roger ruthhart
Member
ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS — Organizers of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, known by competitors as “The Rock”, have announced an exciting and challenging class lineup for the 26th running of the world’s largest karting street race. This will mark the first year of the event’s operation with the National Karting Alliance.
Joe Janowski and his National Karting Alliance team will take over race operations, marketing and promotion, with the Rock Island organization continuing to handle planning and execution of the event on the ground in Rock Island. Terry Riggins will return as race director and most of the previous team of Rock Island officials will return and be supplemented by NKA staff.
Through the United States Auto Club (USAC), the race will again be on the motorsports calendar of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (ACCUS), the umbrella organization for sanctioning bodies in the U.S. and official liaison to the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA). This makes it legal for anyone with an FIA/CIK license to race at “The Rock”. Each year the race attracts more than one hundred race teams and thousands of spectators. National Karting Alliance rules and supplemental Rock Island rules will be used. Registration will open July 1 using the Kart Pass app. Watch the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix website, racerockisland.info, and social media for more details.
A room block for racers has been set up at the Holiday Inn in Rock Island. Races will once again be featured o the eKartingNews Trackside Live stream.
One change over previous years, brought on by a lost year of competition due to Covid and loss of several key sponsors, is that most classes will run as trophy classes with the coveted Rock trophy for winners as well as trophies for second and third place. Pro classes will be offered class for King of the Streets Open Shifter; Briggs & Stratton 206cc and 100cc 2-cycle karts will race for King of The Rock titles, trophies and $1,000 to win. Additional payouts for the three money races will be $750 for second, $375 for third, $225 for fourth and $200 for fifth. All Rocks, trophies and checks as well as racing products will be presented at the Sunday night Awards Ceremony at the Rock Island Holiday Inn Ballroom.
This year’s race lineup will include (not in race order):
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc Medium 1 &2
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc Heavy 1 & 2
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc Masters
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc King of the Rock money race
*Margay Ignite Senior 1 & 2
*Margay Ignite Masters
*Open Shifter
*Open Shifter Masters
*King of the Streets open shifter money race.
*A 100cc 2-cycle Senior class has been added for the IAME KA100, Rok VLR 100 and Yamaha KT engines.
*100cc 2-cycle Senior King of the Rock money race.
*Vintage classes will be held for Mac, Yamaha and Open classes.
All classes except Vintage will run spec Hoosier racing tires ordered through registration.
“The Rock Island Grand Prix has been part of the NKA family for decades, and we couldn’t be more excited to play a larger role in the production of the 26th running of this great event. Our aim is to bring things we have learned in over 36 years of event production in various disciplines to the event while still maintaining the things that have made RIGP the greatest street karting race in the world,” said Joe Janowski, CEO of National Karting Alliance.
The Grand Prix is the biggest weekend event of the year in Rock Island and race organizers are also planning expanded festival weekend activities this year, with new activities being planned for both race teams and spectators.
“The focus of our group in Rock Island, besides a seamless transition with the National Karting Alliance, has been to enhance the race weekend experience for both the race teams and spectators. From a new announcing team to a slew of associated activities, entertainment and new race apps, our goal this year is for people to leave Rock Island saying they can’t wait to come back,” said Roger Ruthhart, president of the Rock Island Grand Prix organization.
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.
Teams at Rock Island in 2019 represented Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Missouri, Massachusetts, Indiana, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Tennessee, Maryland and Arizona as well as Canada and Bermuda. There have been drivers from 8 foreign countries and 13 foreign winners.
Sponsors for the event include: Mediacom, Briggs & Stratton Racing, , Jumer’s Casino & Hotel, Hoosier Tires, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Gett Industries, Modern Woodmen Financial/ Joe Schurr agent, Miller/Coors, RLV Tuned Exhaust, CBS TV4 / Fox 18 and CW, the local iHeart radio stations: Q106, Fox Sports QC, WOC and WLLR, McDonalds restaurants, Schurr Power Racing Engines, Sunbelt Rentals, Johannes Bus Service, SCCA Great Lakes Region/ Rennkraft Motorworks, The Law Centre, Holiday Inn Rock Island, eKartingNews.com, Courtesy Car City, Gas & Electric Credit Union, Rogan Scale, Triple E Sales, Brenny’s Motorcycle Center, Hakuna Matata Charters, Transmission Plus, Downtown Rock Island, Hiland Toyota, Quad City Camaro Club and Harden Motorsports.
