Rob Howden interviewing Keith Freber at the Rock Island Grand Prix in 2015 (Photo: Mark Schwigen)

It was Labor Day weekend in 1999. I’d left my Editor-at-Large position at National Kart News in late 1998 to venture out with my own publication, Shifter Kart Illustrated. I’d only been in karting for five years, and I’d fallen in love with the gearbox discipline of the sport after attending the inaugural SuperNationals in 1997 and 1998 before working with Superkarts! USA’s Jim Murley on the launch of their new ProMoto Tour in 1999. I’d been bitten by the shifter kart bug, and I got it bad. This all led to my first trip to the Rock Island Grand Prix, which would become a core event that helped to cement my future in the sport.

Younger versions of Howden and Cole circa 2010 at the Rock Island Grand Prix

I’d attended and participated in street races before, in fact, the first kart race I ever covered as a reporter was the Barrie Grand Prix in Ontario in 1994. I then competed in the race myself in 1995 in my first year of racing. Two years later, Margay’s Keith Freber convinced me to check out the Quincy Grand Prix, and then he somehow coerced me into racing on Sunday after too many beers on Saturday night.  I ended up driving a Margay Brava 1 in the Yamaha Pipe class and was rewarded with one of the coolest experiences in my life. Since those days, I’ve always loved street races, which bring the sport to the people.

My first trip to the Rock Island Grand Prix quickly became an annual pilgrimage to the Quad Cities. The race had it all. The track was fast and fun, and the event drew top drivers and teams from both the local region and from all four corners of the country. The evening activities were so much fun, and anyone who attended the race in the late 1990s and 2000s will tell you stories of ’The Travoltas’ on the RIBCO stage on Saturday night before hitting Steve’s Old Time Tap. Epic times, for sure.

My first trip was also part of my early days as a karting commentator. In 1999, while I was attending the event to cover it for SKI, Bob Wilson, the father of karter Bobby Wilson, went to the promoter – Roger Ruthart – and told him that the announcers didn’t know anything about the shifter class and that he should let me announce it. Roger was open to the idea, but I told Bob I needed to get paid for my effort. Bob offered $100, I accepted, and away I went. I would become the lead announcer for the Rock Island Grand Prix for the next 15 years until IndyCar’s move to Portland on the Labor Day weekend brought on a conflict that required me end my long tenure on the RIGP PA. It was a privilege to work the event every year.

Howden behind the wheel at the 2005 RIGP with RBI in Masters Shifter (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Not only did I call the action for 15 editions, over those years, I’ve driven in four classes at the Rock. I made my debut in 2002 in the Masters Shifter category on a First Kart and followed that up the next year on an RBI. A few years later, I ran TaG Master with Margay with Freber turning the wrenches for me. From there, I moved to the Briggs 206 Senior class on an Exprit in the second year of the category in 2013 and followed that up with a Margay Ignite race in 2015. This coming weekend, I’ll make my return to this fantastic event, back once again with Margay and their tremendous Ignite program. I’m going to get the chance to race with my right hand man David Cole again, and I’m sure he’ll soundly thrash me. My 15 or so years of being consistently two tenths faster than David are sadly in the past, I believe. That said, Rock Island could be an opportunity to hang with my much younger colleague. We’ll see how it plays out when we’re racing between the plastic barriers.

I’ve been away for eight years, and I’m looking forward to seeing old friends, soaking up the atmosphere, and taking on a new track and a new challenge. The Rock Island Grand Prix is just one of these races that you have to do at least once. I hope to see many of you there this coming weekend to cross this iconic event off your own personal bucket list. If you go once, you’ll likely go back, even if it takes eight years.

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