Rock Island - Lots of exciting changes are in store for competitors at this year's Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix Presented by The Hemp Doctor, the world's largest and most prestigious karting street race. That's especially true for drivers winning a number of classes this Labor Day weekend, August 31-Sept 1. 

The Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest and most prestigious karting street race, is excited to announce a new national level partnership with The Hemp Doctor, based in Mooresville, N.C., as Presenting Sponsor of the race. The Hemp Doctor is a major national manufacturer and distributor of legal hemp/CBD products and Rock Island is The Doctor’s first house call into motorsports.

Planning is underway for the 29^th running of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix kart races, the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2024.

History was once again made in the streets of the city during the 28^th running of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race. The event has a rich history of foreign competitors. This year, Scott “Skitchy” Barnes of Bermuda won his seventh and eighth Rock trophy and Erik Gasparovich of Latvia became the 20th foreign winner at Rock Island and first from his country. History was also made when Andrew Bujdoso of Ohio won his third consecutive King of the Streets shifter title, tying Alan Rudolph for the three-peat but becoming the only racer to be crowned King 3 consecutive times at Rock Island.

It’s been almost 30 years since planning began for the first Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest and most prestigious karting street race. This will be the 28^th year. The sport has changed a lot in that time and sometimes it’s hard to notice changes when you host one race a year. Rock Island organizers have taken a look at how they are doing and what might need to change. There are 2 major challenges and, in a sense, they go hand in hand: the racing needs to be safer; more support is needed from karters and sponsors due to growing costs to keep the event thriving.