For information contact:
Roger Ruthhart (309) 736-3517; grandprix@qconline.com

Briggs & Stratton and Rock Island Grand Prix
announce $25 entry fee for LO 206 race

ROCK ISLAND, ILL. -- The Rock Island Grand Prix, the world's largest karting street race, and Briggs & Stratton Motorsports have announced an exciting incentive program for drivers participating in the new Briggs Local Option 206 class at Rock Island this Labor Day weekend.

For the first 25 drivers entering the class, Briggs & Stratton will underwrite $100 of the $125 entry fee. Drivers will compete for the coveted Rock trophy, $500 to win and payouts through nine places if the class has more than 20 entries.

In addition, K1 RaceGear will award the winner a K1 Race Gear karting jacket and Reflex karting gloves.

The LO 206 class sealed engine is purpose-built exclusively for racing, each built by hand right in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and backed by a factory written rule set. It is quickly becoming popular because of its reasonable cost, durability, superior manufacturing quality and the fact that it levels the playing field and puts the emphasis on the driver.

Drivers who have already pre-entered will receive a $100 refund. Drivers who enter after the first 25 will pay the standard $125 entry fee.

“The Rock Island Grand Prix is the premier street race in the country” said David Klaus, Director-Briggs & Stratton Racing. ‘We wanted do something special for our racers and thank them for supporting us. Cost-effective racing, what’s better than a cost-effective entry fee to highlight that?”

“Our event and Briggs & Stratton have a long history of working together to promote 4-cycle sprint kart racing,” said Roger Ruthhart, president of the Rock Island Grand Prix. “That said, we get really excited when we have a partner likes Briggs & Stratton that is committed to giving back to the racer and helping us to encourage them to take on new challenges like The Rock.”

“This race is shaping up as one of the premier 206 races of the year with entries already received from as far away as California, Arizona and Maryland. This generous offering from Briggs & Stratton should encourage even more racers to join the fun. For those who enjoy racing this class at their local track, this offers a great opportunity to participate in one premier national event while enjoying the festival atmosphere that Rock Island has to offer,” Ruthhart added.

Throughout Briggs & Stratton's century-long history, it has been involved with racing in one form or another. This involvement began almost as soon as the first engine came off the assembly line in 1919. The company's relationship with racing not only helped lay the foundation for many professional American racers, but it helped establish a reputation of reliability and dependability for its engines.

In the early 1980s Briggs & Stratton's engines entered the world of sanctioned kart racing on a national level. The company formally entered the world of racing in 1991 with the introduction of its Racing Division.

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The Rock Island Grand Prix is hosted by the Downtown Rock Island Arts and Entertainment District which features retail shops, excellent restaurants, live entertainment, dinner theater, art galleries and comedy clubs all within walking distance of the host hotel. Jumer’s Casino & Hotel is just a short drive away. Rock Island is located on the Mississippi River three hours west of Chicago in an area known as the Quad-Cities which straddles the river and the Illinois/Iowa border. It is at the intersection of Interstate highways 74, 88 and 80 and is served by Quad City International Airport in Moline, Ill. ( HYPERLINK "http://www.ridistrict.com" www.ridistrict.com)