Fougere (accepted the nomination) and Curtis Lindenbach (accepted the nomination)
Director: Michael Sutherland (accepted the nomination)
The Executive Committee is responsible for charting the direction of our club, organizing events, and taking care of the "business" side of the CMRA. It is an excellent opportunity to give back to the club that gives us so much fun, and a great opportunity to develop your skills in a not-for-profit organization while getting to know some of your fellow riders a lot better! For more information on what is involved with being on the committee and you you can help, contact cmra@roadracing.org.
See the following links to SE Calgary News to read more about Alderman Ric McIver's new motion to honor the existing lease between the City of Calgary and Race City Motorsports Park.
The City of Calgary Transportation Infrastructure department notified the CMRA yesterday that there will be a detour around 114 Ave starting Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. Detour routes are noted in this excerpt from the notification:
“As part of the 52 St. SE Road Widening project, a total road closure on 114 Ave. SE between 68 St. and 52
This closure will not affect traffic on 52
A detour will be established to ensure access is maintained into Race City Speedway facilities:
From the south: Travel east on Marquis of Lorne Tr. to 84 St. SE…north on 84
From the north: Travel east on Glenmore Tr. to 84 St. SE….south on 84
The reason for the closure is the installation of a storm sewer across 114 Ave. This is needed to ensure there is proper collection of stormwater so that work on the 52 St. Road Widening project can continue without interruption.
Thank you for understanding the need for this road closure.”
News and video from today's riders at the Parts Canada Superbike Championship:
You can help knock prostate cancer from its current status as the number one cancer in Canada. Come join the 2009 Calgary Motorcycle Ride for Dad!
Saturday, June 6th, 2009
$25.00 per rider
The Calgary Motorcycle Ride for Dad (MRFD) is a one-day event that consists of:
• police escorted parade route;
• world famous scenic country 5-card poker route;
• lunch for all registered participants at one of the poker stops;
• gift bags and prizes for riders;
• post-ride motorcycle stunt team, food and entertainment for the whole family!
All riders are welcome from Calgary and the region extending between Red Deer and the Alberta/U.S. border.
Please note our new location at Shouldice Park and Arena which provides us with an indoor venue, just in case of a little sprinkle. This also gives us a comfortable area to give away prizes and listen to our live bands! You‘ll see our Honorary Ride Captain and favorite Alderman, Ric McIver, who just happens to be a motorcycle enthusiast.
Also on board this year is Canadian Chaos to give us a demonstration of their trick riding skills like wheelies, brake stands, burnouts and much more.
Join us again in the good fight to beat the disease that is now the most prevalent cancer in Canada. Prostate cancer can be treated and beaten with early detection. Let’s get the word out, have some fun at the ride and save lives.
Keep your eye on our website www.motorcycleridefordad.org/cal as we are constantly adding new information. You can also register through the website, get information on preferred accommodations (for out-of-town guests) and download pledge forms. If you would like to become more involved, just give us a call or email us: (403) 461-6193 or rickrider@shaw.ca.
Support the Ride, get educated and become aware!
Coverage on SE Calgary News of the 2009 CMRA Race School on Saturday May 9:
http://www.secalgarynews.com/homepage/video-cmra-racing-school-attracts-new-bike-racers/#more-4497
SE Calgary News reports on access to the Kart track. This issue impacts AMRA events on the Kart track, as well as spectator access to the parking lot for large events at Race City like the Parts Canada Superbike Championship.
Story 1
Story 2
SE Calgary News coverage at Race City (Tuesday night baling night).
http://www.secalgarynews.com/homepage/video-calgary-motorcycle-racing-assoc-season-ready-to-go/
Welcome to 2009! The CMRA is hosting a baling and cleanup party on Tuesday May 5 at Race City Motorsport Park, starting at 5:00 pm (and going until dark). Come on down to Race City and let's make sure that the bales are well wrapped and stacked to keep students and racers away from those nasty concrete walls. Remember - the bale you place could save your life!
