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| August 31, 2012 News |
| EKN Trackside: 2012 Rock Island Grand Prix - Preview |
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It’s time…come 5pm CDT in Rock Island, Illinois, the streets of the Quad Cities area next to the popular District section of the city will become a race course once again. Every year, racers from around the country converge on Labor Day weekend for the annual running of the Rock Island Grand Prix. The world’s largest street race will see 15 categories competing for cash and prizes over the two-day event.
Among the popular categories is the annual King of the Streets division, featuring the Stock Moto class. This year’s field features five of the top-10 from a year ago. Missing is 2011 King Derek Crockett, who has taken the year off from racing to concentrate on school and other life adventures. The remainder of the podium returns, both looking for their first taste of the RIGP crown as Crockett experienced last year. Colton Aldridge (Tony Kart) finished second a year ago, just on the bumper of Crockett. His Indiana street racing experience puts him in the hunt once again. Texan Jake French (Birel) has stood on the podium in both visits to Rock Island. Second in 2010 in his King of the Streets debut, he ran third a year ago. The only returning King of the Streets winner is Jordon Musser (Birel). The 2009 King crashed out in 2010, while finishing fourth a year ago. Fellow Texan Connor Iseli (Birel) and Indiana’s Joe Ruch (FA Kart) return hoping to improve further up in the top-10.
 | Jake French is hoping his third trip to RIGP bring the King of the Streets crown back to Texas
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
TaG Senior was the headline class in 2011, which saw Sam Beasley earn the victory. This year’s field however will not have Beasley there, and does not have any of the six other RIGP TaG Senior winners, giving them the opportunity for a first time victor. eKartingNews.com TaG Driver Rankings #1 driver Mason Chelootz (Top Kart) lead the list of contenders, making his second start at the RIGP. Bill McLaughlin (Birel) finished third a year ago, returning for another podium finish. Canadian Cory Caccivillani (Kosmic) was a contender last year, finishing fourth in 2010. Colton Aldridge will be doing double duty in two of the toughest categories, and may be a factor as well.
The Clone categories will be among the highest attended, both over the 20 entries mark and be the final round of the RIGP Clone Series, which held events at three different facilities in the Midwest to promote the Clone program. Connor Lund (Arrow) currently leads that series over Tim Mayer (CRG) and Cale Downs. Lund was the provisional winner in both categories at last year’s RIGP, but was removed in the tech barn. He returns for redemption with both defending inaugural winners set to compete - Travis DeVriendt (Coyote) in Medium and Leo Carr (Margay) in Heavy. The largest class to date will be the new Briggs and Stratton LO 206 category. The spec engine 4-cycle class welcomes a mix of first-time RIGP competitors and regulars to the city streets, which should provide some great racing to kick off the main events on Sunday.
 | EKN no.1 TaG driver Mason Chelootz is searching for his first Rock Island GP victory
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
Another new class offered last year that is returning is the 2-Cycle Pro Open category, feature a wide variety of powerplants. Mike Giessen drove a Lynn Haddock-prepared entry and won the inaugural event. This year, multi-time RIGP winner Caleb Loniewski will pilot the Margay kart for Haddock. Bill McLaughlin returns after running second last year in his Torq Racing Engines monster engine. Former TaG Master winner John Dixon will make his first start in the class with his own 2J’s custom creation. Two other new entries include WKA vet Tony Jump and Minnesota’s Tim Pierson, with photos of their packages to come during EKN Trackside coverage.
Absent from this year’s Rock Island Grand Prix is the RIGP Emperor Gary Lawson. The all-time RIGP race winner at 21 victories will not compete this weekend, opening up the Yamaha SuperCan categories. The Medium category, which was won by Caleb Loniewski after Lawson wrecked early on, will have over 20 racers fighting for the win. Tim Goettsch (Margay) is the only former winner in the field, and saw his race end early last year caught up in Lawson’s wreck. The 2006 and 2009 winner will be among the contenders, including Michael Dittmer (Margay), Bill McLaughlin (Birel), Tony Jump (Margay) and others. In the Heavy category, Lawson and Dittmer are the only two winners. Lawson the last two years with Dittmer carrying the checkered flag the previous four times. Dittmer will have to face the same cast of characters to earn a fifth RIGP class victory. The 2-Cycle Pipe Heavy has been converted to the Komet Senior category, with defending race winner Brandon Cather (Margay) returning to defend his title. Goettsch and Tony Neilson (Margay) are former winners, combined for five previous wins, are among the contenders as is Jump and Dustin Blomme (Margay).
 | This Haddock monster won the Open class last year
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
Single engine TaG categories - Parilla Leopard and Rotax Senior - will see many of the same names at the front from the regular TaG class. Both winners from a year ago will be absent, leaving room for first time winners in each of the classes. TaG Masters has been hotly contested in the previous years and 2012 should be no different. Former winners John Dixon (FA Kart) and Brian McHattie (Exprit) lead the charge. Dixon triumphed last year, earning his second title five years previously. McHattie won in 2007 and is looking to claim his second Rock trophy. Eric Chappell (Birel) was quick last year and joins the list of challengers looking to take down the top two. Winners from the last three events will be at the top of the chopping block for the 125 Masters group. 2009 and 2011 winner Kurt Mathewson (Birel) returns in hopes of his third title. 2010 winner Chris Enderlein (Exprit) was in the hunt last year, but fell short. Illinois driver Lance Lane (DR Kart) has been in contention year after year, yet to put in a full 20-lap stint for victory. 2012 could be his year.
In Junior competition, Chase Jones (Birel) is the defending TaG Junior winner. Gavin Reichelt (Tony Kart) was runner-up last year and returns to fight for the title once again with eight different states represented in the field. Yamaha Jr. SuperCan was added to the schedule this year with currently just five drivers registered. The Vintage Karting Association will be on-hand Saturday, displaying their karts and take to the track later that afternoon.
 | The Yamaha SuperCan categories will be a fan-favorite once again at the Rock Island GP
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
In addition to the cash awards handed out by the Rock Island Grand Prix, thanks to presenting sponsors AT&T and Casey’s General Stores, contingency prizes have been set up by key industry members. MG Tires is offering free sets of tires to top-three finishers to competitors utilizing their tires. As is TS Racing, who will award competitors winning with DR Racing chassis, X30 engines or Vega tires with TS Racing gift certificates. K1 RaceGear will also be awarding numerous safety gear items to competitors throughout the event. One big prize to be awarded on the weekend will be a scholarship to compete at the Skip Barber Karting Shootout in October, along with a 3-day school in September, thanks to the IZOD IndyCar Series and Skip Barber Driving School.
The track opens Saturday morning with two rounds of practice before all categories qualify later that afternoon. Sunday begins with a warm-up session before the main events begin roughly around noon. eKartingNews.com will every informed throughout the weekend with it’s EKN Trackside Live coverage. In addition to daily reports, updates will be posted on the Official Discussion Thread, as well as the Facebook and Twitter accounts. If your able to be on the couch during the weekend, be sure to load up http://www.ekartingnews.com/live for live audio and timing from trackside. |
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