Rock Island Grand Prix Newsletter

This will be our final communication with you until you arrive. As always, if you have questions please email us at grandprix@qconline.com or call the Grand Prix office at (309) 292-8133.

ENTRIES: We are already over 400 entries which is our largest field EVER. We will appreciate your patience and cooperation on race weekend. We are doing our best to keep this a smooth, well-run event.

ON THE INTERNET: Just a reminder. For those who can’t attend this year, or who are racing and have friends and family who will be at home, this year’s race will be broadcast worldwide via the internet at www.monksmedia.com . Also, Ekartingnews.com / Super Kart Illustrated magazine will have their team here provide detailed coverage of the event at www.ekartingnews.com . John Denman's team from Kartweb.com will also be at the races preparing another package of awesome videos which will be available through their website www.kartweb.com .

JR. ANIMAL: You may have heard that we came very close to dropping the Junior Animal class at this year’s race. It will be held as scheduled, but likely won’t continue in the future without some additional show of support. For those racing this class, please be reminded that the restrictor plate being used is the Gold plate, not the plate published in the Supplemental Rules.

VEGA CONTINGENCY: We would like to thank Jim & John Giacomelli and Grand Prix Distributing for offering a very nice Vega tire contingency package for this year’s Rock Island Grand Prix. The prizes will be offered in Yamaha Medium and Heavy, 2-cycle Senior and Super Sportsman, 4-cycle Medium and Heavy, 125cc Masters and TAG Senior and TAG Masters (Vega SLNordAm Blue). There are 5 and 6 inch compounds available. In these classes only, drivers finishing in first place on Vegas will win $250 cash.

Second place will win a gift certificate good for a set of Vega tires. Third place will win a gift certificate for 2 Vega tires or a Vega tire gauge. There will also be a Special Award -- The Vega Cup – which will be given to the driver with the most wins at the Rock Island Grand Prix using Vega tires !! We hope many of you will take advantage of this generous program. For additional details, or to arrange for tires, please contact Grand Prix

Distributing direct – www.grandprixdistributing.com .

WATCH OUT FOR THE BULL: The Rock Island Grand Prix is happy to welcome Red Bull as a sponsor of this year’s Rock Island Grand Prix. Their presence will be evident throughout the weekend and ample samples will be available. I’m sure you will agree that this is a welcome addition – especially at the mandatory 7:15 a.m. Saturday and Sunday Drivers Meetings !!

OFF SITE PARKING: As always, those arriving before 6 p.m. Friday will be asked to go to an off-site staging area located at the Quad City Expo Center, about 5 blocks east of the track area on Fifth Avenue. There will be a shuttle running from the parking area to registration at the Four Points Hotel and back. You will also be able to take your karts through pre-race tech inspection while you are waiting at this site.

WAITING LISTS: As of this writing, we are only accepting waiting list entries in TAG Senior, 2-cycle Senior Sportsman (3-hole can) and 125cc Moto. Several other classes are very close to capping and will likely cap by the weekend. If you are on the waiting list, please feel free to check on your status at any time through our office.

TAG LICENSING: Once again, we would like to clarify the situation regarding the need for a TAG USA license. The top 10 finishers in the TAG Senior and TAG Masters classes at the Rock Island Grand Prix, who HAVE A TAG USA LICENSE, will qualify for the TAG World Finals in October at New Castle, Indiana. If you have no intention of participating in the World Finals, you DO NOT need a TAG license. If you do, you must have the license in advance of our event. For licensing information, see www.tagracing.net .

STREET PAVING: One of the joys of a street race are the surprises that can happen in our downtown. About a month ago, the city of Rock Island resurfaced Third Avenue all the way through the city with what I can only describe as a thick sealer. The result is that the street is smoother, but slick.

The only part of the track affected is the short straight after the right hander – between corners 4 and 5. The intersections (where we actually turn) were NOT paved. As those who are returning know, this is also a shaded area of the track where grip can change anyway. At a street race, we race the surface that we are given. I would like to encourage everyone to be careful through this area, especially until we get some rubber down.

