Montreal’s NASCAR race gets $800,000 boost

Canada's Jacques Villeneuve(22) slams his Ruby Tuesday Dodge into Australia's Marcos Ambrose(9) in the Stanley Ford at the Senna Corner during the NAPA Auto Parts 200 NASCAR Nationwide race Saturday, August 20, 2011 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

MONTREAL—The NAPA 200 is getting a financial boost before next month's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Race organizers in the past have threatened to leave without more public funds.

The governments of Canada, Quebec and the City of Montreal are kicking in a combined $800,000 to support the race for the next three years.

While the race has seen increasing popularity—the NAPA 200 was named the best Nationwide race of the year by NASAR last year—organizers would always like to see more fans in the seats as they get set for the sixth running of the race.

Of the 150,000 fans last year, only 15 per cent came from the U.S.

Sponsors say the new money will be used to promote the race to tourists.

A breakdown of the financial support from the three levels of government: $300,000 from Canada's Economic Development Agency for Quebec, $300,000 from Quebec's department of tourism, $100,000 from the City of Montreal and another $100,000 from Tourism Montreal.

Race operators said that they will invest the funds to attract local race-goers, tourists from within Quebec, the rest of Canada and the Unites States.

According to Francois Dumontier, the race needs to keep going because of the tremendous exposure it gives Montreal, the province and the country through heavy television viewing and the positive comments from the NASCAR community.

“Our objective over the next three years is to bring the Sprint Cup race [NASCAR’s top division] and that requires more money,” said Dumontier, a spokesman for race organizer Octane Management. “It isn’t for the survival of the event, but it is helping.”

NASCAR rolls into town from August 16th to 18th at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.