This weekend is the 30th edition of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, where the city streets of Rock Island, Illinois turn into a two-day karting festival over the Labor Day weekend. The event began back in mid-1990s and, since that inaugural weekend, karters have been coming to the Quad Cities region for the last three decades. Following last year’s track location adjustment due to a multi-million dollar city renovation that took place in the downtown core, the famed street race returns to the traditional six-tenths of a mile course that it has been racing on since 1994, set alongside the Mississippi River.

A total of 19 classes in 17 race groups will compete at this year’s Rock Island Grand Prix and eKartingNews.com is once again partnering with the RIGP family to produce a live audio play-by-play broadcast from the start-finish line on 4th Avenue, all part of the EKN Trackside Live coverage program along with social media and race reports. Jay Kidwell – sports director at WHBF-TV and race car driver Carter Pease – will be on the microphone to call the action throughout the weekend, and those not in attendance can listen in both days at www.ekartingnews.com/live along with the EKN Radio Network.

Ten of the categories in this year’s RIGP are focused on the Briggs & Stratton 206 engine platform. Since 2012, the engine has been growing into the backbone of the grassroots level karting across the country and it has become the focus at the Rock Island Grand Prix. The headline King of the Rock main event has seen four different drivers crowned as the winner with Michael Dittmer, Drake Ostrom, Chase Jones, and Jeff Dolian all earning the title. Dolian and Dittmer are back and ready to vy to become the first two-time winner in the category while 14 others are signed up to fight to take the crown for the first time. Many of the same drivers will be competing in the Briggs 206 Medium, Heavy, and Masters categories with Briggs 206 Light making its second appearance at the event. This year’s format will see two feature races contested on Saturday for the first time with Briggs 206 Medium 2 and Briggs 206 Heavy 2 run toward the end the day.

Jeff Dolian took home three wins in 2024, including King of the Rock Briggs 206 (Photo: EKN)

The Briggs 206 engine extends into the Margay Ignite program, which began racing at the RIGP in 2015. The spec-chassis program puts a focus on the driver, and it has shown in the results with seven different winners over the nine main events at the Rock Island Grand Prix. Last year, Ashton Wheeler became the second two-time winner in the original class, joining 2022-2023 winner Riley Scott. The Ignite program expanded to two Final format beginning in 2019. Scott has the most Senior victories at three after picking up the Final 2 race win in 2024. The Ignite Masters division launched in 2017 and RIGP legend Tony Neilson has the most wins at four, five in total when including Senior races. Aaron Snyder pulled out the victory last year in Masters with all drivers returning to add to their totals.

The Margay Ignite program will also welcome EKN Managing Editor David Cole back to the event. It will be Cole’s 20th straight visit to the Rock Island Grand Prix, and he is set to compete in the event for a lucky 13th time. Cole will have full OnBoard coverage including social media updates and more as the weekend goes on.

After being absent from the event in 2024, shifterkarts will be making their way around the streets of Rock Island in 2025. The coveted King of the Streets category and Open Shifter will be the two divisions in the order. No former winners from King of the Streets are in the field, and as a result, the event will crown a first-time winner.

The King of the Rock 100cc class was introduced in 2021, won by Race Liberante while Justin Wishard came through, winning both King and regular Senior 100cc category in 2022. Chase Jones became the first double RIGP King of the Rock winner in 2023 to become the third different winner while Talan Drake added his name to the list of four different winners of the class. Drake will defend the crown this year to become the first two-time winner.

Five-time King of the Streets winner Alan Rudolph (Photo: EKN)

Joining the 2-Cycle side of the event are the new Ignite 100 classes. The 10 year anniversary of the Ignite program coming to Rock Island is celebrated by the first time the Ignite 100 Senior and Ignite 100 Masters divisions will compete for a Rock trophy. The spec package includes the same K3 chassis for Ignite 206, with a swap of the engine for a sealed ROK VLR 100 powerplant.

Vintage classes close out the categories for the 2025 Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix with three specific classes taking to the city streets once again to provide a glimpse into the history of the sport.

