Gateway 2009: Everything You Need To Know!

[Bret Kepner]

The following is the first look at the 2009 Gateway International Raceway Drag Racing Format and Schedule by anybody, anywhere.

You're welcome from Bret Kepner Photos.com.



An expanded 2009 drag racing season marks the biggest news for Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois. The success of 2008’s November Open Test-and-Tune events has allowed two late-season programs to be permanently added to the new schedule to allow racing through November 14th! Last season’s definitive weather policy will be continued. Additionally, GIR will retain its eight-event Midnight Madness series and has added new events to its list of the most prestigious major championships in drag racing.


Here’s what’s new and what’s not:


Event Weather Parameters and Policy

The weather-mandated gate policy, introduced in 2008, will cancel any event in GIR’s regular weekly series programs if the forecasted temperature for the day of the event is under 40 degrees Fahrenheit or over 99 degrees Fahrenheit. For evening events, the minimum temperature for safe competition will be 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Updates on the day of each event will be available at Gateway Raceway.com.



Tuesday Street Car Shootout Series, Street Bike Shootout Series and Open Test-and Tune Events

The 2009 Street Car Shootout Series will be comprised of twenty-four events beginning on March 31st and ending on October 20th. Open test-and-tune action will be complimented by the popular SCSS program in which the sixteen quickest entries (based on elapsed time) earn “Fastest Street Car Qualifier” decals.

The four quickest overall qualifiers will compete in heads-up eliminations for trophies. The structure of the SCSS Season Point Championship has been revised for 2009 and will award five points to each driver qualifying in the Super Sixteen field at each event as well as one bonus point awarded to each driver qualifying in the top four positions each week. One additional bonus point will be awarded for each round-win in eliminations. This restructuring will reward competitors in eliminations while ensuring that drivers who consistently qualify remain competitive in the overall championship.

The SCSS will again feature three categories including the Street Car Shootout, (for the four quickest entries regardless of configuration), the Sport Tuner Shootout, (for all passenger cars except Rear-Wheel-Drive of eight cylinders or more), and the Super Truck Showdown, (for all utility vehicles). In the Sport Tuner Shootout and in the Super Truck Showdown, the two quickest qualifiers in each category will compete in heads-up eliminations for trophies.

Each week, all finalists in all three categories will receive one free car and driver admission to the SCSS series, (to be used during the 2009 season), a disc of digital photos from Bret Kepner Photos.com, and will be awarded new, larger trophies.

For the fourth consecutive year, High School Eliminator bracket racing program will be contested on designated Tuesday nights. The High School Eliminator championship is open to all High School students possessing valid High School identification and parental consent, if required. The program is sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association with a point series determining a season champion and series finalists are eligible to compete in Indianapolis, Indiana at the NHRA Division III Sportsman Finals in September. High School Eliminator vehicles may not run quicker than 12.00 seconds per NHRA rules.

In an attempt to maintain a weekly drag racing series as a viable option, Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois, has restructured its Tuesday and Wednesday midweek programs for the 2009 racing season. Beginning on Tuesday, March 24, GIR’s Tuesday Street Tires Test-and-Tune and Wednesday Slick Tires and Motorcycles Test-and-Tune programs will be combined into one program held each week on Tuesday. Starting with the Tuesday, March 31 event, the weekly series will include the Street Car Shootout Series, the Doc’s Harley-Davidson Street Bike Shootout and, on previously scheduled dates, High School Eliminator.

Using a new format to ensure an equal number of run attempts for all competitors, a “punch card” distributed to and carried by each entered driver will allow up to three official passes, (not counting elimination rounds in the Shootout programs). As in past Tuesday and Wednesday events, however, early arrivals and those who stay later in the program can expect up to five runs, (discounting unforeseen delays), during each Tuesday night program.

An important aspect of the new Tuesday night format is the fact that Wednesdays will be retained as rain dates for each weekly program. If a scheduled Tuesday event is rained out under GIR guidelines, (the cancellation of all activity within two hours of the first car running down the track), the same program, (including Shootouts and High School Eliminator), will be contested the next night using the same schedule and format.

In addition, the new Tuesday events will include more employees in technical inspection, staging, starting line and race control to increase the efficiency of the event. The technical inspection process will be streamlined to include the sale of technical inspection cards, the signing of releases and the distribution of armbands in one specific area at the rear of the staging area.

