RCMP operating racing program at Castrol Raceway

CTV Edmonton: Police offer legal racing program RCMP officers are running a racing program at Castrol Raceway to help educate people on road safety.

A program at Castrol Raceway has been giving people the opportunity to race against the law.

“Kids can come up and challenge us to a race and it doesn't matter what the result is, if they win they get a t-shirt that says 'I raced the law and I won',” Stony Plain RCMP Cst. Gordon Buck told CTV News.

Cst. Buck explained that Y.I.E.L.D has been trying to make roadways safer through education.

“I’ve been with the RCMP over 34 years and over that time we've shown that strict enforcement itself won't stop racing or high risk activities on the street. Only through the strong education program can we ever hope to make some sort of a difference.”

One of the program volunteers credits the legal racing program for changing his life.

Forest Ohneck was caught street racing on Highway 16A and was looking at having to pay thousands in fines. However, Ohneck was able to make amends by volunteering his time with the program.

“At first I thought I was in the wrong place at the wrong time but this whole program has been a real blessing and I credit the program to saving my life. It's hard to say where I would be at this point.

“A few years prior to me getting my community service I had a friend of mine nearly killed in a street race on Groat Road so I took it to heart.”

Y.I.E.L.D holds the racing events each summer.

“We're really fortunate Castrol Raceway opens up their track on Friday nights to enable people to bring their own private vehicles out and find out who's faster whether it's your neighbour buddy or whoever,” Cst Buck said.

“At the track it's a controlled environment where as on the street you have so much collateral damage if there's a collision.”

For more information on the program, visit the Y.I.E.L.D website or their Facebook page.

According to Castrol’s website there will be over 22 races held on their quarter mile strip in 2014.

To find out more about participating visit the Raceway website.

With files from Nicole Weisberg