With this being the 30th edition of the Rock Island Grand Prix, EKN is excited to take a look at the history of the event. Over the thousands of laps, and thousands of spectators to take in the annual event, three names stand out as ‘RIGP Legends’.

Among the first legends established at the Rock Island Grand Prix is Alan Rudolph. Winning at the first event in 1994, Rudolph went on to win a total of eight times at the Labor Day weekend street race with his last coming in 2007. Four of those victories came in the famed King of the Streets category that was established in 1998 by Superkarts! USA in Oklahoma. Rudolph won the Quincy Grand Prix version in 1999 before taking the first victory in 2000 when the race title moved to the Rock Island Grand Prix.

“First, I would have to say it’s the atmosphere and the fans lining in the streets. It’s just something you don’t have a regular go kart race no matter how big it is,” offered Rudolph, when asked about his favorite memories. “And the party on the block with the Travoltas was always memorable. Second, I would have to say my five King of the Streets wins. Each one has its own story that I cherish. Third, my 2006 victory in King of the Streets stands out the most. That was a pretty special moment for me, Richie Buxman, and everyone else involved. To this day, it’s still the only kart I still own.”

The all-time win total leader at 28 belongs to Gary Lawson (Photo: EKN)

As Rudolph turned in the crown, Ohio driver Gary Lawson took it over to eventually become the Rock Island Grand Prix ‘Emperor’. Lawson’s winning at the Rock Island Grand Prix began in 2003 with three victories through that rain soaked weekend. Lawson would go on to win at least one main event for the next eight years, including four triumphs in 2010. He matched that total in 2013 after skipping the 2012 edition. For a third time in event history, Lawson won three Rock trophies in his final start in 2019, bringing his career total to a staggering 28 wins.

“It’s difficult to pick a specific memory since we’ve had so many, but two trips to Rock Island really stand out. 2003 in the rain was crazy, when I lapped people in the top-five in the 2-Cycle Sportsman categories. Returning in 2019 after being away from the event to go uncontested in the three classes I started is my favorite kind of boring.”

The name that has stood out over the last decade at the Rock Island Grand Prix is Tony Neilson. The Delmar, Iowa driver is currently second on the all-time win list at 26 victories, a record he could break this weekend. His first win came in Yamaha Heavy back in 2006, and he has recorded at least one win in 13 of 18 editions of the Rock Island Grand Prix.

Tony Neilson won a record six ‘Rock’ trophies in 2015 (Photo: EKN)

“My first win in 2006 is among my favorite memories. That race, it was just me and my dad picking up our first Rock trophy together. Winning six races in 2015 is next on the list. It was an amazing accomplishment and would not have happened without the help of Scott Evans and his father, along with my whole crew that helps us now every year at the Rock Island Grand Prix.”

Ironically, all three won races during the 2006 and 2007 editions of the Rock Island Grand Prix. Lawson sits first in the all-time win list with Neilson holding second, just two wins back. Rudolph is tied at seventh in the all-time list.

Neilson will have 10 opportunities for earning more Rock trophies, competing in 10 categories for the 2025 Rock Island Grand Prix. In the top-five of the all-time win list, Neilson, Michael Dittmer and Scott Barnes are those competing in the 2025 Rock Island Grand Prix. Dittmer first won at the RIGP 25 years ago in the Junior Briggs class. His most notable win came in 2021, becoming the inaugural King of the Rock Briggs winner, adding two more race wins in 2023 to tie with fellow Iowan Tim Goettsch in third with 12 total wins. Bermuda driver Scott ‘Skitchy’ Barnes has 10 total wins at Rock Island in many different categories to hold fifth alone on the all-time list. Barnes is the two-time defending winner in Masters Shifter, a two-time winner in the Margay Ignite divisions, and he won last year in the inaugural Briggs 206 Light class.

Be sure to follow EKN Social Media channels – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – all weekend long with updates, results, photos, videos and more throughout the weekend at the Rock Island Grand Prix.

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