Bring your friends, family, and volunteers, and let's get the course in shape for a safe 2009 season. We will be re-bagging and restacking bales where suitable, and doing some cleanup around the roadcourse. A few things you will want to bring:
Bale bags and garbage bags will be provided at the track. We'll plan on beer and wings after the work is done if people are interested, and don't forget that every 2 hrs spent working earns you a free entry pass to a CMRA race event! See you there!
Markham Hislop offers more insight into the City of Calgary's plans, actions, and treatment of Race City surrounding the construction that has happened at 68th Street (on the west side of Race City property) since September 2008. Two very good articles and a video interview with Art Mackenzie and Alderman Ric MacIver.
Markham Hislop has posted a very informative video which explains the current situation between Art Mackenzie (owner of Race City Motorsport Park) and the City of Calgary. The video runs about 15 minutes, and is a must-see for Calgary motorsports fans, the users of Race City, and the citizens of Calgary. Click here to go to SE Calgary News and see the video.
The annual World of Wheels show hits Calgary this weekend at the Roundup Center! Whether you're a gearhead or just like the look of a fine machine, this auto show has it all. The 3-day event is the city's largest indoor custom auto show featuring vintage, custom, muscle cars and bikes plus trucks and race vehicles and the latest motorcycle models.
Over the three days, there will be a host of events and attractions including Harley-Davidson Fashion Shows; a Collector Car Auction; a Motorcycle & Collectibles Auction; a Miss World of Wheels Contest and much more.
CMRA booth organizer Tim Johnson is co-hosting this year's edition with BGPR to promote roadracing related events including the CMRA school and races, BGPR schools and track days, and the Calgary round of the Parts Canada Superbike Series. Tim notes "After all the negative press about Race City last September, it is critical that we tell Calgarians that Race City is open for business this year. This is a great opportunity for all of the motorcycle roadracing community to pull together and let track day enthusiasts, students, volunteers and fans know that our season is full-on for 2009."
There will be a draw at the booth where three lucky contestants will win a CMRA Race School, a BGPR riding school, and a ten-ticket package to the Parts Canada Superbike Series in Calgary. Club volunteers who want to help man the booth can contact Tim Johnson before Thursday Feb 19. Show times are Friday 3:00 - 10:30, Sat 11:00 - 10:00, and Sunday 11:00 - 7:00.
CMRA 2009 Race Registration will open on Saturday February 7 at 12:01 a.m. Remember - the order of gridding for Round 1 is based on the order of receipt of online registrations! To register, click on the orange "Registration and Results" button on the Front Page, and good luck this season - let's make it a great one. If you have problems registering, please contact John Jones by e-mail.
More details from Markham Hislop in "SE Calgary News". Here are his January 29 and 30th stories:
Bow Cycle and Kawasaki back Karthaus
From Majik X
CALGARY, AB -- Bow Cycle, in co-operation with Canadian Kawasaki Motors has announced it will team up to support Majik X’s female racer Amy Karthaus for the 2009 season.
Karthaus will ride Kawasaki's new ZX-6R in the CMRA Amateur 600 championship along with the Middleweight classes in the Masters of the Mountain Series at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, MRA in Colorado and selected rounds of the Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike national series.
“I’m going to race to win," she said. "With this new bike, and all of our extraordinary sponsors for 2009, I really feel like I’m up to the challenge. Bow Cycle really pressed to get me this support and I can’t thank them enough for that.
"I am so excited to race the brand new ZX6. Everyone’s been talking so highly about it I can’t wait to see what she’ll do on the asphalt. This is the bike I've been after and I know that the equipment is capable of winning championships. So the rest is up to me.”
Karthaus burst onto the scene in 2006, competing in the CMRA's Novice Class in Calgary aboard a 2003 Kawasaki 636. She followed up the next season with a Novice win in Spokane, WA and respectable podium finishes with the Women’s Cup in Eastern Canada. She celebrated a career best in 2008 by finishing fifth in the CMRA Amateur Middleweight Sportbike championship.
Karthaus will once again represent Majik X in 2009. Three-time CMRA Superbike Champion Mike Zottmann (owner, crew chief and mechanic of Majix X) will watch over her throughout the '09 season.
“If it weren’t for the support of Mike and my wonderful family I would be lost," she said. "I am one lucky lady.”
