History of the Circuit d'Accélération de Motoneige d'Abitibi-Ouest (C.A.M.A.O.)

Our non profit organization (snowmobile drag racing circuit on packed snow) was started in 2004 and was comprised of four races, two in La Sarre, one in Beaucanton and one in Villebois. This first season was sign of things to come with seventy five racers during the opening season. When we started, our goal was to promote safe drag racing and to create a regional circuit, where competitors could accumulate points and ultimately a championship.

Now, after four years of racing, the professionalism of our organization attracts competitors from all over the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region, the Outaouais region and from as far away as North Bay and Kapuskasing in Ontario and we have been going now for four years, with 240 different competitors attending our races in the past season. So as you can imagine, our events have become a tourist attraction in our region.

We are the only racing circuit of our kind in this region, that are only ones to have a laser light system for the start and finish line, a mobile VIP unit, the only three competition supervisor cards in this region which allows us to obtain insurance at a discount rate, we own two snow cannons that were built by us, the only ones to follow ISR rules, we are also the only ones to have a radio transmission system that permits you to hear the races within a 3km radius of the track on your FM radio station at home or in your vehicle. We are now a full affiliate of ISR.

In the summer of 2007 we took on the challenge of building a snowmobile club house for our city, which for the past seven or eight years there had been none. It is now open during the snowmobile season every week-end from noon Friday to Sunday. We also built during summer 2008 a motocross track and held races on it for the first time September 6 & 7 2008. As you can see a lot of work has been done in a short time, but a lot more has to be done with a lot of help needed for the continued success of our organization, and the comments that we have been getting are positive and truly inspiring.

We would like to transform our race site into a family recreation park with the addition of a paintball field, which would be a great addition to the site and to our community.

The circuit also took on the responsibility of organizing the regional snowmobile festival for a five year period (2009 to 2013). We believe that the festival is a great way to promote our sport and pass time towards others and get more people involved.

The circuit recently did a little research, and we found that our snomobile racing circuit (on snow) is the only one in all of eastern canada, the other racing circuit that exists in canada is the Saskatchewan Snomobile Racing Association (SSRA), they currently host a western canadian championship, contact has already been made with them for futur projects. With this new information we have decided to host a eastern canadian championship which will take place from the 20th to 23rd january 2011.

By visiting our site, it will gives you a better perception of our organization and the accomplishments achieved up to date, and may get your curiosty going to come and visit us.