kartSTART Presented by Toyota Returns to the Track for 2017 Tour

• Participants to experience new Toyota Safety Sense demonstration first hand
• kartSTART celebrates 7^th year with a new stop added to the 2017 nationwide tour

TORONTO, ONTARIO (March 6, 2017) – Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) announced today that, by popular demand, kartSTART Presented by Toyota will continue its nationwide tours for another three years. The ASN Canada FIA safety endorsed program has helped about 4,000 Canadian youth get behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle – most of them for the first time.

“The excitement of getting behind the wheel of a vehicle for the first time shines on the face of every kid participating in kartSTART,” said Cyril Dimitris, Toyota Canada Vice President. “The number of important skills these young future drivers acquire during this engaging, hands-on safety education program is truly remarkable.”

“I am beyond thrilled that we are able to provide this program to the youth of Canada for another three years,” kartSTART Presented by Toyota owner Russ Bond said. “Toyota Canada has been a fantastic partner in this program from Day 1. It is their vision and leadership that has seen it grow to this level. I can’t wait to get this year started,” Bond added.

For 2017, kartSTART will build on last year’s pilot experience at Westerner Park in the Red Deer Area: its first ‘mobile’ track layout. Mobile tracks allow kartSTART to reach more people in more cities, and Canadians can look forward to more mobile locations in the coming years. This includes Winnipeg, Manitoba as an additional mobile stop on the tour starting this summer.

2017 kartSTART Presented by Toyota National Tour Dates

•Chilliwack Area – Greg Moore Raceway - July 1 to 4 – Chilliwack, BC

•Red Deer Area – Westerner Park - July 8 to 10 – Red Deer, AB

•Regina Area – 3 Flags Motorsports Park - July 14 to 16 – Lumsden, SK

•Winnipeg Area – MTS Iceplex - July 19 to 21 – Winnipeg, MB

•Hamilton Area – Flamboro Speedway - July 26 to 28 – Millgrove, ON

•Toronto Area – Sunset Speedway - August 7 to 10 – Innisfil, ON

•Montreal Area – Autodrome - August 14 to 16 – Saint Eustache, Québec

•Trois-Rivières – SC Performance - August 18, 20, 21 – Saint-Célestin, Québec

•Moncton Area – Champlain Motorsports Park - August 24, 25, 27 – Dieppe, NB

•Halifax Area – Scotia Speedworld - August 29 to 31 – Goffs, NS

There are also some other program enhancements that will be introduced this year.

“The parents also enjoy putting the Toyota vehicles through their paces on our safety track,” Bond said. “Toyota’s new Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) is comprised of some brilliant systems to help keep your family even safer on the road and I am excited to show these off to the families that visit us this summer.”

Participants are now able to register for all summer tour dates for the 2017 program. The schedule and registration details can be found at www.kartSTART.ca.

For more information, and to reserve a spot in the 2017 kartSTART Presented by Toyota Nationwide Tour, please visit or contact:

Website: www.kartstart.ca

Facebook: kartSTART.ca

Telephone: 647-401-5153

Email: info@kartstart.ca

About Toyota Canada Inc.
Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles.  Toyota has sold over 5 million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 287 Toyota and Lexus dealerships.  Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability in the vehicles Canadians drive and the service they receive.  TCI’s head office is located in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax and parts distribution centres in Toronto and Vancouver.  Toyota operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada. Having produced more than seven million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include Toyota RAV4, Toyota Corolla, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid.

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