Karthaus also teams up with Monster Energy, Michelin, Lockhart Phillips, Pilot Leathers, Shoei, Sidi, Ogio, Hotbodies, Dirty Kustoms, Galfer, APE Race Parts, Vortex, Rockwell Time, Oakley, Bella Bellastic, One Track Mind and Motoress.
For more information on the situation between Race City and the City of Calgary, please read this editorial by Markham Hislop:
http://www.secalgarynews.com/opinion/race-city-round-two/
and the subsequent article from later in the day.
January 26, 2008: Calgary City Council voted today on the issue of extending the lease at Race City until 2015, and the motion was defeated by a 7-7 vote. Alderman Dale Hodges was away with an illness and is believed to be a supporter of Race City. Although there was a very short article in the "City" section of Tuesday's Herald, "SE Calgary News" editor Markham Hislop published the following article on his internet paper. To see his article go to: http://www.secalgarynews.com/featured/7-7-vote-tie-goes-to-the-city-council-defeats-motion-to-extend-race-city-lease/#more-1604
Just posted on cdnsuperbike.com and roadracingworld.com
TORONTO, Ont. (January 15) – The Parts Canada Superbike Championship returns to one of its most storied venues when the third round of the national motorcycle road race series visits Race City Motorsport Park in Calgary June 25-28, 2009. The 3.2km (2.0-mile), 11-turn track hosted its first national in 1987 and this summer’s event will be the 27 at Race City. Only Shannonville Motorsport Park in Ontario has run more Canadian Superbike rounds. The event will be promoted by Kel Davidsen and Tim Johnson, both longtime local racers and executive members of the Calgary Motorcycle Roadracing Association. “It is exciting to have experienced motorcycle racers and organizers like Kel and Tim looking after the Race City round,” said Colin Fraser of Professional Motorsports Productions, which organizes the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. “The Alberta motorcycle community is important to us and we look forward to bringing our series back to Calgary this summer. The 53-year-old Davidsen was an original CMRA member when the club was founded in 1987 and served as its president from 2004 to 2007. Johnson, 42, started racing with the CMRA in 1993 and was its president in 2008. Johnson also worked with PMP in its SunTrust Moto-ST Series in 2007.
For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com
The September CMRA Executive meeting was held last Tuesday, and a rulebook committee meeting is scheduled for Oct 7 to finalize the wording of rulebook changes. We would like to give members the opportunity to discuss the rule change proposals at the General Meeting, so the date for the General Meeting is being changed to Monday October 20, 7:30 pm at the Blackfoot Inn comedy club.
We will also extend the deadline for Executive nominations to Monday October 20. The three open positions are President (Tim Johnson) and two Director positions (Brad Gavey and Mark Balderson). I encourage all of the riders to consider what they have received from the club, and consider giving something back by volunteering on your Executive committee. Both roles are excellent opportunities to develop your skills and work with a great group of people, helping to run the club that makes it possible for you to do your favorite thing in the world - racing. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for one of these positions, please e-mail cmra@roadracing.org, or contact me if you would like to find out more about what is involved in these roles. Thanks,
Tim Johnson, CMRA President
If you haven't already purchased your tickets for the CMRA Banquet, they are now available ONLINE on the CMRA registration system. Just click on Registration and Results, sign in, click on the "Buy Tickets" button, select the tickets you wish to purchase and use PayPal to complete your transaction. The deadline for ticket purchases is Monday Nov 10.
The banquet is at 6 p.m., Saturday Nov 15 at the Austrian Cdn Cultural Center, 3112 11 St. NE. There will be door prizes, a DJ, slide show, and of course the year-end awards. See you there!
Thanks to all riders for a fantastic job pre-registering for Rounds 5 & 6. Keep up the good work in 2009 and we'll have a terrific season.
Don't forget to renew your membership/license by the end of the February general meeting in order to keep your previous year's race number! See you in the new year!"
Thanks and congrats on your good race weekend!
