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| August 29, 2008 News |
| EKN Trackside: Rock Island Grand Prix - Preview |
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The Rock Island Grand Prix presented by AT&T and Mazda, the world’s largest karting street race, will run their 14th edition of their traditional Labor Day weekend event in the southwest portion of the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River. Come Friday evening around 5pm, the streets of Rock Island, IL become the racing course over a 12-hour period thanks to the countless volunteers of the RIGP to prepare for an amazing two-day event that will include 14 different classes with everyone battling for a piece of the Rock and the nearly $35,000 total purse.
Like the rest of the karting community across the country, entries are a bit lower than expected however the big hitters are still the favorites heading into the event. The headline Superkarts! USA King of The Streets will see a RIGP favorite verses a RIGP newcomer. Two-time KoS winner Kyle Wiegand will look for his third victory in the streets and will head into the event as the driver to beat. Giving chase will be two-time national champion Alex Speed. The brother of 2002 KoS winner Scott Speed, Alex will be making his first visit to the Rock in his first weekend aboard an Energy kart after recently departing from Trackmagic. Wiegand will race his first shifter kart race in quite some time after competing in the TaG division in various events throughout the year.
Missing from the event will be ’06 & ’07 winner Alan Rudolph. The five-time KoS winner has taken the 2008 season off from competitive karting and will be at his Phoenix, AZ home with his family for the holiday. Joining them will be a handful of top regional drivers, including Derek Crockett, Patrick Malacarne, Cole Mathewson, and Bermuda’s Scott Barnes. The KoS winner will take home $4,000 and a free entry into the SKUSA SuperNationals this November at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The Intercontinental C North American Street Championship class will feature Wiegand, Speed, and the majority of the KoS entry list. With the KoS division competing on MG Tires, the ICC category will be running Bridgestone rubber. The winner will also take home $4000, leaving a possible $8k to win both classes. In addition, the driver with the best combined finishing record for both races will win the chance for a test drive in a Firestone Indy Lights car with SWE Racing. Last year, Wiegand won the chance to test with his second and first results.
 | The top two ICC drivers in 2005, Wiegand and Speed will go head to head at the Rock for a total of 8k in cash
(Photo: EKN) |
New to the Rock this year is the addition of the TaG SuperPro class. Created in an effort to relieve the TaG Senior class from reaching the entry cap so quickly, the RIGP staff created the invitational class for the upper-echelon drivers to compete for a $1,500 payday to the winner. Three of the top-five in last year’s TaG Senior class will be the early favorites heading into the weekend. Caleb Loniewski was very quick last year and has been as quick throughout the year for a good chance of defending his win. Brandon Jones and Johnny Johnson finished second fourth behind Loniewski. Johnny’s brother Adam is expected to be at the front including Brian Jacobsen, Travis Firing, Chris Wehrheim, and RIGP first-timer Will Martindale. Though not reaching the cap limit, a good solid field of TaG Senior drivers will be on hand along with a solid number in the TaG Masters category.
Coming back from ‘almost dead’ will be over 20 125cc Shifter Masters drivers at the Rock. After originally dropped for the 2008 event, many of the participants voiced their displease on the eKartingNews.com forums with the RIGP staff catching wind. Stepping up to the plate with 20 entries before a certain deadline, the class was put back in the class lineup. Last year’s winner Voytek Burdzy will lead a very stack field with many of the top Masters drivers from around the country competing. Competitor Phil Gordon and Melrose Park Indoor Grand Prix near Chicago added another $500 to be paid to the three highest finishing drivers over the age of 40 on top of the $500 to be paid to the class winner.
Briggs & Stratton Motorsports continues its support of the Rock Island GP with a $2,000 purse for the winner of the Rumble at the Rock Animal class, won last year by Scott Kleman. Also on the weekend will be the remaining classes, 125cc Moto, 125cc Stock Moto, Sr. Sportsman Medium, Sr. Sportsman Heavy, 2-Cycle Pipe Heavy, Sr. Animal Heavy, Jr. Sportsman
Looking to add to his record number of wins at the Rock, Mentor, Ohio pilot Gary Lawson will compete in four classes on the weekend. After earning two victories in 2007, Lawson became the all-time leader in victories with a total of 12, surpassing St. Joseph, Illinois’ Jason Birdsell. Lawson will also try to move up the all-time money winners list, currently sitting sixth behind eight-time RIGP winner Todd Bolton from Bowen, Illinois - set to compete in three classes this weekend.
eKartingNews.com will be providing the Trackside Live coverage throughout the weekend, tag-teamed by Rob Howden (the official Rock Island Grand Prix announcer) and David Cole. Saturday will see updates - including the top-ten posted to the forum for each class as they sit in the scale line during Qualifying - throughout the day in the Official Discussion Thread with Qualifying report/results to be posted that night. Sunday will include a complete race report with photos, results and top-ten forum updates continuing.
In addition, Monks Media and Race Fan Radio will both be doing live trackside audio web casts during the weekend.
Rock Island Grand Prix - Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
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 Rock Island’s QCCA Expo Center.
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.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on East Plaza Stage featuring Trippin Billies with opener Fielder, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30
7 a.m.: Pits open.
7 a.m.-noon: All you can eat DeMolay Pancake Breakfast at Masonic Temple.
7-9 a.m.: Driver sign-in open at Holiday Inn.
7 a.m.: Pre-Race Tech/Scrutineering Opens.
7:15 a.m.: Driver's meeting at pre-grid area. Attendance is Mandatory
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.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act The Diplomats of Solid Sound, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
7 a.m.: Pre-Race Tech/Scrutineering Opens.
7 a.m.-noon: All you can eat DeMolay Pancake Breakfast at Masonic Temple.
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 a.m.: Antique Auto Show opens on 18th Street near CBS4..
10:30-noon: Consolation Races and Junior PreFinal
Noon: Opening Ceremonies and Kid’s autograph session.
12:30 p.m. Racing begins in 14 classes.
6 p.m.: Racing Ends.
7 p.m.: John Deere & Co. Awards Ceremony.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act Beaker Brothers, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged. |
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