TORONTO, Ont. (May 28, 2015) – The Canadian Rider Safety Fund is planning to greatly expand their “Bottle Bag” efforts at motorcycle road racing venues across Canada this year, after the initial development phase with the “Bottle Bags” has proved successful. 

These “Bottle Bags” have been deployed at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Nova Scotia and Shannonville Motorsport Park in Ontario, and now efforts are underway to increase support, expand the programs at the two established venues, and also develop the “Bottle Bag” program at other Canadian Race Tracks.

The goal with the “Bottle Bag” program is to provide relatively affordable, renewable protection device installations at all Canadian tracks, replacing the effective but expensive Air Fences, Straw Bales and Foam Blocks. When the “Bottle Bag” program is fully realized, protection devices would remain at each venue, and not require transport from location to location. In this way, they can serve race events as well as testing and track days.

The “Bottle Bags” are exactly what they sound like – large rectangular fabric containers that are filled up with empty plastic water bottles and the like, with the lids attached. These recyclable products serve as deformable structures to absorb impact and cover off solid objects such as walls and guardrails. As well, the bags are tall enough to fully cover the top of most trackside barriers.

The Canadian Rider Safety Fund (CRSF) is a non-profit initiative intended to upgrade the protection available at Canadian competition venues. Support comes from sponsors and donations, including many competitors, officials, businesses such as Take Mike for Granite in Belleville and specialist transport company Brooklin Cycle Racing of Pickering.

With efforts ramping up for a big “Bottle Bag” push during the 2015 competition season, the CRSF will be working to raise funds to purchase and transport the “Bottle Bags.” As well, road race competitors are asked to bring plastic bottles and containers with lids to rounds of the Mopar CSBK Nationals, starting with the MV Agusta sponsored opening event at Calabogie Motorsports Park, June 11-14.

Suggested “Bottle Bag” material include water bottles, plastic pop bottles, windshield washer containers and similar type items with lids.

Andrew Murray, as well as the Society of the ARL, both organizers of events at Atlantic Motorsport Park, are also organizing an update to their initial “Bottle Bag” installation, launched in 2013.