Jul 16, 2026

Faced with growing economic issues outside of its control, the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s most prestigious karting street race, has decided to suspend the race for 2026. Increasing costs, declining participation at kart races across the country, and the rising costs for air and auto travel for race teams, race officials and spectators, […]

Oct 23, 2025

The Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s most prestigious karting street race, has announced dates for its 31st annual race weekend, September 5-6, 2026. Once again it will feature race classes for 2 cycle, 4 cycle, shifter and Vintage racers. Plans again call for racing on the original downtown street course, a portion of […]

Sep 05, 2025

The 30th edition of the Rock Island Grand Prix took place over the Labor Day weekend, turning the streets of Rock Island, Illinois into a two-day karting festival. Karts zoomed through the streets once again, deciding this year’s race winners over the 16 race groups. Rob Howden and David Cole recap the action from Rock […]

Sep 01, 2025

The 30th edition of the Rock Island Grand Prix completed on Sunday following two days of action around the city streets of Rock Island, Illinois. A total of 16 race groups competed for the coveted Rock trophy awarded to the winner of each class, all decided in front of a healthy crowd of spectators lining […]

Aug 29, 2025

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 […]

Aug 04, 2025

eKartingNews has launched a new program for social media and the EKN Radio Network – Face2Face. The show is broadcasted live over Facebook and YouTube, with the audio version making its way to the only 24 hour / 7 days a week radio station. Episode 88 of Face2Face focuses on the 30th edition of the […]

Jul 01, 2025

Registration is now open for the 30th annual Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest and most prestigious karting street race. This year’s race is August 30-31, 2025 and features classes for 2-cycle, 4-cycle, shifter and Vintage racers. Back again this year in Briggs 206 are: Briggs Heavy 1 & 2, Briggs Medium 1 […]

Apr 02, 2025

The Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest and most prestigious karting street race, will be held August 30-31, 2025. It will again feature race classes for 2 cycle, 4 cycle, shifter and Vintage racers. A number of items will change as the race heads into its fourth decade with details coming soon. But […]

Feb 14, 2025

Back in 1978, The Blues Brothers took the world by storm with a skit on Saturday Night Live. A movie followed in 1980, then a sequel and some albums as Dan Aykroyd (Elwood) and John Belushi (Joliet Jake) rose to fame and stardom. The back story is that Jake and Elwood were raised in a […]

Dec 04, 2024

The Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix presented by The Hemp Doctor, the world’s largest and most prestigious karting street race, will roll into its third decade on August 30-31, 2025. Once again it will feature race classes for 2 cycle, 4 cycle, shifter and Vintage racers. After a one-year shift to an alternate course, RIGP […]

Oct 23, 2024

In a continued effort to highlight the many outstanding performances by drivers around the country, eKartingNews.com is proud to introduce the ‘Driver of the Month’ program. Each month, the staff at EKN will determine the one driver who stood out above the rest and give the viewers a chance to know exactly what they accomplished […]

Sep 24, 2024

Announced last week, the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix presented by The Hemp Doctor developed a new Scholarship Program. The award of the scholarship, sponsored by Simpson Motorsports – STL, is a free entry to compete at the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27 in Pro Shifter and free entry to the 2025 edition of the Rock […]

Sep 16, 2024

The Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix presented by The Hemp Doctor is set to provide an amazing opportunity for one fortunate karter. This year’s dismissal of the King of the Streets category due to lack of support from racers left one prize unclaimed from the Labor Day weekend street race. Simpson Motorsports – STL had […]

Sep 06, 2024

The 29th edition of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix presented by The Hemp Doctor was held over the August 31-September 1 weekend. Celebrating the Labor Day weekend, karter converged on the two-day karting street race festival in Rock Island, Illinois. A new circuit due to construction on and around the original streets welcomed nearly […]

Sep 04, 2024

As I traveled home from Rock Island on Monday afternoon, my mind raced as I unpacked two days of action from the city’s streets. I pulled out my laptop on the flight from Chicago to Toronto and hammered out a bunch of words, downloading the thoughts in my head for a new column. Below are […]

Sep 01, 2024

The 29th edition of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix presented by The Hemp Doctor was completed on Sunday, wrapping up two days of competition on the city streets of Rock Island, Illinois. Over Friday night, the downtown area transformed into a festival of speed, welcoming karters from coast to coast and abroad. It was […]

Aug 30, 2024

This weekend is the 29th edition of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix Presented by The Hemp Doctor, where the city streets of Rock Island, Illinois are transformed into a two-day karting festival over the Labor Day weekend. The event began back in 1994, and karters have been coming to the Quad Cities region for […]

Aug 27, 2024

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 […]

Jul 19, 2024

eKartingNews.com is the hub of the karting world, providing you with all the latest news, insider information and race reports from events around the globe. ‘This Week In Karting’ helps to tie everything together in one weekly podcast, bringing our listeners up to speed on the most recent news in the sport. Episode 79 of […]

Jul 03, 2024

Once again, the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix Presented by The Hemp Doctor, the world’s largest and most prestigious karting street race, will provide exciting racing action Saturday and Sunday, August 31-September 1. But don’t leave early. This year an exciting element of the race weekend returns with the Rock The Blues party on the […]