Proudly Sponsored By
Overview
The day the second automobile rolled off the assembly line, drivers began racing each other on public streets. Today, this dangerous behaviour has escalated to the point that it poses a serious and ongoing threat to public safety. Illegal street racing and intersection takeovers have led to countless lives being lost and serious, life-altering injuries.
Social media has played a major role in this rise, often glorifying dangerous driving and encouraging high-risk behaviour for attention and online recognition. Right Track Racing is an anti-aggressive driving initiative determined to change this culture through education, over-enforcement, and the promotion of safer alternatives.
If you're tempted to street race, take it to the track.
Right Track Racing
The Right Track Racing program was created utilizing the unique experiences of police officers who share a passion for racing and automotive culture. We are car people ourselves, and we want to make sure that the entire car community is not looked down on because of the actions of a few. Our focus is on reducing dangerous, high-risk behaviours on public roadways through education, mentorship, and public awareness campaigns, all with the goal of making our roads safer for everyone.
There are three pillars of the program:
- A one-hour presentation delivered to schools and community groups.
- A race team featuring a drag race car built to mimic a police car, used in racing exhibitions and community events.
- Youth outreach initiatives targeting those at risk of street racing, including field trips to motorsports events, skill development days, and community safety events.
- A G1 preparation program geared towards road safety.
Join the Fun!
Our Racecar
Our racecar started life as a 2007 V6 Ford Mustang that Right Track Racing is currently building into a full racecar, purposely build for drag racing. The racecar will be outfitted to look like a Police car and will be featured in community and school events as well as be raced in exhibition races at the drag strip.
Follow us on social media for updates!
ABOUT US
As members of the 43 Division Community Response Unit, Blaise Kurucz and Jeff Dowding were tasked with developing initiatives designed to build trust with members of the community. Both Blaise and Jeff shared a passion for drag racing and experience building race cars. While brainstorming ideas for new initiatives, Blaise half-jokingly suggested taking a group of kids to the drag strip for the day and Right Track Racking was born. The program started with making a simple anti street racing / stunt driving presentation in local high schools which garnered more positive attention than either ever imagined. Today, the program has evolved to include field trips to racing/skill development events in collaboration with various community groups. The future of the program will highlight a drag race car outfitted to resemble a police cruiser, and will be incorporated into events. Since day one, the goal of the program has been to encourage automotive enthusiasts to refrain from illegal activity and to “take it to the track”.
OUR STORY - BLAISE KURUCZ
Blaise Kurucz grew up in Malvern, in Toronto's east end, where his passion for cars began in high school. Like many young people drawn to car culture, he started spending time with friends who were into cars and racing, including Eric Latino, who was operating Redline Automotive at the time. What started as a love for cars quickly turned into street racing, and after crashing his father's car, Blaise began to realize how dangerous that lifestyle could be.
By the age of 19, Blaise was working at Phoenix Performance building drag race cars, fully immersed in the racing world. He spent his nights racing on the streets into the early hours of the morning, while his parents had no idea what he was doing. Over time, mentors in the racing community encouraged him to take his racing off the streets and onto the track, a decision that would change the direction of his life.
Blaise worked at Phoenix Performance with Don Phoenix for seven years, building drag race cars, and then went on to become an apprentice mechanic with Guild Electric for four years. In 2005, Blaise was hired as a Toronto Police officer.
Having lived on both sides of the street racing world, as a street racer and later as a police officer responding to fatal crashes, Blaise saw firsthand the consequences of dangerous driving and the lives it destroys. We are making the consequences increasingly serious, and the problem has gotten worse. He realized that enforcement alone would never solve the problem. What was needed was education, mentorship, and someone who could speak to young drivers from experience, not just authority.
Right Track Racing was created from that idea to reach the next generation before a ticket, a crash, or a tragedy changes their lives or someone else's forever.
"I was a street racer. I became a police officer. Now I'm trying to make sure the next generation doesn't have to learn the hard way."
Jeff Dowding
Jeff developed a passion for cars and racing while in high school where he also developed a fascination with figuring out how things work. He worked in the Tool and Die Making industry for eight years before becoming a police officer with the Toronto Police Service in 2010.
Jeff is particularly interested in classic Mopar muscle cars, including a Plymouth Duster, which he has owned since 2002 and which has been an ongoing hobby ever since. The Right Track Racing program is Jeff’s opportunity to pass on lessons learned to the next generation. His message is that being a car enthusiast is not a crime as long as you play by the rules.