Club News & Announcements


December 19th 2011

VENUE FOR JAN 2012 RVKC MEETING

The next RVKC board meeting will be held on January 3rd
at Chicago Indoor Racing, 2381 W Army Trail Road, Addison, IL 60101.
Click here for google maps link to get directions.

When you arrive be sure to tell staff that you are there for the RVKC meeting and they will show you the room that we will be using.

Remember all are welcome to attend our board meetings. Stop by and say hi.



November 1st, 2011

RVKC BOARD MEETING MOVED

Please note that the RVKC meeting originally intended to be held today has been moved to next Tuesday, November 8th with a new location to be determined.


October 20th, 2011 -

2011 PROMAXX WINNER - PETER ZAMBOS 

A big congratulations go out to Peter Zambos, winner of the $2000 Pro Maxx garage storage system.
As a member of the River Valley Kart Club, Peter earned a chance for every race entered in the 2011 season.
A long time and avid participant in the series, Peter raced in all 8 races this year, maximizing his chances at the win. To top it off, Peter also took home the season championship in the process in the ultra competitive TAG Senior class.

Job well done Peter!


September 28th, 2011 -

FINAL 2011 RVKC POINT STANDINGS

The standings for the 2011 season are: HERE
Thanks to all that joined us in 2011, we look forward to seeing all of you in 2012.


September 18th, 2011 -

GINGERMAN SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

The schedule for this weekend's race, presented by Johnson Trucking and GPI Racing has been released.

** PreEntry Deadline is Tuesday 20th Sept. **
Race entry form:  HERE
Full press release from CES: HERE
Preliminary race order: HERE

If you have a TaG or a Shifter, remember you can also enter the GLPS race on Sunday.
Checkout http://www.glproseries.com for more information on regulations and join in the fun!

Here is the schedule outline for the weekend:

Friday Sept 23rd @ 5:00 pm the gates will open. The CES staff will be available for Registration and Pre-tech.
The grounds will be open for Trailer drop off and Camping

Saturday Sept 24th @ 7:00 am the gates will open. The CES staff will be available at 8:00 am for Registration and Pre-tech. --- From 9:00 am till 12:00 pm the track will open for Practice by groups.
We will break for lunch at 12:00pm and start Pre Griding at 12:30 pm
At 12:45 pm Racing begins with an approximate finish time of 6:00 pm.

Sunday Sept 25th @ 7:00 am the gates will open. The CES staff will be available at 7:30 am for Registration and Pre-tech. ------- From 8:00 am until 10:30 am the track will open for Practice by groups.
We will start Pre Griding @ 11:45 am and Racing Begins @ 12:00 pm.
We will break for lunch and mandatory QUIET TIME 10:30 am and start Pre Griding at 11:45 am
At 12:00 pm Racing begins with an approximate finish time of 5:30 pm.



September 2nd, 2011 -

GINGERMAN EVENT UPDATE

The track management at Gingerman Raceway has moved the Kart Test and Tune To Friday September 16th.
There will be No Track Time or Practice available on Friday September 23rd 2011.

The race weekend will still go ahead as planned on Sept 24th - 25th.

Entry form for Gingerman is HERE
Get your pre-entry in and save $$
With the USSK and GLPS joining us, this promises to be a fantastic end to the 2011 season.



August 27th, 2011 -


2011 SERIES ANNOUNCEMENT/UPDATE
 
As noted in a previous announcement, the fourth event of the 2011 CES/RVKC series at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois, August the 27th and 28th. HAS BEEN CANCELED

The new 2011 schedule is made up of 8 races at 4 tracks.
The season finale will take place at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan on September 23rd - 25th. This event weekend will also include the USSK competing both days as a point's event for their series also joining us on Sunday will be the Great Lakes Pro Series as a point’s event in their series.

The 2011 season has seen some changes as we have moved to a two day race format and in 2011 have no longer offered Friday as a practice day. This will change for the season Finale at Gingerman

For the Year ending Event with the addition of the USSK and the Great Lakes Pro Series the track management on Friday Sept:23rd is offering a Test and Tune practice from 5pm till 8:30pm for a Fee of $60.00 per driver during the test and tune CES will have a qualifying session for the USSK.