Kim
On behalf of the CMRA, I would like to welcome all of the fans and volunteers that will be coming out to the track this weekend to enjoy our last action packed double-header of the season. From our media blitz in the news this week (Global TV, CJay 92, the Calgary Herald) to the ticket promotions we have undertaken in the past two weeks, we expect our biggest crowd of the season. The CMRA is proud to present our 21st season of roadracing in Calgary, and we plan to be back next year in 2009. The CMRA is a non-profit organization that is run entirely by volunteers, and we welcome you to join us whether it be as a volunteer, a rider, or a spectator. We hope you revel in our celebration of speed and competition - enjoy the weekend.
Sincerely,
Tim Johnson, CMRA President, #33
If you have never been to the track before, here are a few tips:
Directions - click on this link for directions to the track.
What to bring? Hats and sunscreen for Saturday, and maybe an umbrella for Sunday (this is Calgary, and we do race in the rain), your camera, maybe a pen for riders to autograph your kids programs! Ear plugs or other ear protection are recommended, especially for children. Long pants if you plan to walk around the track perimeter.
What to do when you get there? Sign the waiver at the gate and take a complimentary program. Park by the oval on the south side of the paddock away from the racers area so that it does not get too congested where the riders are working. Feel free to roam the paddock and meet the riders! Ask questions - the riders are happy to talk to you! If the pit seems "busy" with riders and crew working on bikes, or if they have an event coming up, give them some space.
Will there be food? Yes - grab some lunch at the concession stand, and head to the stands to watch the action! CMRA announcer Stu McColl will keep you fully updated on the afternoon's races.
Can we walk around the track? Yes. The area inside the fence is off limits to spectators, but you are allowed to walk 1-2 km from the north end of the paddock around the north and east sides of the race course. This enables you to see more of the south end of the course and stretch your legs! Make sure you wear long pants for this walk - the grass is tall!
Can I get involved? YES. You can be part of the action! The CMRA is always looking for new volunteers to help out on the roadcourse, and these are the best seats in the house. As a volunteer you will receive free admission, free lunch, a Saturday BBQ at the end of the day, and cool prizes like T-shirt's. If you want more information on volunteering, e-mail Stu McColl, or be at the track by 8:30 a.m. and ask to see Stu McColl.
How do I start racing? E-mail the CMRA at cmra@roadracig.org with any questions you may have on how to get started in racing - we'd love to help!
At the August 17 Round 4 weekend, the CMRA announced a fundrasing effort for injured former rider Dale Yamada, who was hit by a car while riding his street bike on June 18 (see July 30 article below). Thanks to the generosity of the riders and matching donations by the CMRA, together we raised $2500 which was used in part to pay for a birthday party for Dale and Michelle's children Cade and Samantha, with the remainder going to Dale and family.
I am proud of the support the club has shown for Dale, and I know his whole family really appreciated it. Thanks again, and here is a note from Dale and pictures from the party.
Tim
If you are reading the news this week, you might be wondering what is going on at Race City. The report in Wednesday's Calgary Herald and the subsequent letter to the editor in today's (Thursday) edition paint a bleak picture, and if you didn't read carefully the articles made it look like the whole place was shutting down. In fact, that is not the case as rental events like CMRA roadracing and BGPR schools and track nights are business as usual for the remainder of 2008, and we expect for 2009 as well.
It is unfortunate for the CMRA that the news gives the appearance that our Sept 20-21 events are cancelled, because we want to keep people coming in and filling those stands for what will be a great finale to the year. The CMRA is taking action by distributing promotional tickets to several large companies in Calgary, and we hope that everyone will invite their friends, families, and co-workers to come out and watch the exciting double-header weekend. Make sure you register in advance as usual, and we'll see you at the track!
Tim Johnson, CMRA President
Riders,
Please take a moment to visit this link and read a great article on the art of passing:
Do you have a motorcycle or scooter? Perhaps you’re thinking of getting one for those workday commutes?
Ride to Work Day’ is happening today - Wednesday, July 16!
“Ride to Work Day is an international event focused on the benefits of riding motorcycles and scooters,” says Brad Watson, founder of the TC Riders and coordinator of TransCanada’s participation in the event. “Our event also raises funds for Richard’s Ride for Asthma Awareness.”
The fund is in memory of Richard Dawson, aged 19, a graduate from St. Mary’s High School in Calgary, who lost his life to a fatal asthma attack in 1994. His family established Richard’s Ride for Asthma Research to raise awareness and educate other young people about this potentially life-threatening disease.