Strict staging lane assignments will ensure that timed trials and qualifying runs will be orderly and consistent. The misuse or transfer of “punch cards” during an event will, obviously, be considered a capital offense.

Spectator admission will remain at $10 for adults with children under 12 years admitted free.

For cars with Street Tires, Contestant Admission for 2009 is $20 or $15 for all drivers with two or more passengers purchasing a spectator admission. The $15 contestant admission is also available to all current High School or College Students possessing valid school identification.

For cars with Slick Tires, Contestant Admission for 2009 is $25. Contestant admission for all motorcycle riders and Junior Dragster racers is $20. Contestant Admission is $20 for all drivers with two or more passengers purchasing a spectator admission.

Gates open at 5 PM with racing until 11 PM. SCSS and SBSS qualifying takes place from 6:30 PM until 10 PM. The semi-finals of the Street Car Shootout and the Street Bike Shootout will commence at 10:00 PM with the final rounds in all three divisions at 11:00 PM.

After reviewing weather and attendance records from the past five seasons, Dover Motorsports has determined that the SCSS series will be on hiatus during August 11th and August 18th, traditionally the hottest weeks of the season.



The 2009 Outlaw All Star Series at Gateway International Raceway

Gateway International Raceway will debut the Outlaw All Star Series in 2008. The OAS, designed to offer affordable non-handicapped drag racing on a local level, will include five Index-based Eliminators and three Heads-Up categories. The first event is scheduled for Saturday, May 16.

As promised, the OAS will offer very low entry fees for equally modest purses but will accommodate virtually any vehicle. The program and its rules were created with a goal of offering nearly all competitors a class in which to compete without the expense of adding new equipment. All purses will be based on the number of entries in each competition division and, initially, will be presented to the winner and runner-up in each class. Purse money will be accrued from all competitors above the basic $20 GIR entry fee for all contestants. Payout to the finalists will be 70% of the total accrued awarded to the winner and 30% of the total accrued awarded to the runner-up in each eliminator category.

All vehicles entered for competition must pass a basic NHRA technical inspection and must comply with all rules for the eliminator category entered as well as the NHRA-mandated regulations for advanced performance including additional safety equipment, chassis construction and driver licensing requirements.


SPECTATORS

Spectator admission: $10 with children under 12 years admitted free.

INDEX ELIMINATOR CATEGORIES

Fourteen-Second Eliminator:
Entry fee: $20
Purse: Trophies to winner and runner-up

Thirteen-Second Eliminator:
Entry fee: $20
Purse: Trophies to winner and runner-up

Twelve-Second Eliminator:
Entry fee: $25
Purse: Winner and runner-up receive trophies plus monetary awards.

Eleven-Second Eliminator:
Entry fee: $30
Purse: Winner and runner-up receive trophies plus monetary awards.

Ten-Second Eliminator:
Entry fee: $35
Purse: Winner and runner-up receive trophies plus monetary awards.

HEADS-UP ELIMINATOR CATEGORIES

Super Street Eliminator:
Entry fee: $35
Rules: Open to all vehicles utilizing untreaded, (“slick”), rear tires of no more than 10.5 inches in width. Any engine modification permitted including turbocharging, supercharging or nitrous oxide injection. No “wheelie bars” permitted. 10.5W tires are prohibited.
Purse: Winner and runner-up receive trophies plus monetary awards.

Drag Radial Eliminator:
Entry fee: $40
Rules: Open to all vehicles utilizing Department Of Transportation-approved treaded rear tires of no more than 13.0 inches in width. Rear tires must carry an official D.O.T. stamp on sidewalls. Any engine modification permitted including turbocharging, supercharging or nitrous oxide injection. No “wheelie bars” permitted.
Purse: Winner and runner-up receive trophies plus monetary awards.

Outlaw Eliminator:
Entry fee: $45
Rules: Open to all vehicles with any engine or chassis modifications. “Wheelie bars” are permitted.
Purse: Winner and runner-up receive trophies plus monetary awards.


Open Test-N-Tune Events

Along with the scheduled Tuesday SCSS/SBSS programs, Gateway International Raceway will also host six Open Test-N-Tune events, (open to all vehicles), beginning with the season-opening Icebreaker event on Saturday, March 21st. Gates open at 10 AM with racing until 4 PM. An Open Test-N-Tune event will also be held on Tuesday, March 24th, from 6 PM until 10 PM.