THE TRAVOLTAS: Those who have been here in the past know that the night-time entertainment featuring the Canadian band, The Travoltas, is a legendary part of the Rock Island Grand Prix. They will be back again this year, performing Saturday and Sunday nights on the outdoor plaza stage. Be sure not to miss them !!

NO LEAVING EARLY: Because of the large numbers of entries in TAG

Senior and TAG Masters, we will be running Sunday morning Last Chance Qualifiers in both classes, as well as probably 2 others. Sadly, this will mean as many as 50 drivers will be done early. PLEASE do not ask us to let you out of the pit area early. It is simply impossible to be able to accommodate that request and maintain any kind of integrity in our fencing -- which is essential

to our getting this event insured, not to mention disturbing others who are still racing. Enjoy the races. Visit the vendors. Check out the Indy Racing League simulators, or visit the Casino Rock Island or other attractions in the downtown. But plan on finding something to occupy your time until we can release you in an orderly manner. Those caught cutting or knocking down fence to leave early will NOT be invited back in the future.

AWARDS CEREMONY: The Sunday night John Deere Awards Ceremony has been moved to a larger venue – the Rocket Theater -- which is located midway between corners 3 & 4. This is a bigger venue than in the past, so please plan to stay Sunday night and enjoy the festivities. This is a fun, if not often raucous evening. Doors will open about 7 p.m. and food and drinks will be available for purchase. As in the past, the Comedy Sportz group will then entertain until we can complete post-race tech and get the checks filled out.

Checks, contingency awards and coveted “Rock” trophies will be presented after that. Remember that most classes will pay through 9 places and all 9 drivers will be invited onto the stage to accept their awards and have the opportunity to publicly thank their teams, sponsors, families and supporters.

It’s a fun evening that you won’t want to miss. After we’re done, it is just a short walk to The Travoltas’ concert on the plaza adjacent to Corner 2. 

GAS FOR SALE: A limited amount of VP Fuel will be available on site.

This will be spec fuel for Snap-on Stars of Karting classes and available while supplies last for others. Fuel is NOT included in the entry fee for Stars racers. 98 octane will be sold for $7/gallon; 110 octane for $8/gallon. We will also have methanol available at $3/gallon. As always we have tried to keep the prices as low as possible for the competitors. Please bring a clean fuel container.

FM TRANSMISSION: The track PA will be rebroadcast on a local FM frequency in the pits. Bring along a boom box, etc. and you will be able to keep up with the announcements better.

HOTEL: We have completed and signed our hotel agreement for 2006 with the Four Points Hotel. The room rate will increase for the first time in five years – to $79/night. But this means that you will actually be able to book rooms into the block for next year before you leave town!! Since the hotel was full by early January for this year’s race, I would encourage you to consider this option.

THEFT: There are literally thousands of people in the pit area and while we have police on patrol 24 hours, we cannot watch everything. We have had occasions of theft occurring from trailers while a team was racing – usually small items like wallets or cameras. Please be sure a neighbor is watching your trailer, and that valuables are secured while you are away from your pit.

Please know that the entire community is looking forward to your visit. I would like to personally ask that you treat our downtown as you would a good friend’s house. Please be respectful. This event cannot happen in the future without TOTAL community support. Many people donate the use of their property and parking lots. Please respect them and help us keep them clean. Oil and gas recycling containers will be available on site, so please don’t mess up the pits or dump it down the sewers. A dumpster is also available in The Argus lot. Please use common sense -- don’t work on your motor in the hotel room sink … things like that.

Also, please remember that almost everyone involved in putting on this event is a VOLUNTEER. Please be patient. If you have any problems, please explain them fully and we will do our best to try and resolve them. If you see workers with orange EVENT STAFF shirts, please take a moment to thank them for the tireless work they do so we can have this great event. Race- oriented questions should be directed to Race Director Terry Riggins or head technical official Bob Paladichuk or his designated assistant, not a race volunteer.

Finally, no matter how busy I seem, please stop me during the weekend to introduce yourself. I love to be able to put faces to names and really do look forward to seeing old friends again year after year. We are also very open to feedback from the competitors. Listening and reacting to your suggestions is how this event has grown to be the great, safe race that it is. A quick word to one of us during the weekend is fine; an email, phone call or letter when you get home is even better.

See you soon !!

Rock Island Grand Prix