Excessive speeds, impromptu drag races on city streets and a general disregard for the Highway Safety Code are frequent causes of automobile accidents in Quebec, particularly among young people. Now for the first time in the greater Montreal area, BFGoodrich Tires will offer speed buffs a weekly opportunity to hit the strip in a 100% legally safe, controlled drag-racing environment.
On Wednesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. beginning September 4, THE BFGOODRICH TIRES CHALLENGE will open the Autodrome in Saint-Eustache to drivers of cars, motorcycles and light trucks eager to compete against each other. For a modest entry fee of $5, participants will test their machines against rivals on a closed racetrack, along a 300-meter acceleration section.
"We believe that by providing this activity, we can encourage anyone who enjoys a high-performance rush to pit themselves against other vehicles in a safe environment instead of on city streets," BFGoodrich Tires Public Relations Manager Sylvain Leclerc explained. "We think this will help to reduce illegal spontaneous racing in the Greater Montreal Area."
Proximity to Montreal and easy access make the Saint-Eustache Autodrome an ideal environment for this activity. It's fully equipped for racing, with a starting signal, finish line lights and qualified racetrack staff on hand, as well as security vehicles and personnel.
SAAQ (Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec) statistics show that speeding runs a close second to alcohol as the highest cause of auto accidents in Quebec, resulting in 200 deaths and 6,000 injuries every year. A SAAQ study has also found that over 70% of Quebec's drivers fail to obey speed limits.