Superkarts! USA, Rock Island Grand Prix
announce changes and awards for 2009 King of the Streets

ROCK ISLAND, IL. – Superkarts! USA and the Rock Island Grand Prix have announced that the 2009 King of the Streets race will feature the S3 Stock Moto class.

At its inception, and during the glory days of the SKUSA Pro Moto Tour, the moto class featured the top drivers competing for the King of the Streets crown – the most coveted title in shifter kart racing. More recently it featured top Intercontinental C drivers. Now, beginning with the Sept. 5-6, 2009 event, the King of the Streets race will again showcase top drivers in moto shifter karts.

The winners of the S3 and S4 stock light and heavy classes at the upcoming SKUSA SuperNationals XII, Nov. 20-23 in Las Vegas, Nevada, will win a free entry and reserved pit spaces for the 2009 King of the Streets race at Rock Island. The winner of the 2009 King of the Streets race will receive their “Rock,” check, and a free entry for the 2009 SuperNationals. In addition, the next King will also win a free entry to the first round of the January 2010 Formula Kart Racing Florida Winter Tour (FWT). The 2009 FWT Stock Moto points champion will win a free entry into the 2009 King of the Streets event.

For the King of the Streets race, the spec tires are MG. Spec fuel is VP and will be on sale direct to competitors on site. Neither are included in the entry fee. SKUSA S3 rules will be used and all King of the Streets competitors must be active SKUSA members. The Rock Island Grand Prix is always the Saturday and Sunday of the U.S. Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 5-6, 2009.

King of the Streets was originally created as an event that would circulate among various temporary venues. The 1998 event at the Oklahoma City Grand Prix was won by Joe Janowski. In 1999 Alan Rudolph won at Quincy in the Park. From that point, the race has had a permanent home at the Rock Island Grand Prix and become one of the most coveted titles in kart racing. The reigning King is Alex Speed. Alan Rudolph has won the crown five times (1999, 2000, 2001, 2006 & 2007). It has also been won by Scott Speed (2002), Bobby Wilson (2003) and Kyle Wiegand (2004 & 2005). The King of the Streets race is sponsored by the Bob Bondurant SuperKart School in Phoenix, Arizona. (www.bondurantsuperkarts.com )

“What is really important here are that three different karting organizations are working together to promote a karting class designed to make the sport both simpler and more economical to participate in. Stock moto is a class that the nation’s top drivers, as well as local and regional competitors can all enjoy. I think this is exciting and I appreciate the support,” said Tom Kutscher, CEO of Superkarts! USA.

Roger Ruthhart, president of the Rock Island Grand Prix, said he is happy to see the King of Streets tradition continue. “This event has changed over time, but has always provided a challenge for the top gearbox drivers in the sport. There’s no advance practice. Just show up, learn the course and race. At first look, the course does not appear technically difficult, but the street course challenges drivers in ways they are not used to,” he said.

“This year, when we saw the top nine Stock Moto drivers all qualify within one second of each other, we couldn’t help but take notice. Because of all of the spectators at Rock Island, “The Show” is important. We believe that Stock Moto will provide that and hope the top drivers will continue to compete for the crown. We think this change will not only provide new life for this coveted event, but enhance the efforts of Superkarts! USA and the Florida Winter Tour by promoting the stock moto package at a time when the sport needs it the most. This announcement sets a positive example,” Ruthhart said.

Formula Kart’s Bill Wright said “Street racing is a U.S. tradition that I’ve watched my entire karting career. Moto kart racing is a U.S. tradition that I’ve had the pleasure to be involved with from the very beginning. I’m excited to be part of an effort to continue these uniquely American traditions, and look forward to helping with the re-birth in this segment of the sport.”

Presenting Sponsors of the Rock Island Grand Prix are AT&T and Mazda Motorsports. The $25,000 RIGP purse is sponsored by Jumer’s Casino & Hotel. Other major sponsors include Kart Expo International presented by Sodi Kart and The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus newspapers.

The Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race, draws 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, Costa Rica, England, Argentina, Bermuda, the Philippines and Mexico. It includes 14 feature pro races in 4-cycle, 2-cycle and shifter classes. Rock Island Grand Prix races are also broadcast live worldwide via the internet by RaceFanRadio.com. It is always held the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend.

Superkarts! USA’s mission is to deliver the complete racing experience, helping karters to bridge the gap between club racing and professional racing. SKUSA sanctions a number of regional series such as the ProKart Challenge in Southern California and Northern California, the Desert Kart Challenge in Arizona and the Central States Challenge in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, and the Maui Kart Challenge in Hawaii. SKUSA also sanctions national events such as the SuperNationals in Las Vegas and the King of the Streets race at the Rock Island Grand Prix and the SKUSA Winter Nationals. (www.superkartsusa.com or www.skusasupernats.com)

The Formula Kart Racing Florida Winter Tour is one of the longest running and largest sprint kart racing series in the world. For the 10th straight year the 2008 FWT set records for entries and awards, averaging 630 entries per month, including drivers from 23 different countries, 24 U.S. States and 6 Canadian Provinces, with total value of cash purses and awards exceeding $100,000. (www.floridawintertour.com)

AT&T is the largest telecommunications company in the United States and one of the largest in the world. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing IP-based communications services to business and the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. As part of its "three screen" integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T U-verse TV. With 55.8 million subscribers, AT&T provides international voice services to virtually every country and territory in the world. It is a global company that sets the industry standard for a new era of integrated communications and entertainment services. The AT&T Foundation has contributed more than $1.8 billion to nonprofit organizations around the country, including $60 million in 2006, putting it among the five largest corporate foundations in the United States. (www.att.com)

On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle.  At the track, you’ll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car.  In fact, the fastest growing road-racing class in the U.S. is the SCCA’s Spec Miata class, with nearly 1,500 first- and second-generation Miatas tearing up America’s racetracks, making it the most-raced production car in the world.  Mazda’s involvement in motorsports extends to its relationship with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world’s premier road-racing circuits, and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and racing. Mazda North American Operations, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers.  Canadian operations are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., in Ontario, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico, Mexico City.
(www.MazdaUSAmedia.com , www. Mazdaspeedmotorsports.com)                                     

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, as well as the new Jumer’s Casino and Hotel. It 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. (www.ridistrict.com)

For more information on King of the Streets race or the Rock Island Grand Prix, visit www.rockislandgrandprix.com.