ROCK ISLAND, ILL –The Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race, will host an exciting schedule of races Labor Day Weekend, Sept.5-6, 2009. The competition, held in The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District, will feature top racers from across the country as well as international competitors.
Among the premier race events of the weekend will be the Superkarts! USA King of the Streets. This year’s winner will receive a $2,000 check, entries to the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals in November, the Florida Winter Tour January 2010 opening round, and a special KartRaiser Electric Kart Stand (transportation model with tray valued at approximately $850) supplied by Michael Polizzi and Full Bore Karting LLC, as well as the coveted “Rock” trophy. The race is sponsored by PG Racing.
The Briggs & Stratton Rumble at The Rock will pay $2,000 to the top 4-cycle racers and the North American Street Championship will award a first place check of $1,500. Other classes pay $500 to win. All purse payouts are subject to meeting entry limits.
All eyes will also be on Gary Lawson to see if he can extend his record for most wins at the storied street race beyond the 14 he currently has to lead all competitors.
Presenting sponsors of The Rock Island Grand Prix are AT&T and Mazda Motorsports. Jumer’s Casino & Hotel is sponsor of the $20,000 purse – one of the largest payouts in professional karting. Kart Expo International to be held Feb. 27-28, 2010 in suburban Chicago, also returns as a major sponsor. Holiday Inn in Rock Island is the host hotel and race headquarters. General admission to the races is FREE, although there is a daily charge of $10 for pit passes.
Action starts Saturday and Sunday at 8:15 a.m. and concludes at 6 p.m., or the end of the races. There is nightly outdoor entertainment beginning at 8 p.m. on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Brat Pack on Friday and The Travoltas on Saturday and Sunday night, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. These are all-ages shows and admission is charged.
This is the tenth year Rock Island will host Superkarts! USA’s King of the Streets race. This year the Rock Island Grand Prix will also sponsor three TAG USA race classes – Junior, Senior and Masters. The event will also feature the Rumble at The Rock featuring the Briggs & Stratton overhead value Animal power plant, as well as an Animal Heavy class. Also featured this year will be the Tom Argy Jr. Sportsman class for drivers age 12-15, as well as a variety of other feature races for 2-cycle, 4-cycle and gearbox karts.
The Saturday Labor Day Ride fundraiser for the American Cancer Society to raise funds to battle non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is also part of the festival weekend. It is sponsored by The Daiquiri Factory, 1909 Second Ave. in The District. Sign-in is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and the last participant is due in by 6 p.m. All kinds of vehicles are invited, you must be over age 21 to participate and the entry fee is $10. . For more information, wwww.daiquirifactory.com .
Saturday night will also feature a Gold Wing motorcycle Boogie Lights Parade around 8 p.m. featuring as many as 75 specially lit motorcycles. They will make several laps of the downtown race track. Admission is free.
On Sunday, those looking for a break from the racing and family activities will enjoy the HyVee Family Fun Zone located in the infield area of the track on Third Avenue.
John Deere & Co. returns as sponsor of the John Deere Awards Show for drivers and race teams. Festivities will wrap up just in time for fun on the outdoor stage featuring The Travoltas.
The Rock Island Grand Prix has drawn top drivers from 35 states as well as Canada, Bermuda, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, France, Italy, Poland, Costa Rica, the Philippines and England. Drivers will compete in 14 feature races.
Others sponsors of this year’ Rock Island Grand Prix include: Zimmerman Honda; the Quad City River Bandits; CBS4 TV; Ekartingnews.com; radio stations B100, 97X, Star 93.5 and Rock 104.9; The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus newspapers; Lafarge; Allied Waste Services; Ekartingnews.com, Quad-Cities Online; National Kart News; and Mediacom.
