County, racetrack to offer safety course
In the wake of a recent tragedy the police said was caused by street racing, Bernalillo County and Sandia Speedway will offer drivers a chance to satisfy — and learn about — their need for speed in a controlled environment.
Commissioner Art De La Cruz and Charlie Fegan, the owner of Sandia Speedway, announced Tuesday that drivers will have a free opportunity to take a safety class and then drive laps around the 1.7-mile asphalt course on Thursday at the racetrack 14 miles west of the Big I and two miles south of Interstate 40. They are calling the event the “Holiday Break Performance Driving School.”
County spokesman Larry Gallegos said any licensed driver can go to the racetrack on Thursday and get a 30- to 45-minute class on the “science of car racing.” Then the drivers can take warm-up and faster spins around the track.
Courses will be offered on Thursday: at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Anyone can participate as long as they have a valid driver’s license, their own vehicle and proof of insurance. But the event is targeted for younger drivers.
“Street racing can be very dangerous, even deadly, and this class will teach drivers some basics about driving on a racetrack in a safe, instruc-
tional environment,” De La Cruz said in a statement. “I want to emphasize that we are not trying to train young racers or encourage street racing in this school. Rather, we want to show drivers the real dangers of street racing and to discourage it in hopes of avoiding more fatalities on our streets.”
It’s the first time the county and racetrack have offered such an event.
The classes follow a tragedy. Last month, 10-year-old Carmen Esmeraldo Rivera was killed when she was ejected from her family’s SUV on Interstate 25 after police said her vehicle was hit by a suspected street racer who reached speeds of more than 100 mph.
The young girl’s death has prompted local lawmakers to push for tougher laws for street racing convictions.
Xavier Nelson, the 23-year-old accused in Esmeraldo Rivera’s death, has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide, street racing and possession of a controlled substance.