Racing fans in Moose Jaw should mark their calendars for June 18.  

The non-profit organization Swervin Mini Indy go-cart racing is hosting its first event in the Friendly City, with teams from Moose Jaw competing in the event. Teams from Vanier Collegiate and Pheonix Acadamy have been given supplies to convert a gas-powered engine to an electric-powered engine to compete in the race.  

This is the first year that electric cars will be involved in the race.  

The competition will take place in the Town N Country Mall parking lot with setup beginning at 8 am and the races begin at noon, and the races will be split up between gas-powered go-carts and electric-powered go-carts. 

Merv Armstrong, Swervin' Mini Indy Racing owner, says the effort from the students has been amazing.

"I see this as an excellent opportunity to educate students on electric vehicles and even into the automotive industry here in Saskatchewan."  

All funds raised from the event will go to the Canadian Mental Health Society, specifically the Operational Stress Injury initiative, a program designed to assist military, first responders and public safety personnel in dealing with Operational and Post Traumatic Stress. 

"It's important," says Armstrong. "You are talking about front-line workers and they are the ones who have to see and deal with things first." 

Armstrong says the event is still looking for sponsors.

"We would like to promote local businesses, I am very interested in having Moose Jaw businesses on the track." 

The event needs about 300 square hay bales to line the track, and Armstrong says those can be hard to come by.

"If someone has any kicking around, we would return them and we would promote them," says Armstrong. 

He says sponsorship packages are available for businesses looking to take part in the event, email race@swervinminiindy.info for more details on sponsorship opportunities.