Monies raised will be directed towards asthma awareness programs within the Calgary community.
This year’s Calgary event, sponsored by H&R Property Management, includes:
Employees working outside the Calgary area are encouraged to participate in Ride to Work Day in your own community. More information is available at http://www.ridetowork.org/
(CMRA posters were given out at this event, and promotional tickets were presented to each rider who attended the event. Tim Johnson had his race bike on display, and CMRA racer Paul Slack's wife was also on hand volunteering for the event! If there is a community event in your area that you can use to promote the CMRA, contact Tim Johnson to find out how we can promote our sport and get more fans in the stands!)
Heavy rains in the Calgary area resulted in large amounts of standing water at Race City Motorsport Park. Also in no small part due to the weather, there was a very poor turnout of corner worker volunteers. As a result, a difficult decision was made to cancel Saturday practice. Rains came and went throughout the day, flooding most of the apex's on the roadcourse.
CMRA President Tim Johnson commented "We sure are hoping for clearer weather for Sunday. It was pretty disappointing for everyone to cancel practice today, but I am optomistic that we will be able to run tomorrow. I also hope that the riders will be able to bring more volunteers as well, as we can't run a successful event without them."
Race Director Stu McColl indicated that races will likely be shortened from 10 laps to 8, in order to provide a bit more time for practice Sunday morning. Racing is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m., so dress warm, bring an umbrella, and come out to "catch a wave" on Sunday!
Urgent Notice to CMRA Racers! We are still looking for people to work in technical inspection for the 2008 season. Without tech inspection, no one goes on the track, so it is in your best interest to find some mechanically inclined people who can inspect racing motorcycles for a couple of hours Saturday mornings, and the chief inspector needs to be available throughout the weekend.
We are also looking for additional help in timing and scoring. This position requires that you can learn to run a simple computer based timing system and work with a small team to time our practice and race events.
And of course, we are always need more corner workers, pre-grid marshalls, and rescue personnel! Make sure you bring a volunteer to the track - we cannot race without them!
If you know of someone who is interested in these positions, please contact your Director of Volunteers, Stu McColl. There are lots of perks - free admission, lunch is provided, and you get the best seats in the house! Training Day is Saturday May 17 - while new riders are learning the track, our new volunteers are instructed on their roles as officials.
Also don't forget that this Saturday May 17 at 11:00 a.m. we need to load and transport about 400 bales to the track, and we'll only have from 12:00 - 1:00 to do it. If you are not instructing that day, bring a friend and a truck and lets "Git Er Done!". Practice for Rnd 1will not begin until all of these bales are deployed, and we do not have access to the track unless we have a CMRA event there as it is fully booked every day and most evenings. On the bright side, lunch (subs) will be provided, so come on out and enjoy the sunshine while protecting yourself from nasty concrete walls! See you there!
May 15 Bale Update:
Thanks to Kel Davidsen, Manny Lee, and Carey Fougere for helping me take another 100 bales onto the track on Thursday after the BGPR track night! Great job guys! Only 300 bales left to go...
With only three weekends remaining before the CMRA race school, WE NEED YOU!
After a recent visit to the track, Carey Fougere found that many straw bales need re-bagging, as the sun has deteriorated the plastic bags. Bales are critical to riders' safety, and many of the bales will need to be re-bagged.
We are searching for a supplier of ultra-violet resistant plastic bags, so if anyone has a contact please let Joe P know.
Although we cannot plan exact dates until we get new plastic bags in our hands, remember to leave time in your schedule to come out and bag some bales the weekends of May 3-4 and May 10-11.
In addition to straw baling efforts, Rick Francescone of the Calgary Motorsports Association is looking for volunteers to do some spring clean-up at the track. Mowing the grass and painting curbs make our events much safer and look more professional!
Check this website and the CMA website for more details and dates.
Lost in cyberland? Can't figure out what to register for?
Help is on the way! The CMRA Registrar Kim Jones is offering direct help for people registering for CMRA events. If you have questions about how the CMRA registration website works, how to use PayPal to pay for your events, or any other queries regarding school, practice, or race registration and licensing, just contact Kim Jones.