Two Open Test-N-Tune events will conclude the 2009 season on Saturday October 31st and Saturday, November 14th. Gates open at 8 AM with racing until 4 PM.

Spectator admission to Open Test-N-Tune events is $10. Contestant Admission for 2009 is $25.



Midnight Madness Series

The eight-event Midnight Madness series remains unchanged for 2009 with gates opening at 8 PM and racing conducted from 9 PM until 3 AM.

Spectator admission for 2009 Midnight Madness events is $15. Contestant Admission for 2009 is $25.



Saturday Bracket Racing Series

Gateway continues its bracket racing series with five point-earning programs. Each event includes competition in Pro Motorcycle, Super Pro, Cash Bash (1/8th mile), Pro, Street and Junior Dragster Eliminators. Gates open at 12 noon.

Spectator admission to GIR weekly bracket racing events is $10. Contestant Admission for 2009 is $60 in Super Pro and Cash Bash (eighth-mile) Eliminators, $50 in Pro Eliminator, $40 in Street Eliminator and Pro Motorcycle Eliminator and $20 in Junior Dragster classes.



Major Championship Events

The 2009 season includes the return of the NHRA Division 3/5 National Open, The Screamin’ Eagle All-Harley Drag Racing Association Nationals, Monster MoPar Weekend XXV, the United Black Drag Racers Association “Black Sunday Weekend XV”, the MegaBucks Bracket Racing Championships, the Nostalgia Drag Racing Nationals and Muscle Car Reunion, the Jerry Haas Race Cars Factory Hot Rod Showdown, the Run ’N Gun Kit Car Wars weekend and the return of the American Drag Racing League‘s Gateway Drags sponsored by the National Guard. The premiere event on the GIR schedule, the National Hot Rod Association O’Reilly Midwest Nationals, will be held May 1st through May 3rd, 2009.



Gateway Drag Racing School

For the thirteenth consecutive year, GIR will offer a free Drag Racing School comprised of five seminars which cover every facet of street car drag racing and bracket racing. The classes are open to every racer, crew member, spouse, child, significant other, friend of a friend, or housepet. GIR’s Drag Racing School conducts Thursday classes, (usually on the first Thursday of), each month from May through September. The dates for the 2009 GIR Drag Racing School are May 7th, June 4th, July 2nd, August 6th and September 3rd. No fees or registration are required. Classes begin at 7 PM and conclude by 10 PM.



Closed Dates

As in the past, there are several dates throughout the racing season during which Gateway International Raceway will be closed. In 2009, those dates will be:

April 28 (Tuesday):
Closed due to preparations for the NHRA O’Reilly Midwest Nationals

June 23 (Tuesday):
Closed due to full-facility rental

July 14 (Tuesday), July 17 (Friday), and July 18 (Saturday):
Closed due to reconfiguring for the NASCAR/Nationwide stock car event on the oval track

September 8 (Tuesday), September 11 (Friday), and September 12 (Saturday):
Closed due to reconfiguring for the NASCAR/Craftsman Truck event on the oval track



Disclaimer

Since this information has not been officially released by Gateway International Raceway as of 1/11/2009, any and/or all information in this message may change at any time.



The following is the first look at the 2009 Gateway Drag Racing Schedule by anybody, anywhere.

You're welcome from Bret Kepner Photos.com.

