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| September 03, 2007 News |
| EKN Trackside: Rock Island Grand Prix Report |
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 | 2007 King of the Streets winner Alan Rudolph
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
The 13th edition of the Rock Island Grand Prix is now in the books with a flawless run event by the Rock Island Grand Prix volunteer staff. The event ran smoothly with the final races ending in time for the racers to enjoy the Grand Prix facilities. Four-time King of the Streets winner and defending race winner proved to be the king again with another strong performance to take the win over two-time winner Kyle Wiegand.
Following the opening ceremonies, the King of the Streets event took to the streets with Wiegand (Top Kart) starting on the poll with Great Lakes regional star Chris Kuenning (Kosmic) starting on the outside of row one. The field got away from the grid clean and there was no action in turn one during the opening corner. Wiegand led the field across the stripe for the first circuit with Kuenning, Rudolph (First Kart), Sean Noonan (Top Kart) and Scott Barnes (Wild Kart). Rudolph moved to second the next lap and then put Wiegand back to third with a pass into turn two on lap four. The two then stretched out to a good size lead on the rest of the field. Though Wiegand was on Rudolph’s bumper for most of the race, Rudolph put down his fastest laps in closing stages to take the checkered flag, his fifth and First Kart’s second in five years. Kuenning was a comfortable third in front of Wesley Boswell (Tony Kart) from 11th with Canadian Curtis Fox (CRG) rounding out the top five.
 | Kyle Wiegand came back from eighth spot to win the ICC class for a second straight year
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
The ICC race was just as exciting with Wiegand again starting from the pole position. This time he was unable to get off the line when the green flag dropped, falling back to eighth. This allowed him to put on a show, driving to the front. Starting fourth, Boswell jumped to the lead and held the spot until Wiegand was able to run him down and take the lead with four laps to go. Wiegand then pulled out to a seven-tenths victory for his second straight ICC win. Boswell - making his first time visit to the Rock - held off Rudolph for second with Michael Vincec (CRG) and Fox rounding out the top five. Both of them made their first Rock Island event. Both Rudolph and Wiegand walked away with $4k in their pockets for their victories.
The TaG Senior event was exciting from second back as 2005 winner Caleb Loniewski (Kosmic/Rok TT) came back and dominated the class, starting from the pole and leading all 20 laps. The Jones brothers of Brandon and Eric - both on Arrow/Rotax packages - cut his lead down in the closing laps but were unable to get close, finishing second and third. Outside pole sitter Johnny Johnson (Kosmic/Rok TT) finished fourth with Joey King (Margay/Parilla) - also making a return to karting to complete the top five.
 | TaG Senior winner Caleb Loniewski
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
TaG Masters was shortened due to a wreck with five laps to go, allowing Brian McHattie (Kosmic/Rok TT) to earn the win ahead of RIGP veteran Scott Evans (Margay/Parilla) - who was involved in the wreck but was able to walk away. DJ Ortiz (Margay/Rotax) was third ahead of Kurt Burris (Margay/Parilla) and John Dixon (Birel/Parilla)
The only double winner of the weekend was the new all-time leader in victories Gary Lawson. The Mentor, OH driver ran in six classes on the weekend, running at the front in all six and walked away with two wins - Animal Heavy and Super Sportsman Medium. Lawson had the Super Sportsman Heavy class in his hands until getting into a lap car with two laps to go, resulting in Lawson’s nose piece sitting straight up and blocking his vision, forcing him to pull off course and giving the win to Michael Dittmer.
Another driver who had a victory in hand before trouble struck was 125cc Masters driver Shayne Shipley (Arrow). The Indiana driver earned the pole position in and pulled out to about a three second lead until engine troubles put him on the sidelines with six laps to go. This gave Voytek Burdzy (Merlin) the lead after he was able to get away from the pack and earn the win. The other shifter class on the weekend was the 125cc Moto division. PG Racing teammates Pat Malacarne (Intrepid) and Scott Barnes (Wild Kart) broke from the field with Barnes getting the advantage and earn the win in a shorten race after a wild crash in the final corner involving Mark Vielgut (Haase), who was alert and taken to the hospital for observation with leg pain. The win was the first for the Bermuda driver who has been at the event for five years straight.
 | Gary Lawson - by earning two wins - now tops all drivers for most wins at the Rock with 12
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
Scott Kleman and Travis DeVriendt were the other 4-stroke winners. Kleman edged DeVriendt in Animal Medium, to earn the $2000 pay check from Briggs and Stratton. DeVriendt beat Lawson to the line 0.150s for the 4-Cycle Heavy win. The Yamaha pipe classes had a small turnout compared to years past but the racing was close up front as Tony Neilson winning Yamaha Heavy and Mike Welsh earning the Yamaha Medium victory. Justin Jennings came back to the Rock after getting bit by the hay bails in the Jr. Sportsman race last year to win this weekend over defending race winner Josh Call.
For full results, click here for part one and click here for part two |
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