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 several classes this Labor Day weekend, August 31-September 1

Last year, Cory Simpson of Simpson Motorsports in St. Louis, paid for two drivers from the 100cc King of The Rock race to compete in the SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas. Nevada. Those Scholarship winners ran at the top of the KA100 field all week in Vegas with Chase Jones on the podium in 2nd and Race Liberante running 3rd before retiring with only a few laps remaining.  This year, Simpson Motorsports is raising the bar higher. In addition to his 5-year sponsor commitment to The Rock, this year the SKUSA SuperNationals on November 13-17 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, will welcome the winners of Rock Island’s 100cc King of The Rock and the historic King of the Streets shifter race, with SuperNationals entries funded by the Simpson Motorsports Scholarship.

In addition, Simpson Motorsports and Cup Karts North America have joined forces to offer two scholarship entries to 4-cycle’s biggest event of the year, the CKNA Grand Nationals, Oct. 10-13 at New Castle Motorsports Park. The winner of Rock Island’s Briggs & Stratton 206 King of The Rock and the Briggs 206 Junior race will be awarded free CKNA entries.

SKUSA SuperNationals Scholarships include Entry Fee, two sets of tires, oil and gas.

CKNA entrants will receive a package including Pit Passes, Practice, Race Entry and Tires for the 8th running of the CKNA Grand Nationals.

For shifter drivers competing in the eKartingNews.com Shfterkart Driver Rankings presented by Skip Barber Racing School, the RIGP King of the Streets race is one of just two national races offering a 9.5 ranking.

But there’s more. Also joining the Rock Island Scholarship Program this year is the Southern Indiana Racing Assn (SIRA). Drivers winning in other Rock Island classes that match up with those at SIRA, will receive a free entry to the CERA Grand Prix on September 28-29, and Indianapolis Speedrome Showdown on October 19-20. Eligible Rock Island classes are Briggs 206 Junior, Medium, Heavy and Masters; 100cc Senior; and Open Shifter.

SIRA Karting is one of the country’s oldest kart racing series and has a long, rich history of promoting both street and track races across multiple states. 2024 marks a rebirth for the series with fresh new leadership focused on modernizing and improving it. SIRA entry awards include entry fee and driver pit pass. There is no parking charge and no mandatory new tire purchase. There is a list of approved tires.

These scholarship awards are on top of an earlier announcement by the Grand Prix that it will pay guaranteed purses of $1,000, $500 and $250 to first, second and third place finishers in all three King classes this year. Additional places may receive payment depending on the number of race entries. All drivers are eligible to enter the three King races if they have entered another race in the same engine class.

“Get your equipment together and come tame ‘The Rock’ and take home a Vegas Scholarship while you’re here,” said Cory Simpson, encouraging racers to mark their calendars for Labor Day weekend.

“We are excited to offer free entries to Rock Island Grand Prix winners to our corresponding classes for both the CERA Grand Prix and Speedrome Showdown. The CERA Grand Prix is a long-time favorite race of competitors that runs through the streets of CERA Sports Park and Campground in Columbus, Indiana. The Speedrome Showdown is a new race for 2024 that will take place at the Indianapolis Speedrome where we will build a full sprint track using the oval and infield. It’s going to be big, fast and badass. We’re making it the perfect SuperNats warmup track,” said Matthew Burpo, SIRA president.

“We are excited to be able to partner with these great events and offer drivers what, for many, is a unique experience,” said Roger Ruthhart of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix Presented by The Hemp Doctor. “These opportunities offered by Cory and Simpson Motorsports, Greg Jasperson and CKNA and Matthew Burpo and SIRA essentially offer Grand Prix winners the chance to compete at major national/international events for the low cost of entering at Rock Island. There are now potentially 10 other races that could find Rock Island winners on the top of the podium without having to pay to enter!”

Entries for this year’s Rock Island race will be open soon. Please watch social media, racerockisland.info and your email for 2024 information. Sponsor inquiries and race questions can be sent to rockislandgrandprix@gmail.com.

A room block for racers has been set up at the Holiday Inn in Rock Island.

Rock Island is located in an area known as the Quad-Cities, equally divided between Illinois and Iowa, with a metropolitan population of 400,000. It is home to the Rock Island Arsenal military base and corporate headquarters for John Deere in Moline, Ill. It is served by the Quad-City International Airport and is at the intersection of Interstate highways 80, 74, 88 and 280.

The Grand Prix typically attracts race teams from coast to coast. There have been drivers from 10 foreign countries and 16 foreign winners. Last year saw more than 17,000 spectators over the 2-day event.

Sponsors for the event include: Mediacom, The Hemp Doctor, National Karting Alliance, Briggs & Stratton Racing, Simpson Racing, Bally’s Quad-Cities Casino & Hotel, Hoosier Kartsport, MG Tires, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Lincoln Electric, Modern Woodmen Financial/ Joe Schurr agent, C&W and Sons Trucking, Shaw Electric, Halligan, McCabe, DeVries Funeral Home, CBS TV4 / Fox 18 and CW, the local iHeart radio stations: Big106.5, Fox Sports QC, WOC and WLLR, QCSportsnet.com, Group O, Eagle Concrete Construction, Moon Printing, Illinois Casualty Company, Hiland Toyota, Courtesy Car City, Schurr Power Racing Engines, Sunbelt Rentals, Johannes Bus Service,  Holiday Inn Rock Island, eKartingNews.com, Gas & Electric Credit Union, Rogan Scale, Triple E Sales, RLV Tuned Exhaust, Speedway Fire & Rescue, Fastenal, 61 Kartway, Duncalf Karting, Hughes Tire, RIGP Corner Workers.

For more information on the race, please visit racerockisland.info

Share on Facebook

Tweet