Illinois Oil Products is the sponsor of VIP Hospitality Park. Other sponsors include Coors and Euclid Distributing, 61 Kartway, Briggs & Stratton, PG Racing, JET Karting, Triple E Sales, Modern Woodmen of America/Joe Schurr, HyVee food stores, Courtesy Car City, Kartfinder.com, VP Fuel, Sunbelt Rentals, Communications Engineering Corp.(CEC), CF Motorsports, Gas & Electric Credit Union, Rogan Inc., EZ Companies, JF Edwards Construction Co., County Waste, Communications and Catholic Credit Union, Damp’s Tree Solutions, Vroom.it, J&J Camper and Full Circle Media.
Race details are available on the Grand Prix website at www.rockislandgrandprix.com.
AT&T is the largest telecommunications company in the United States and one of the largest in the world. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing IP-based communications services to business and the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. As part of its "three screen" integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T U-verse TV. With 55.8 million subscribers, AT&T provides international voice services to virtually every country and territory in the world. It is a global company that sets the industry standard for a new era of integrated communications and entertainment services. The AT&T Foundation has contributed more than $1.8 billion to nonprofit organizations around the country, including $60 million in 2006, putting it among the five largest corporate foundations in the United States. (www.att.com)
The Rock Island Grand Prix is hosted by The Downtown Rock Island Arts and Entertainment District which features retail shops, excellent restaurants, live entertainment, dinner theater, art galleries and comedy clubs all within walking distance of the host hotel. Jumer’s Casino & Hotel is just a short drive away. Rock Island is located on the Mississippi River three hours west of Chicago in an area known as the Quad-Cities which straddles the river and the Illinois/Iowa border. It is at the intersection of Interstate highways 74, 88 and 80 and is served by Quad City International Airport in Moline, Ill. (www.ridistrict.com)
For more information on the Rock Island Grand Prix, visit our web site at www.rockislandgrandprix.com
Rock Island Grand Prix Festival
Schedule of Events
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
7 p.m.: Beliot vs. Quad City River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport. College Night/Thirst-day.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
2-10 p.m.: Competitor sign-in open at Holiday Inn.
2-5 p.m.: Pre-race tech/scrutineering open at the off-site staging area at QCCA Expo Center, Rock Island.
5 p.m.: Streets close in The District downtown Rock Island..
6-11 p.m.: Pits open.
7-10 p.m.: Pre-race Tech/Scrutineering open on the pre-grid.
7 p.m.: Beliot vs. Quad City River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport. Fan Appreciation Nigth with post-game Fireworks over Mississippi River.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on East Plaza Stage featuring The Brat Pack sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
7 a.m.: Pits open.
7 – 11 a.m.: Pancake Breakfast at Skellington Manor in pits. $6 charge.
7-9 a.m.: Driver sign-in open at Holiday Inn.
7 a.m.: Pre-Race Tech/Scrutineering for Overnight Arrivals only.
7:15 a.m.: Mandatory Driver's Meeting at pre-grid area, followed by second mandatory Drivers’ Meeting for Juniors.
8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Grand Prix Marketplace vendors open in The District.
8:30-11:45 a.m.: Practice rounds. Five minute sessions. Crossing breaks every 4 rounds.
11 a.m.: Labor Day Ride cancer fundraiser begins at The Daiquiri Factory.
1 p.m.: Timed qualifying begins.
6 p.m.: Track Closes at conclusion of qualifying.
8 p.m. (dusk): Honda Goldwing motorcyucle Boogie Lights Parade on the Grand Prix race track featuring 75 lighted motorcycles.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act Minus Six, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
7 -11 a.m.: Pancake Breakfast at Skellington Manor in the pits. $6 charge.
8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Grand Prix Marketplace vendors open in The District; 10 a.m. HyVee Family Fun Zone opens.
8:15: Final practice round begins
10:30-noon: Consolation Races (as needed)
Noon: Opening Ceremonies and Kid’s autograph session.
12:30 p.m. Racing begins in 14 classes.
6 p.m.: Racing Ends.
8 p.m.: John Deere & Co. Awards Ceremony.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act The Premium Sellouts, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
9:30 a.m.: Annual Rock Island Labor Day Parade. 18th Ave. and 24th Street.. |