2009 Gateway International Raceway Drag Racing Schedule

3/21/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #01
3/24/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #02
3/27/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #1
3/28/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #03
3/31/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #01
4/3/2009 Fri NHRA National Open
4/4/2009 Sat NHRA National Open
4/5/2009 Sun NHRA National Open
4/7/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #02
4/11/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #01
4/14/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #03
4/17/2009 Fri AHDRA Harley Nationals
4/18/2009 Sat AHDRA Harley Nationals
4/19/2009 Sun AHDRA Harley Nationals
4/21/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #04
4/24/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #2
4/26/2009 Sun Model T Ford Show and Swap
4/28/2009 Tue Closed (NHRA Event)
4/29/2009 Wed Closed (NHRA Event)
5/1/2009 Fri NHRA Midwest Nationals
5/2/2009 Sat NHRA Midwest Nationals
5/3/2009 Sun NHRA Midwest Nationals
5/5/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #05
5/7/2009 Thu GIR Drag Racing School #1
5/9/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #02
5/12/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #06
5/16/2009 Sat Outlaw All Stars Event #01
5/19/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #07
5/22/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #3
5/26/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #08
5/29/2009 Fri Nostalgia Nationals
5/30/2009 Sat Nostalgia Nationals
5/31/2009 Sun Nostalgia Nationals
6/2/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #09
6/4/2009 Thu GIR Drag Racing School #2
6/9/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #10
6/13/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #03
6/16/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #11
6/23/2009 Tue Closed (Oval Event Event)
6/30/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #12
7/2/2009 Thu GIR Drag Racing School #3
7/3/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #4
7/7/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #13
7/11/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #04
7/14/2009 Tue Closed (Oval Track Event)
7/17/2009 Fri Closed (Oval Track Event)
7/18/2009 Sat Closed (Oval Track Event)
7/21/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #14
7/28/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #15
7/31/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #5
8/4/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #16
8/6/2009 Thu GIR Drag Racing School #4
8/7/2009 Fri ADRL Gateway Drags
8/8/2009 Sat ADRL Gateway Drags
8/11/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #04
8/14/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #6
8/15/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #05
8/18/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #05
8/25/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #17
9/1/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #18
9/3/2009 Thu GIR Drag Racing School #5
9/4/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #7
9/8/2009 Tue Closed (Oval Track Event)
9/11/2009 Fri Closed (Oval Track Event)
9/12/2009 Sat Closed (Oval Track Event)
9/15/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #19
9/18/2009 Fri UBDRA Black Sunday XV
9/19/2009 Sat UBDRA Black Sunday XV
9/20/2009 Sun UBDRA Black Sunday XV
9/22/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #20
9/25/2009 Fri Monster MoPar XXV
9/26/2009 Sat Monster MoPar XXV
9/27/2009 Sun Monster MoPar XXV
9/29/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #21
10/2/2009 Fri MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/3/2009 Sat MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/4/2009 Sun MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/6/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #22
10/9/2009 Fri Run 'n Gun Kit Car Wars
10/10/2009 Sat Run 'n Gun Kit Car Wars
10/13/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #23
10/16/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #8
10/20/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #24
10/31/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #06
11/15/2009 Sun Open Test-n-Tune Event #07




2009 Gateway International Raceway Tuesday SCSS/SBSS/Open Test-N-Tune Schedule

3/31/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #01
4/7/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #02
4/14/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #03
4/21/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #04
5/5/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #05
5/12/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #06
5/19/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #07
5/26/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #08
6/2/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #09
6/9/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #10
6/16/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #11
6/30/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #12
7/7/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #13
7/21/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #14
7/28/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #15
8/4/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #16
8/25/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #17
9/1/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #18
9/15/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #19
9/22/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #20
9/29/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #21
10/6/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #22
10/13/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #23
10/20/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #24




2009 Gateway International Raceway Midnight Madness Schedule

3/27/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #1
4/24/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #2
5/22/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #3
7/3/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #4
7/31/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #5
8/14/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #6
9/4/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #7
10/16/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #8




2009 Gateway International Raceway Open Test-N-Tune Schedule

3/21/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #01
3/24/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #02
3/28/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #03
8/11/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #04
8/18/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #05
10/31/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #06
11/14/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #07




2009 Gateway International Raceway Bracket Racing Schedule

4/3/2009 Fri NHRA National Open
4/4/2009 Sat NHRA National Open
4/5/2009 Sun NHRA National Open
4/11/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #01
5/9/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #02
5/29/2009 Fri Nostalgia Nationals
5/30/2009 Sat Nostalgia Nationals
5/31/2009 Sun Nostalgia Nationals
6/13/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #03
7/11/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #04
8/15/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #05
9/18/2009 Fri UBDRA Black Sunday XV
9/19/2009 Sat UBDRA Black Sunday XV
9/20/2009 Sun UBDRA Black Sunday XV
9/25/2009 Fri Monster MoPar XXV
9/26/2009 Sat Monster MoPar XXV
9/27/2009 Sun Monster MoPar XXV
10/2/2009 Fri MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/3/2009 Sat MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/4/2009 Sun MegaBucks Bracket Event #1


For the umpteenth consecutive year, this information is being made available FIRST to YOU. Thanks to all of you for supporting the place!

[JesSi]

Thanks Bret.

[blinkbcr]

Wooohooo! Thanks for the info

[gsrauto98]

Thanks, I've been wanting to see this.

[luvmyhondas]

they cancel if the FORECAST says it will be over 99 degrees!

thanks for the info.

[Laino]

im pumped!! 15's here i come!