ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS — The 27th running of the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race, this year will feature 18 racing classes. Admission is free to this family-oriented event. Racing is schedule for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day with morning practice and afternoon qualifying heat races on Saturday, followed by practice, opening ceremonies and 18 feature races Sunday. Joining the historic King of the Streets open shifter race, one of the most iconic races in karting, will be King of the Rock races for 100cc engines and for the Briggs & Stratton 206cc engine. Vintage karts from prior to 1985 are again being featured again this year.
Historic improvements are under way in Rock Island with the construction of a new federal courthouse and YWCA. On-street parking is limited due to the race course so fans are encouraged to park either in the city parking garage or the Modern Woodmen parking lot on the south side of First Avenue across from Schwiebert Park. Another option is parking in the neighborhoods south of Fifth Avenue and entering the race area on 19th Street by the Rock Island Library.
One big change this year is the announcing team. In an effort to bring more excitement and energy to the race, the Grand Prix has added the team of Jay Kidwell, sports director at WHBF-TV, and long-time karting announcer Dave MacIntyre. The double-team effort was introduced last year and seen as one of the biggest improvements in the event. The entire downtown will again be wired for sound and race fans can expect more information, more explanations, great interviews and lively banter from the team.
Once again, this year, teams arriving before 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2 are encouraged to park their race equipment in the hotel parking lot at Bally’s Quad-Cites Casino & Hotel, 777 Bally’s Blvd. just off Interstate 280 in Rock Island. Once downtown streets have been closed, trailers will be released to move into the downtown pit area. On Friday crews will be busy setting up the track and moving race teams into the pits with practices starting Saturday morning at 8 a.m.
Electric Racing: For the first time in Grand Prix history, Exhibition Races will be held both Saturday and Sunday featuring electric powered karts with 20kw motors created by Best Hybrid Batteries in Shorewood, Ill. “These should be fast and interesting events for both racers and spectators as electric powered racing could be part of the future of the sport,” said Roger Ruthhart, grand prix president.
Who is best track team?: Earlier this year, the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix unveiled a new team racing event where drivers from the same track can collect teams points even if they are racing in different classes. There are no additional entry fees and few rules, just the chance to win glory and bragging rights as the 2022 Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix Track Team of The Year. The winner will receive a large banner to display at their home track or club.
When drivers register for the Grand Prix, they are be asked to designate their home track or club. A track must have a minimum of 4 registered drivers to participate. Points will then be assigned for these declared drivers for finishing position in feature races in the classes they have entered. At the end, points are totaled and divided by the number of race entries from that club to get an average finishing position. The club with the lowest average finishing position wins and takes home the banner. The number of racers on teams might vary greatly, but competition is balanced by finding an average.
Currently there are drivers from 20 different tracks registered for this year’s Grand Prix, but only five have the necessary 4 entries to qualify for the competition, so encourage other racers from your home track to enter today. Enter here:
https://nkaforms.formstack.com/forms/rigp_pre_entry_2022
Fun returns in downtown Rock Island
But when it comes to race weekend in Rock Island, the attractions are just as much off the track after racing is over. With Covid another year further in the past, downtown businesses are better staffed to serve racers and race fans and nightly outdoor entertainment will help everyone relax from a day of racing.
The trackside bash: The Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix has always been known as a place racers and race fans gather to have fun once the action is over. This year, the fun returns as the Xtream Rock Island Grand Prix hosts “The Trackside Bash” sponsored by Smoking Dog as well as Hammar & Associates, Friendship Manor, Blaze Restoration, the Music Connection, QC Custom Tees, and QC Photo Booth. Featured will be live music and vendors welcoming race fans back downtown. Vendors include Smoking Dog, Icons, El Patron and Huckleberry’s Great Pizza and Calzones, with more still possible.
Bands include Wolfskill, The Resistors (an Americana band from Galena), DJ Tom Cox, B and D Acoustic and John Born Duo. Other bands may still be announced. Admission for music fans is just $15 with $10 for racers and fans with pit passes on their wrists. A weekend pass for all 3 nights is $40. You can also donate a dog or cat toy or food for the QC Paws Animal Shelter and receive $5 off the regular day pass – just leave it with the gate personnel. Shows end at 11 p.m.
More fun: Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse by Turn 4 is now featuring “Disaster,” Broadway’s side-splitting homage to classic disaster films. More information at circa21.com.
Shot and a goal: Once again this year the Quad City Storm professional hockey team will welcome fans to Shoot The Puck street hockey fun in the center of the course and also invite them to learn more about the team, its schedule and ticket information and meeting Radar, the team mascot.
Vendor time: During both days there will be Miller beer stands both in the infield and on 18th Street and Third Avenue, with both locations run by the Smoking Dog. Other food and drink vendors will be available, coordinated by Bayside Grille.
Ready to race?: 61 Kartway, the local kart track in Delmar, Iowa, will have a booth where you can see racing karts up close, get your questions answered about kart racing and learn about how both adults and kids can get involved in kart racing locally.
Motorsports Careers: The Bradley University Society of Automotive Engineers will have their race cars on display in front of WHBF-TV on 18th Street and will be happy to talk about their program and careers in motorsports for men and women.
On with the show: Opening ceremonies are at 10:30 am Sunday will also feature Radar the Quad City Storm mascot as well as other attractions. The Viet Nam Veterans honor guard will lead the Parade of Champions, and the National Anthem will be sung by Jill King. Local dignitaries will offer welcoming remarks.
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. The race has featured competitive teams from 39 states as well as 11 foreign teams and 13 foreign winners. For more information on the race, please visit racerockisland.info.