The Rock Island Grand Prix
1724 Fourth Avenue, Suite 200, Rock Island, Illinois USA


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For additional information
Email: grandprix@qconline.com
Call (309) 292--8133


ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race, and the Indy Racing League have announced that the IRL will have a significant presence at this year’s Rock Island Grand Prix.

Race fans coming to “The Rock” will be immersed in the larger-scale, open-wheel Indy Car racing experience. Spectators will be able to see an IRL car up close in spectator areas adjacent to the Rock Island Grand Prix downtown street track. Also in town for the Rock Island Grand Prix will be the IndyCar Series Fan Experience Properties.

The IndyCar Fan Experience is a trio of semi tractor-trailers with built-in IRL simulators. The IndyCar Series Pole Position is a high-performance mobile racing simulator that uses real IndyCar Series cars and allows fans to drive their favorite driver’s car around their favorite tracks.

The IndyCar Series Tech Trailer offers a wide variety of sponsor displays that bring the excitement and intricacy of the pits and garage to the fans while educating them in a fun and interactive manner. It includes a cutaway of a car, an up-close look at the Safer track barrier system, a racing uniform, the Official Pace vehicle, War Wagon with IndyCar Series video game stations, Firestone tire display, and more.

The IndyCar Series Pit Stop gives race fans a hands-on experience at servicing a real IndyCar Series race car. They can race against others and the clock to change 2 tires, try their hand at refueling, or enjoy many other equipment displays and an explanation of the flag stand.

The Indy Racing League is a presenting sponsor of the Snap-on Stars of Karting. For the first time this year, the Rock Island Grand Prix is partnering with Stars of Karting to co-promote two races as the U.S. Street Grand Prix. Both races are on the FIA/CIK World Calendar.

“What started as a discussion about opportunities to provide some visibility to Stars sponsors, turned into a much greater opportunity for our event, Stars, the IRL and most importantly the spectators,” said Roger Ruthhart, head of the Rock Island Grand Prix. “Fans would normally have to go to one of the IRL races to get to experience what we are going to have in Rock Island this year. It’s a great opportunity for our event, but at the same time a great opportunity for the IRL to promote its racing experience one week prior to its race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.

The IRL attractions will be coming from Infineon Raceway in California to spend Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3-4, at the Rock Island Grand Prix before continuing on to the Chicago area.

“For the IRL to recognize the Rock Island Grand Prix, and the Quad-Cities market, as a worthy host of these simulators is quite an honor. We hope race fans from throughout the Midwest will take this opportunity to experience the IndyCar Series racing experience during the two days these exhibits are in Rock Island,” Ruthhart said.

The Rock Island Grand Prix is run every Labor Day Weekend on a temporary circuit set up through the downtown city streets of Rock Island, Illinois. Presenting Sponsors are SBC Communications and HomeVestors.

SBC companies currently serve more than 54 million access lines nationwide. Cingular Wireless, of which SBC is a 60 percent owner, serves more than 46 million wireless customers in all of the top 100 metropolitan areas. SBC companies serve business customers inside their 13-state footprint and in 30 additional major metropolitan areas across the country. SBC companies and their employees are committed to enriching and strengthening America's diverse communities through financial support and millions of volunteer hours. www.sbc.com .

HomeVestors of America, Inc., trains and supports HomeVestors franchisees who specialize in buying properties in need of repair, expanding and building upon the HomeVestors of America, Inc., reputation for "We Buy Ugly Houses." In every market where HomeVestors exists, the "We Buy Ugly Houses" and "Ugly's OK" campaigns are prominent. If you want to sell your house, CLC Investments, a HomeVestors office in St. Louis, Missouri, can be reached by calling (618) 394-8940. www.homevestors.com .

The Rock Island Grand Prix is an independent event which draws almost 400 entries from throughout the United States and Canada, competing for one of karting’s largest purses. It has also hosted racers from Italy, France, Colombia, Bermuda and Mexico. It includes 15 feature pro races in 4-cycle, 2-cycle, TAG and shifter classes. The Rock Island Grand Prix is hosted by the Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District which features Jumer’s Casino Rock Island, retail shops, excellent restaurants, live entertainment, dinner theater, art galleries and comedy clubs all within walking distance of the host hotel and pit area. It is located on the Mississippi River three hours west of Chicago in an area known as the Quad-Cities with straddles the river and the Illinois/Iowa border.

Formed in 1996 by Tony George, the Indy Racing League provides the ultimate in wheel-to-wheel racing excitement through the IndyCar Series and Menards Infiniti Pro Series. The 2005 season marks the 10th year of competition for the IndyCar Series, the pinnacle of open-wheel racing in America. The 17-race schedule, featuring 14 ovals, two road courses and a temporary street circuit, consists of the most events in season history. The Menards Infiniti Pro Series, an essential stepping stone for drivers and teams striving to reach the IndyCar Series, will feature a series-high 14 races in 2005, including three events on road courses and one street course. www.indyracing.com.

 

Roger Ruthhart