Friday Sept 23rd @ 4:00 pm the gates will open. The CES staff will be available for Registration and Pre-tech.
The grounds will be open for Trailer drop off and Camping

Saturday Sept 24th @ 7:00 am the gates will open. The CES staff will be available at 8:00 am for Registration and Pre-tech. --- From 8:00 am till 12:30 pm the track will open for Practice by groups.
We will break for lunch at 12:30 and start Pre-Gridding at 1:00 pm
At 1:15 pm Racing begins with an approximate finish time of 5:30 pm.

Sunday September 25th @ 7:00 am the gates will open. The CES staff will be available at 8:00 am for Registration and Pre-tech. ------- From 8:00 am until 10:30 am the track will open for Practice by groups.
We will start Pre Griding @ 11:00 am and Racing Begins @ 11:15am.
We will break for lunch and mandatory QUIET TIME 10:30 am and start Pre Griding at 11:45 am
At 12:00 pm Racing begins with an approximate finish time of 5:30 pm.

Key Information:
Each CES Event weekend will consist of two point's races.
Each event Date is a separate Entry Fee and separate Points race.
All Race Points will be combined as each day is a separate race and One series champion will be crowned per class.
The best 6 out of 8 races will count towards year end points. To qualify for year end awards you must be a member of Championship Enduro Series/TAG Racing International and compete in a MINIMUM of 5 of the 8 Races 

August 18th, 2011 -

CAR TRACK DAY @ AUTOBAHN

As mentioned previously, the kart race at Autobahn has been cancelled. 
In place of this, Autobahn Country Club wishes to extend an invitation to RVKC members for their forthcoming track days.
You can join them with your own car on Sat Aug 27th or drive one from their performance fleet on Sunday Aug 28th.. You must pre-register & pay by Wednesday the 24th.

For more information on booking and pricing etc CLICK HERE.

August 13th, 2011 -

UPDATED RVKC POINTS HAVE BEEN POSTED

Standings following the August Blackhawk meeting can be found HERE



REMINDER: AUTOBAHN RACE  CANCELLED


NEW PHOTO GALLERY LAUNCHED

Check it out at www.rivervalleykartclub.com/gallery or simply CLICK ME

We have just started up upload photos, plenty more to come from 2011 and previous seasons. If you have photos you would like to share please contact us.

August 7th, 2011 -


AUTOBAHN RACE HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Please note that the 2011 CES/RVKC event at Autobahn Country Club  has been canceled per BoD vote this evening (8/9/11). This step was taken due to financial circumstances and a lack of pre entries.

The final event of the 2011 season is September 24-25 at Gingerman Raceway, Michigan. We will be running the exciting new "extended" layout at Gingerman and will be joined by the MKC and USSK. Gingerman promises to be a fantastic end to the year, be sure to get your entry in ASAP.
The entry form Gingerman can be found HERE


RIP ROBERT C. "BOB" ZIRVES
(October 7, 1951 - August 7, 2011)

Robert passed away Sunday August 7, 2011 at Pepper Family Hospice Home, Barrington, IL. Robert was a member and past president of the River Valley Kart Club and truly enjoyed Karting. His other interests include: golfing, boating, and snowmobiling.

Funeral services will be held 11 AM Thursday August 11, 2011 at the STRANG FUNERAL HOME OF ANTIOCH, 1055 Main St. (Rte. 83) Antioch, IL 60002. Interment will be private. Visitation will be held form 4-8PM Wednesday and from 10AM until services Thursday. In lieu of flowers donations to the Antioch Rescue Squad or the Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern IL are appreciated in his memory.

Click here to view the full obituary and sign the guestbook.

Click here if you wish to express your condolences on the ekartingnews.com forums.

July 25th, 2011 -

YOU'RE INVITED ----July 25th

 

July 7th, 2011 -

YOU'RE Invited ----July 15th 16th and 17th 2011!!

Come stretch your racing legs on the “Newly Repaved” 2 mile Road Course at Grattan
Raceway www.grattanraceway.com

Championship Enduro Series Invites you to come and Play at one of the most scenic raceways on the 2011 racing schedule

Enjoy Camping, Fishing a relaxed race schedule, good Food and some great competition.