If your question is complicated, just provide your phone number and Kim will call you back when she has a spare moment. Kim is working hard to make your weekend run smoothly, so do her (and yourself!) a favor and register early via the website - it is a whole lot easier to do it online than at the track!
The annual Calgary "World of Wheels" exhibition will be held on Feb 22-24, 2008 at the Round-up Centre. The newly formed "Calgary Motorsports Association" (CMA) will have a booth in the show to promote the need for a racing facility in the Calgary area, and the benefits of motorsports activities in the Calgary community. This is a great opportunity for CMRA members to get out there and plug the fun and safety benefits of our racing events and our club.
The CMRA is providing a DVD of bikes to play in the booth during the show, and our poster will be displayed at the booth. There will be a petition regarding the need for a motorsports facility and a fuel petition available for signing at the booth.
CMRA members who are interested in promoting the need for a roadcourse facility in Calgary to the general public are encouraged to participate by volunteering to work this booth. Volunteers will work in 2 hour shifts (or more if you'd like) on Friday 3:00pm-10:30pm, Sat 11:00am-10:00pm, and Sun 11:00am-7:00pm. If you are available to help, please e-mail Rick Francescone. You can also visit the CMA website for more information.
Please welcome your new CMRA Executive members to the team! The voting was close, and the results are:
For Director: Guy Thomlinson Sr. 16 votes, Dave Stokowski 13 votes. Guy Sr. can always be found at the track supporting Guy Thomlinson Jr., and he has years of experience around the track both at the club and Cdn National levels. Guy is a real estate expert with an excellent business background, and his experience and enthusiasm is welcomed by the Executive team.
For Riders Rep: Dave Prendergast 15 votes, Curtis Lindenbach 12 votes. Dave is a veteran racer and competes on a 250 GP bike. He is a former CMRA President (2001-2003) and his marketing talents and experience will continue to benefit the organization.
Please also welcome:
Treasurer Gail Gerber. Gail rides a 600 and has done very well on the track in BGPR schools! She has extensive experience working as a Treasurer in the not-for-profit sector volunteering for Ducks Unlimited, and I am really looking forward to working with Gail.
Vice-President Joe Peskunowicz. Joe races a Ducati in "Ducati Cup". Joe is a Professional Engineer and the Chief Operating Officer of Canyon Technical Services, a oilfield servicing company based out of
President Tim Johnson. Tim has raced with the CMRA since 1993, and currently competes on a Suzuki GSX-R 1000. Tim is a Professional Engineer with TransCanada PipeLines. Tim has formerly held a number of positions in the CMRA including Director, Secretary, Auditor/Treasurer, and most recently Vice-President. He is looking forward to serving as President and working with the fantastic group of volunteers that make up the 2008 Executive committee.
Thanks to all of the candidates who ran in the election, and we encourage Dave S., Curtis, and anyone else who has an interest in volunteering with the Executive to come out and join us at the meetings - your contributions are always welcome!
The voting ballots for the 2008 CMRA Elections have been e-mailed to the members, and now it's up to you to choose your candidate! The positions that are being voted upon for 2008 are:
Director: Dave Stokowski or Guy Thomlinson Sr.
Riders Representative: Curtis Lindenbach or Dave Prendergast.
The deadline for voting is Friday November 2 at 6 pm. Good luck to all of the candidates!
If members have not recieved their e-mail ballot, it is because they either don't have e-mail or because they have not updated their e-mail address in the Registration website. If you are a paid CMRA member in 2007 and have not received an e-mail ballot, please notify Vice President Tim Johnson and we will get your vote included.
OKTOBERFEST RACING IS ON!!!
For the first time in history, it looks like the CMRA will be heading to the track in October! The forecast is looking good for October 13/14 with predicted highs of 16˚C to 17˚C, shaping up for a beautiful fall weekend. Plan to be at the track Saturday morning for a regular weekend - practice Sunday and racing on Sunday. Depending on the overnight lows and morning track conditions there is a chance the schedule could be modified to have some races Saturday afternoon to take advantage of the warmer afternoon weather. At this point however, the Race Day Handout is going to print Tuesday morning with the standard weekend schedule. For updates and forecasts on Calgary weather, check the weather network.