For more information on the race, please visit racerockisland.info
Joe Janowski and his National Karting Alliance team will take over race operations, marketing and promotion, with the Rock Island organization continuing to handle planning and execution of the event on the ground in Rock Island. Terry Riggins will return as race director and most of the previous team of Rock Island officials will return and be supplemented by NKA staff.
Through the United States Auto Club (USAC), the race will again be on the motorsports calendar of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (ACCUS), the umbrella organization for sanctioning bodies in the U.S. and official liaison to the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA). This makes it legal for anyone with an FIA/CIK license to race at “The Rock”. Each year the race attracts more than one hundred race teams and thousands of spectators. National Karting Alliance rules and supplemental Rock Island rules will be used. Registration will open July 1 using the Kart Pass app. Watch the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix website, racerockisland.info, and social media for more details.
A room block for racers has been set up at the Holiday Inn in Rock Island. Races will once again be featured o the eKartingNews Trackside Live stream.
One change over previous years, brought on by a lost year of competition due to Covid and loss of several key sponsors, is that most classes will run as trophy classes with the coveted Rock trophy for winners as well as trophies for second and third place. Pro classes will be offered class for King of the Streets Open Shifter; Briggs & Stratton 206cc and 100cc 2-cycle karts will race for King of The Rock titles, trophies and $1,000 to win. Additional payouts for the three money races will be $750 for second, $375 for third, $225 for fourth and $200 for fifth. All Rocks, trophies and checks as well as racing products will be presented at the Sunday night Awards Ceremony at the Rock Island Holiday Inn Ballroom.
This year’s race lineup will include (not in race order):
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc Medium 1 &2
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc Heavy 1 & 2
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc Masters
*Briggs & Stratton 206cc King of the Rock money race
*Margay Ignite Senior 1 & 2
*Margay Ignite Masters
*Open Shifter
*Open Shifter Masters
*King of the Streets open shifter money race.
*A 100cc 2-cycle Senior class has been added for the IAME KA100, Rok VLR 100 and Yamaha KT engines.
*100cc 2-cycle Senior King of the Rock money race.
*Vintage classes will be held for Mac, Yamaha and Open classes.
All classes except Vintage will run spec Hoosier racing tires ordered through registration.
“The Rock Island Grand Prix has been part of the NKA family for decades, and we couldn’t be more excited to play a larger role in the production of the 26th running of this great event. Our aim is to bring things we have learned in over 36 years of event production in various disciplines to the event while still maintaining the things that have made RIGP the greatest street karting race in the world,” said Joe Janowski, CEO of National Karting Alliance.
The Grand Prix is the biggest weekend event of the year in Rock Island and race organizers are also planning expanded festival weekend activities this year, with new activities being planned for both race teams and spectators.
“The focus of our group in Rock Island, besides a seamless transition with the National Karting Alliance, has been to enhance the race weekend experience for both the race teams and spectators. From a new announcing team to a slew of associated activities, entertainment and new race apps, our goal this year is for people to leave Rock Island saying they can’t wait to come back,” said Roger Ruthhart, president of the Rock Island Grand Prix organization.
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.
Teams at Rock Island in 2019 represented Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Missouri, Massachusetts, Indiana, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Tennessee, Maryland and Arizona as well as Canada and Bermuda. There have been drivers from 8 foreign countries and 13 foreign winners.
Sponsors for the event include: Mediacom, Briggs & Stratton Racing, , Jumer’s Casino & Hotel, Hoosier Tires, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Gett Industries, Modern Woodmen Financial/ Joe Schurr agent, Miller/Coors, RLV Tuned Exhaust, CBS TV4 / Fox 18 and CW, the local iHeart radio stations: Q106, Fox Sports QC, WOC and WLLR, McDonalds restaurants, Schurr Power Racing Engines, Sunbelt Rentals, Johannes Bus Service, SCCA Great Lakes Region/ Rennkraft Motorworks, The Law Centre, Holiday Inn Rock Island, eKartingNews.com, Courtesy Car City, Gas & Electric Credit Union, Rogan Scale, Triple E Sales, Brenny’s Motorcycle Center, Hakuna Matata Charters, Transmission Plus, Downtown Rock Island, Hiland Toyota, Quad City Camaro Club and Harden Motorsports.
For more information on the race, please visit racerockisland.info