All of this year’s events not only offer road racing classes but a full set of sprint classes.

As part of this event the Michigan Kart club “MKC” will join us as a Club Points Races for the event weekend.

Come out and join us the schedule is:

Friday July 15th @ 6:00 pm the gates will open.
The CES staff will be available for Registration and Pre-tech. The grounds will be open for Trailer drop off and Camping

Saturday July 16th @ 7:00 am the gates will open
The CES staff will be available at 8:00 am for Registration and Pre-tech. From 9:00 am till 12:30 pm the track will open for Practice by groups.

We will break for lunchh at 12:30 and start Pre Griding at 1:00 pm At 1:15 pm Racing begins with an approximate finish time of 5:30 pm.

Sunday July 17th @ 7:00 am the gates will open
The CES staff will be available at 8:00 am for Registration and Pre-tech.

From 9:00 am until 11:00 am the track will open for Practice by groups.

We will start Pre Griding @ 11:00 am and Racing Begins @ 11:15am.

We will break for lunch at 11:40 and start Pre Griding at 12:15 pm

AT 12:30 pm Racing resumes with an approximate finish time of 4:00 pm.

We look forward to seeing you all there.
Dave Larson
RA Adams Enterprises---Championship Enduro series
www.championshipenduro.com

 

May 30th, 2011 -

2010 CES AWARDS CEREMONY AND DINNER AT 2011 JUNE BLACKHAWK FARMS EVENT!!

The 2010 Championship Enduro Series Awards Banquet and Ceremony will take place on Saturday June 4 beginning at 6:30 PM at the pavilion at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in So. Beloit, Illinois.

Tickets for the catered affair which will include dinner and soft beverages are $12 per person and will be available at registration* or at the pavilion. Dinner will include grilled chicken, bratwurst, Cole slaw, a pasta salad and Wisconsin cheddar potatoes.

Music will be provided by Joe Cassidy.

The 2010 CES Awards presentation will begin at 7:00 PM.

Also included will be a 50/50 cash raffle and other raffles for various racing-related items. Tickets for the raffle, proceeds of which will go to RVKC, are $1 each or 6 for $5. Raffle tickets will only be available at the pavilion.

*Credit cards, checks or cash may be used to purchase dinner tickets purchased at registration; however dinner tickets purchased at the pavilion must be with cash or checks only.

Questions: Please call 630-863-5295 (RVKC President Carl Lankenau)

 

May 9th, 2011 -

FIRST RVKC/CES ROAD RACING
SERIES RACE WEEKEND JUNE 4-5,
2011 AT BLACKHAWK FARMS

Antioch, Illinois -- Make sure to clear your
schedule and mark your calendars to attend the
first 2 race days of this exciting 10 race 2011 series.

Blackhawk Farms, located in South Beloit, Illinois
has always been the drivers favorite venue in this
long running series and is shaping up to be one of
the best ever. Sponsored by River Valley Kart Club,
the first Championship Enduro Series weekend is
also being attended by Badger Kart Club as part of
their regular series which promises to bring a lot
more entries and whole new level of competitiveness.

At 1.95 miles, the 7 turns come up fast and provide
a smooth, wide racing surface perfect for high speed
kart racing. Sprinters to laydowns, 4 cycles to shifters,
there’s a class for everyone from Juniors to Masters.
In addition, all member racing-participants will have
a chance to win a $2000 ProMaxx WorkSpace
garage system to be given away at the season finale.
It’s just another reason to race in one of the premiere
road-racing series in the country – the Championship
Enduro Series.

Check out the links below for entry form and the daily
schedule to be a part of what should be one of the
best road racing events of the 2011 season.

http://www.championshipenduro.com/BlackhawkEntry

http://www.championshipenduro.com/dailyschedule

or call 1-630-863-5295 for more information.

See you there!

 

February 28th, 2011 -

2011 Membership Form is now available for download.

 

February 9th, 2011 -

Win a ProMaxx Workspace System by competing in the 2011 RVKC Road Racing Series -

Turn your garage into a true race shop with this complete system.