Tech, T's, and Registration Help
Registration closes at 9:45 a.m. Saturday morning, and although tech will be open all day we need to have everyone inspected before practice starts! Big thanks to Lee Smith and Stu McColl for stepping up to help out our tech inspector Brian Veldhuis on Saturday to help things move more quickly. HOWEVER, we can't have too many people helping in tech, and we need more help! If you know of anyone who can inspect a race bike for safety, or handle some paperwork for this weekends "one stop shopping" at tech for pre-registered and pre-paid riders, please have them contact Stu McColl. Free entry, lunch, and maybe even a T-shirt! Tech will open at 7:30 a.m., so be there early!
Big thanks to our in-house graphics designer Edwin Herrenschmidt for designing and ordering new CMRA T-shirts that will be on sale for $20 at Rounds 4 and 5! Now all we are missing is someone to take care of them and sell them. If someone out there can take care of T-shirt sales for the weekend, please contact Tim Johnson.
CMRA 20th ANNIVERSARY BANQUET
The CMRA Banquet has been re-scheduled for Saturday November 3, 2007 at Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre: 3112 11 Street NE, Calgary. Cocktails at 6:00, Dinner at 7:00. Dress is smart casual.
Tickets are available from Stu and Iris at the races Sept 15-16. Tickets may also be purchased online through the registration system and PayPal, although this functionality is not online just yet (watch for it). Tickets purchased online will be available for pick-up at the door. Ticket prices are $25 for one, $40 for a couple, and 1/2 price for Volunteers! The deadline for banquet ticket purchases will be Wednesday October 31, but don't wait until the last minute!
Thanks in advance to Mikal Zottmann, Brad Gavey, and Kel Davidsen (Tage Davidsen Drywall) for committing to door prizes so far, and also special thanks to Carey Fougere for his relentless footwork in approaching the bike shops for door prize donations! Members - if you know of a business who can donate a door prize for our banquet, contact Carey Fougere and let him know what you can bring!
20 successful years of roadracing in Calgary is a real achievement, so come on out and celebrate! Take an evening to thank your volunteers, congratulate the champions, and you might even take home a door prize!
SEPT. 10 GENERAL MEETING NOTICE
The next CMRA September General meeting will be held on Monday September 10, 7:00 p.m. at Yuk Yuk’s in the Blackfoot Inn (5940 Blackfoot Trail SE). Registration will be available for Rounds 4, 5, and make-up Round 3. There will be several important items for discussion, including:
MAKE-UP ROUND 3 DATE CHANGE
On September 5, the CMRA was notified that due to a scheduling conflict at Race City, the make-up Round 3 date of October 6-7 has been changed to October 13-14. This final round of the season will be the standard, single round "practice Saturday, race Sunday" schedule. Concerns over weather and the amount of daylight should not be significantly different than the weekend before. Obviously we roll the dice with any event scheduled in October, but this is the best date available.
On the bright side, the Thanksgiving long weekend (Oct 6-8 with the holiday Monday) is now wide open to spend with family eating turkey! Enjoy the long weekend, and pray for "Indian Summer" in mid-October! Gobble gobble!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED SEPTEMBER 15-16
For the CMRA double-header weekend September 15-16, we need track volunteers! Remember, Saturday practice is OUT, and Saturday racing is IN. We will need a full contingent of track workers bright and early Satuday morning, so RACERS - PLEASE remember to ask a friend and bring someone to the track. Be at Race City by 8:45 a.m. so you can catch the 9 a.m. riders meeting. Practice starts at 9:30 Saturday. Remember that all volunteers receive free entry, free lunch, a BBQ is planned for Saturday evening, and don't forget that these are the best seats in the house!
For more information on volunteering with the CMRA, contact the Volunteers Rep Stu McColl. See you at the track!
CMRA ROUND 3 CANCELLED - JULY 28-29
It is with deep regret that the CMRA announces the cancellation of Round 3 (July 28/29, 2007).
Track repairs were required before racing could take place. A paving crew was at the track Friday July 27 to make repairs, but unfortunately were unable to complete their work.
