The Rock Island Grand Prix TM

1720 Fifth Ave., Suite 200

Moline, Ill. 61265
www.rockislandgrandprix.com

For information contact:

Jennifer Fowler (309) 788-6311; jennifer@teamrockisland.com
Roger Ruthhart (309) 736-3517; grandprix@qconline.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WORLD CLASS RACING AT ROCK ISLAND GRAND PRIX

ROCK ISLAND, ILL –The Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street
race, will host an exciting schedule of races Labor Day Weekend, Sept.5-6, 2009. The
competition, held in The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District, will
feature top racers from across the country as well as international competitors.

Among the premier race events of the weekend will be the Superkarts! USA King of the
Streets. This year’s winner will receive a $2,000 check, entries to the Superkarts! USA
SuperNationals in November, the Florida Winter Tour January 2010 opening round, and a
special KartRaiser Electric Kart Stand (transportation model with tray valued at
approximately $850) supplied by Michael Polizzi and Full Bore Karting LLC, as well as
the coveted “Rock” trophy. The race is sponsored by PG Racing.
The Briggs & Stratton Rumble at The Rock will pay $2,000 to the top 4-cycle racers and
the North American Street Championship will award a first place check of $1,500. Other
classes pay $500 to win. All purse payouts are subject to meeting entry limits.

All eyes will also be on Gary Lawson to see if he can extend his record for most wins at
the storied street race beyond the 14 he currently has to lead all competitors.

Presenting sponsors of The Rock Island Grand Prix are AT&T and Mazda Motorsports.
Jumer’s Casino & Hotel is sponsor of the $20,000 purse – one of the largest payouts in
professional karting. Kart Expo International to be held Feb. 27-28, 2010 in suburban
Chicago, also returns as a major sponsor. Holiday Inn in Rock Island is the host hotel and
race headquarters. General admission to the races is FREE, although there is a daily
charge of $10 for pit passes.

Action starts Saturday and Sunday at 8:15 a.m. and concludes at 6 p.m., or the end of the
races. There is nightly outdoor entertainment beginning at 8 p.m. on the East Plaza Stage
featuring The Brat Pack on Friday and The Travoltas on Saturday and Sunday night,
sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. These are all-ages shows and admission is
charged.

This is the tenth year Rock Island will host Superkarts! USA’s King of the Streets race.
This year the Rock Island Grand Prix will also sponsor three TAG USA race classes –
Junior, Senior and Masters. The event will also feature the Rumble at The Rock featuring
the Briggs & Stratton overhead value Animal power plant, as well as an Animal Heavy
class. Also featured this year will be the Tom Argy Jr. Sportsman class for drivers age 12-
15, as well as a variety of other feature races for 2-cycle, 4-cycle and gearbox karts.

The Saturday Labor Day Ride fundraiser for the American Cancer Society to raise funds
to battle non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is also part of the festival weekend. It is sponsored by
The Daiquiri Factory, 1909 Second Ave. in The District. Sign-in is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
and the last participant is due in by 6 p.m. All kinds of vehicles are invited, you must be
over age 21 to participate and the entry fee is $10. . For more information,
wwww.daiquirifactory.com .

Saturday night will also feature a Gold Wing motorcycle Boogie Lights Parade around 8
p.m. featuring as many as 75 specially lit motorcycles. They will make several laps of the
downtown race track. Admission is free.

On Sunday, those looking for a break from the racing and family activities will enjoy the
HyVee Family Fun Zone located in the infield area of the track on Third Avenue.

John Deere & Co. returns as sponsor of the John Deere Awards Show for drivers and race
teams. Festivities will wrap up just in time for fun on the outdoor stage featuring The
Travoltas.
The Rock Island Grand Prix has drawn top drivers from 35 states as well as Canada,
Bermuda, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, France, Italy, Poland, Costa Rica, the
Philippines and England. Drivers will compete in 14 feature races.

Others sponsors of this year’ Rock Island Grand Prix include: Zimmerman Honda; the
Quad City River Bandits; CBS4 TV; Ekartingnews.com; radio stations B100, 97X, Star
93.5 and Rock 104.9; The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus newspapers; Lafarge;
Allied Waste Services; Ekartingnews.com, Quad-Cities Online; National Kart News; and
Mediacom.

Illinois Oil Products is the sponsor of VIP Hospitality Park. Other sponsors include Coors
and Euclid Distributing, 61 Kartway, Briggs & Stratton, PG Racing, JET Karting, Triple
E Sales, Modern Woodmen of America/Joe Schurr, HyVee food stores, Courtesy Car
City, Kartfinder.com, VP Fuel, Sunbelt Rentals, Communications Engineering
Corp.(CEC), CF Motorsports, Gas & Electric Credit Union, Rogan Inc., EZ Companies,
JF Edwards Construction Co., County Waste, Communications and Catholic Credit
Union, Damp’s Tree Solutions, Vroom.it, J&J Camper and Full Circle Media.

Race details are available on the Grand Prix website at www.rockislandgrandprix.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)

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. (www.ridistrict.com)

For more information on the Rock Island Grand Prix, visit our web site at
www.rockislandgrandprix.com
 Rock Island Grand Prix Festival
Schedule of Events

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
7 p.m.: Beliot vs. Quad City River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport. College
Night/Thirst-day.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
2-10 p.m.: Competitor sign-in open at Holiday Inn.
2-5 p.m.: Pre-race tech/scrutineering open at the off-site staging area at QCCA Expo Center,
Rock Island.
5 p.m.: Streets close in The District downtown Rock Island..
6-11 p.m.: Pits open.
7-10 p.m.: Pre-race Tech/Scrutineering open on the pre-grid.
7 p.m.: Beliot vs. Quad City River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport. Fan
Appreciation Nigth with post-game Fireworks over Mississippi River.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on East Plaza Stage featuring The Brat Pack sponsored by the Rock
Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
7 a.m.: Pits open.
7 – 11 a.m.: Pancake Breakfast at Skellington Manor in pits. $6 charge.
7-9 a.m.: Driver sign-in open at Holiday Inn.
7 a.m.: Pre-Race Tech/Scrutineering for Overnight Arrivals only.
7:15 a.m.: Mandatory Driver's Meeting at pre-grid area, followed by second mandatory Drivers’
Meeting for Juniors.
8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Grand Prix Marketplace vendors open in The District.
8:30-11:45 a.m.: Practice rounds. Five minute sessions. Crossing breaks every 4 rounds.
11 a.m.: Labor Day Ride cancer fundraiser begins at The Daiquiri Factory.
1 p.m.: Timed qualifying begins.
6 p.m.: Track Closes at conclusion of qualifying.
8 p.m. (dusk): Honda Goldwing motorcyucle Boogie Lights Parade on the Grand Prix race track
featuring 75 lighted motorcycles.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act Minus
Six, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
7 -11 a.m.: Pancake Breakfast at Skellington Manor in the pits. $6 charge.
8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Grand Prix Marketplace vendors open in The District; 10 a.m. HyVee Family Fun
Zone opens.
8:15: Final practice round begins
10:30-noon: Consolation Races (as needed)
Noon: Opening Ceremonies and Kid’s autograph session.
12:30 p.m. Racing begins in 14 classes.
6 p.m.: Racing Ends.
8 p.m.: John Deere & Co. Awards Ceremony.
8 p.m.: Outdoor music on the East Plaza Stage featuring The Travoltas with opening act The
Premium Sellouts, sponsored by the Rock Island Brewing Co. All ages show. Admission charged.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
9:30 a.m.: Annual Rock Island Labor Day Parade. 18th Ave. and 24th Street..