OBAC Brings NASCAR Simulator to Fergus Truck Show

OTTAWA, Ont. (July 18, 2009) -- The Owner-Operator's Business Association of Canada (OBAC) is delighted to announce the NASCAR simulator will be returning to Fergus again this summer. Simulator rides will be available at the OBAC site Thursday through Sunday, with proceeds going to benefit Canada's three Convoy for a Cure events.

The retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racer, sponsored by the Grain Valley, MO-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), is currently set up as a simulator/trainer. It features active full-motion suspension, as well as a 24-in. video screen and "surround-sound" in the cockpit so drivers can feel the thrill of a real NASCAR race -- from engine's roar to the bumps on the track.

"This may be as close as most folks ever get to driving a NASCAR racer," says OBAC's executive director, Joanne Ritchie. "And we're hoping they'll donate generously to help us support the convoys." Convoy for a Cure is an annual all-women truck convoy for breast cancer research and awareness. Three convoys will run in Canada during October, which is breast cancer awareness month.

In addition to simulator ride proceeds, OBAC will donate $5 to the Canadian convoys for each new member signed up during the truck show.

"We're proud to support events that celebrate women in trucking," says Ritchie, "and what better cause for an all-woman convoy than a devastating disease that's the most common cancer among Canadian women?"

OBAC also sees the convoys as an opportunity to focus attention on wellness issues that all truckers face out on the road, such as difficulties getting regular medical check-ups and tests, eating, sleeping, and exercising properly. "The PM of their bodies is a huge challenge for truck drivers," says Ritchie, "but no less important than maintenance of the trucks they drive."

OBAC and the NASCAR simulator will be set up at space #L-41 at the Fergus Truck Show, which runs July 23-26, at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex in Fergus, Ont.


About Convoy for a Cure
Following last year's inaugural event in eastern Ontario, convoys are planned for four locations in Canada and the U.S. in 2009. Convoy for a Cure supports the Breast Cancer Foundation's awareness programs and helps fund relevant and innovative research that is taking us closer to a future without breast cancer.

Alberta Convoy
October 3, Husky Car and Truck Stop, Acheson (Edmonton), AB

New Brunswick Convoy
October 17, Salisbury Big Stop, Salisbury (Moncton), NB

Ontario Convoy
October 3, Fifth Wheel Truck Stop, Cornwall, ON

Texas Convoy
October 24, Willie's Place, Carl's Corner, TX