Further information regarding the remainder of the 2007 CMRA season will be posted as it becomes available.
Refunds for the Round 3 weekend can be applied for by printing page six in the 2007 Membership and Licence file. Send a completed hardcopy refund form to the CMRA.
NATIONALS VOTES IS IN
The results are in for the CMRA vote to determine:
"Do you want the CMRA to run Round 3 combined with the Calgary Nationals?"
The final result was:
Yes 30 votes
No 35 votes
Therefore, the CMRA will not be running with the Nationals this weekend in Calgary. For those that participated, thank you for your votes. There are 123 members in total, so the participation rate was 53%. If you take out the 9 members that did not provide telephone or e-mail contact information on the registration website and who probably did not know about this vote, the participation rate would rise to 57%.
The CMRA encourages its eligible members to come out and race at the Nationals to support the event. Either you will learn a lot, or you can show our fellow National Series riders that YOU OWN THIS TRACK BABY.
Please remember you can still show up and volunteer this weekend - there are never too many corner workers! Thanks again for your participation, and see you at the track.
RULES Q&A
In response to questions that were received in the past couple of months, the CMRA put together a Q&A that will hopefully clarify the rules and procedures for racing with the CMRA. Enjoy.
REGISTRATION TIPS
Gates are scheduled to open at Race City at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Registration will be open from 8:15 to noon on Saturday, and 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. Any cancellations must be made before Sunday at 9:30 at registration in order for you to be eligible for a refund.
Online registration will be closed on the Friday before the race week-end at 6:00 pm. After this time, you must register in person at the registration desk in the cafeteria at Race City.
If you are paying by cheque but have not sent it in yet, please bring your cheque to the track. If you have already sent in a cheque but Registration does not have it on Saturday, then you will have to write another cheque, and your first one will either be returned or destroyed.
If you have pre-purchased tickets for CMRA events on the registration website, your tickets should be at the competitors gate in an envelope with your name on it for your pick-up.
2007 RACE CITY PROGRAMS
When reviewing the extensive list of events for the year, Rome highlighted the double header Parts Canada Superbike Championship June 29 - July 1. Rome alluded to big developments at Race City in the next 10-15 years, and he really wants to make enough money to re-invest in the facility. Part of that funding will come from increased spectator counts, and Race City is putting forth a concentrated effort in promoting its events. Although new pavement is not in the near future for the roadcourse, Rome did mention safety and re-baling as a priority for this year, and he also hinted at the possibility of removing more concrete walls in the facility. Whether or not wall improvements will be made in 2007 will be firmed up in the coming weeks.
Race City sponsors for 2007 include CityTV and the Calgary Sun, Trade Publications, Blackfoot Motosports and Blackfoot Suzuki, MTS Racing Fuels, Chorus Radio, Standard Radio, Rogers Media, Global TV, and the Calgary Herald. The CMRA will discuss the many media outlets with Race City to investigate potential synergies in both advertising and event reporting.
Rome's biggest news of the evening was related to a new affiliation between Race City and NASCAR. The NASCAR Whelen All American Series will be a feature event in 2007. With the purchase of a $90 U.S. NASCAR membership card, members will receive a Race City seasons' pass (valued at $250 Cdn) to all Race City promoted events. The NASCAR membership pass would include the Parts Canada Superbike weekend, but does not include the CMRA promoted regional events. Also included with a NASCAR membership is a one million dollar insurance policy for competitors, crew members, and spectators at NASCAR affiliated events. Although bike events are completely unrelated to the NASCAR affiliation, roadracers should be interested in this development as it hopefully will strengthen Race City as an organization, and a strong Race City is good for the CMRA.
The main series Rome highlighted for 2007 include:
NASCAR Whelen All American Series, the Western Elite Stock Car Tour, Wilroc Sprint Cars (from Vancouver Island), Newalta Late Model Challenge Series, IHRA Summit Super Series (drags), the double header Parts Canada Superbike Championship, IMCA Wolff Pack Run, Auto Value Saturday Night Stocks, and IHRA Drag Racing. Rome also mentioned seven car schools.
See you at the track!
