PROVE IT ON THE TRACK, NOT ON THE STREETS

by Chantelle Quan-Vie Published: March 17, 2008

 

Courtesy of TASR Website

When it comes to stopping street racing in the GTA, Celina Lopes and Matthew Makarucha have the right idea.

They have created an event called Tuners Against Street Racing (TASR), which hopes to give the youth of tomorrow the tools to make educated driving decisions.

Lopes and Makarucha are students who believe there is a distinction between Tuners and Street Racers.

“Tuners love their cars, put time, money and effort into making them what they are,” says Lopes. “Why would they risk all of that by racing on the street?”

She hopes that TASR will bring light to the fact that just because you are a tuner, does not mean that you are a street racer.

 

Courtesy of TASR Website

TASR is a car show with a purpose. All funds collected from registrations and booths go to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Peel Region. Since street racing is an issue associated with young people, they wanted to bring something innovative to the scene: a car show with a cause.

Tuners Against Street Racing will hold their second annual event on July 13, 2008 at Johnston Research and Performance (JRP) in Mississauga. JRP is one of the leading importers of modification parts in Canada, and they have graciously donated their space for the event. This event is a charity car show, but will also include a Show & Shine Competition and live entertainment by up-and-coming Canadian DJs and artists.

By having Big Brothers and Big Sisters as the cause, it will be an opportunity to show young people that taking it to the track is cool, and that racing on the street isn’t. Focusing on the youth of tomorrow is important to TASR to show youth that there are alternatives to street racing.

 

Tuned Subaru Impreza - Photography by Chantelle M Quan-Vie

“Bringing the kids into the show, educating them, creating role models and having them ask questions is the answer,” says Makarucha.

The focus of the show is to bring it all back to the community and make it a safer place.

“Funding is really hard, but we’re doing what we can to take it to schools and maybe show the youth… that you can race on the track.”

He hopes that TASR can become an organization that can then create programs to be brought into high schools.

 

Tuner Vehicles at Darknights - Photography by Chantelle M Quan-Vie

“Because I am a racing enthusiast, why not put a little bit of a racing aspect into it, but from a different perspective, where you can actually demonstrate it at a car show? In addition to having automotive enthusiasts who are modifying cars, you can also bring the racing aspect into it from a different perspective where they can get involved in actual racing at the track.”

This is what Makarucha wants, and TASR hopes to encourage this ideology.

For those interested in getting involved with TASR volunteers are always welcome. There is a lot of set up and background work that needs to be completed, along with creating gift bags for the competitors. To participate in the event, registration is $15 per car ($10 per car for 5 or more cars). There are numerous categories to compete in such as Best of Show, Best Import, Best Domestic, and Best Female Ride.

Makarucha hopes youth will see that if you want to be cool, racing on the track is the place to be.