Labor Day Weekend
Saturday, August 30, 2008 8:15 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, August 31, 2008 8:15 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Professional kart racing event. Food and beverage vendors, kid's activities, and top notch racing action. Free admission. www.rockislandgrandprix.com
The Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race, will host an exciting schedule of races Labor Day Weekend, August 29-31, 2008. The competition will feature top racers from across the country as well as international competitors.
Superkarts! USA has again increased the winning payout for its coveted King of the Streets race to $4,000 and a free entry to the SuperNats. Couple that with Bridgestone tires boosting the first place check for the ICC North American Street Championship to $4,000, and ICC drivers will be competing for more than $11,000 in prize money. In addition, Briggs & Stratton has helped boost the winning prize for the Rumble at The Rock race to $2,000 and the Rock Island Grand Prix has increased the winner’s purse in the new TAG SuperPro class to $1,500!! Total purse this year is almost $35,000.
All eyes will also be on Gary Lawson, Jason Birdsell and Todd Bolton, as they chase the title for Most Career Victories at Rock Island. Birdsell held the mark, with 11 wins, for quite some time. But with two wins last year, Lawson overtook him and now has 12 career victories. Bolton is not far behind with 8, as is Alan Rudolph. All but Rudolph are expected to compete in multiple classes this year.
This year Rudolph, five-time winner of the King of the Streets race, has taken a a break from competition, assuring there will not be a repeat winner and leaving that coveted title open to a host of talented competitors.
Presenting sponsors of The Rock Island Grand Prix are AT&T and Mazda Motorsports. Jumer’s Casino Rock Island is sponsor of the $35,000 purse – one of the largest payouts in professional karting. Kart Expo International sponsored by Sodi Kart, to be held Feb. 21-22, 2009 in suburban Chicago, also returns as a major sponsor. Holiday Inn in Rock Island is the host hotel and race headquarters. General admission to the races is FREE, although there is a daily charge of $10 for pit passes which allow admittance to the pit area.
Action starts Saturday and Sunday at 8:15 a.m. and concludes at 6 p.m. There is nightly outdoor entertainment beginning at 8 p.m. on the East Plaza stage featuring Trippin’ Billies on Friday and The Travoltas on Saturday and Sunday night, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. These are all-ages shows and admission is charged.
This year’s Sunday races will again be broadcast live worldwide via the internet by
www.monksmedia.com and
www.RaceFanRadio.com beginning at noon. Both outlets will also archive the webcast for later access.
For the ninth year, Rock Island will host Superkarts! USA’s King of the Streets race, sponsored by the Bob Bondurant Super Kart School. This year the Rock Island Grand Prix will also sponsor three TAG USA race classes. The event will also feature the Rumble at The Rock featuring the Briggs & Stratton overhead value Animal power plant, as well as an Animal Heavy class. Also featured this year will be the Tom Argy Jr. Sportsman class for drivers age 12-15, as well as a variety of other feature races for 2-cycle, 4-cycle and gearbox karts.
Also part of the festival weekend is a Saturday Labor Day Ride fundraiser for the American Cancer Society to raise funds to battle non-Hodgkin Lymphoma . It is sponsored by The Daiquiri Factory in The District. Sign-in is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and the last participant is due in by 6 p.m. All kinds of vehicles are invited, you must be over age 21 to participate and the entry fee is $10. . For more information, www.daiquirifactory.com .
Sunday will also feature an Antique Auto Show featuring the Mississippi Valley Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America. Those looking for a break from the racing and family activities will enjoy the HyVee Family Fun Zone located in the infield area of the track on Third Avenue.
John Deere & Co. returns as sponsor of the John Deere Awards Show for drivers and race teams. Festivities will wrap up just in time for fun on the outdoor stage featuring The Travoltas. Outdoor concerts will be offered all three nights.
The Rock Island Grand Prix has drawn top drivers from 34 states as well as Canada, Bermuda. Mexico. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, France, Italy, Poland, Costa Rica and England. Drivers will compete in 14 feature races.
Others sponsors of this year’s Rock Island Grand Prix include: Zimmerman Cars; CBS4 TV; radio stations B100, 97 Rock, Star 93.5 and Rock 104.9; The Dispatch, The Rock Island Argus and The Leader newspapers; Quad-Cities Online; and Mediacom. Illinois Oil Products is the sponsor of VIP Hospitality Park and the Jewell Group is sponsor of the Sponsor and Volunteer Party. Other sponsors include Coors and Euclid Distributing, 61 Kartway, JET Karting, Triple E Sales, HyVee food stories, Courtesy Car City, Rieken’s Racing, VP Fuel, Bridgestone Tires, Sunbelt Rentals, Communications Engineering Corp.(CEC), Gas & Electric Credit Union, Rogan Inc., EZ Companies, County Waste, Zeglin’s Appliance, Communications and Catholic Credit Union, J&J Camper and Full Circle Media.
Rock Island Grand Prix Festival
Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
2-10 p.m.: Competitor sign-in open at Holiday Inn.
2-5 p.m.: Pre-race tech/scrutineering open at the off-site staging area at Rock Island’s QCCA Expo Center.
5 p.m.: Streets close in The District downtown Rock Island.
6-11 p.m.: Pits open.
7-10 p.m.: Pre-race Tech/Scrutineering open on the pre-grid.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on East Plaza Stage featuring Trippin Billies with opener Fielder, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30
7 a.m.: Pits open.
7 a.m.-noon: All you can eat DeMolay Pancake Breakfast at Masonic Temple.
7-9 a.m.: Driver sign-in open at Holiday Inn.
7 a.m.: Pre-Race Tech/Scrutineering Opens.
7:15 a.m.: Driver's meeting at pre-grid area. Attendance is Mandatory
8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Grand Prix Marketplace vendors open in The District.
8:30-11:45 a.m.: Practice rounds. Five minute sessions. Crossing breaks every 4 rounds.
11 a.m.: Labor Day Ride cancer fundraiser begins at The Daiquiri Factory.
1 p.m.: Timed qualifying begins.
6 p.m.: Track Closes at conclusion of qualifying.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act The Diplomats of Solid Sound, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
7 a.m.: Pre-Race Tech/Scrutineering Opens.
7 a.m.-noon: All you can eat DeMolay Pancake Breakfast at Masonic Temple.
8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Grand Prix Marketplace vendors open in The District; 10 a.m. HyVee Family Fun Zone opens.
8:15 a.m.: Final practice round begins
10 a.m.: Antique Auto Show opens on 18th Street near CBS4..
10:30-noon: Consolation Races and Junior PreFinal
Noon: Opening Ceremonies and Kid’s autograph session.
12:30 p.m. Racing begins in 14 classes.
6 p.m.: Racing Ends.
7 p.m.: John Deere & Co. Awards Ceremony.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act Beaker Brothers, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
9:30 a.m.: Annual Rock Island Labor Day Parade. 18th Ave. and 24th Street..
www.rockislandgrandprix.com