Chicago, Illinois - ProMaxx is pleased to announce that competitors in the 2011 River Valley Kart Club Road Racing Series (in conjunction with Midwest-based Championship Enduro Series) will be eligible to win a complete ProMaxx Workspace System (pictured below). The complete system includes one large storage cabinet, one cabinet dolly, three wall cabinets, one workbench, one mobile storage cabinet and one mobile tool cabinet. Retail value: $2,000.

To win the ProMaxx system, you must be a member of the Illinois-based River Valley Kart Club to be eligible. Only one system will be awarded for the 2011 season. The winner will be announced on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at the Gingerman race. Every class is eligible to earn a chance to win.

The winner will be chosen at random from raffle tickets earned based on the following criteria:

• One raffle ticket for each class entered. The more classes entered the more chances you have to win.

• One additional raffle ticket will be awarded for every race weekend where you have pre-entered at least one class. Only one extra raffle ticket per driver for the entire weekend for pre-entering.

The 2011 - 10 race, 5 weekend - road racing season begins at Blackhawk Farms in South Beloit, Illinois on June 4-5 and will conclude at GingerMan Raceway in Michigan on September 24-25. For a complete schedule and RVKC membership application, please log-on to: www.RiverValleyKartClub.com.

Last year’s proud winner Mark Kluempers after receiving his Promaxx Workspace System.

 

November 11th, 2010 -

See POINT STANDINGS for the 2010 Final Points.
Questions?
Contact Dave Larson at info@championshipenduro.com
or call CES at 847-395-1100.

 

September 1st, 2010 -

FINAL 2010 CES EVENT AT AUTOBAHN COUNTRY CLUB SEPTEMBER 18TH & 19TH -

(CLICK HERE TO SEE PDF)

JSeries drops Friday Practice to save racer’s budgets.

Antioch, Illinois – The final CES event of 2010 will take place at the Autobahn County Club in Joliet, Illinois on September 18-19. This is the first time the series has race the cool new facility in the far southwest suburban Chicago location.

“We have had a very hard year financially and have found it necessary to adapt different strategies as to the production of our events,” said CES director Dave Larson.

“We have watched the trends of our participants and adapted through out the season by making changes and the changes we have made have not produced the results needed to continue producing events in the same manner as we have in the past.”
“After a close examination of our participant’s habits the determination of our group was that our racers are traveling and spending too much of their budget on Friday and not participating in the Sunday races,” Larson continued.

“By dropping the Friday Practice from the event it allows our participants to save: one day off of work, a night’s hotel fee, a set of tires, and race fuel. These are just a few of the issues we took into account before reaching our decision to not offer Friday as an option to our racers in future events we produce.”

“In keeping with continuing to offer our participants quality events and the chance to experience road racing at some of the best tracks in the country we have made this change for this and our future events.”

A revised schedule and entry blank is available on the CES website: www.championshipenduro.com or here on the RVKC website.
Note: CES will be racing the north circuit at Autobahn

 

August 9th, 2010 -

FORMER CLUB PRESIDENT JOE WOJTASIK PASSES

Joe Wojtasik, 67,  passed away Saturday August 7th of natural causes at his home in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

Joe was RVKC President before Doc Powell and owned/operated JAM Racing in Addison, IL. He also owned a tool and die shop in Addison as well before moving to Wisconsin Dells 10 years ago.

Survivors include his wife - Sharon of Wisconsin Dells, daughter - Tiffany Wojtasik and her fiancé Jay Jewell of Wisconsin Dells, granddaughter - Kassidy Wojtasik, mother - Irene Wojtasik of Illinois, sister - Karen (Gus) Naso of Illinois, nephew - Christopher, sister-in-law - Judy (Gene) Dubzinski of Illinois, brother-in-law - Daniel Bore of Illinois and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010 at 7 p.m. at the Picha Funeral Home, Lake Delton.

Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4 p.m.- 7 p.m. Cards can be sent to: Picha Funeral home, 120 East Adams Street, Lake Delton, Wisconsin 53940.

 

July 11th, 2010 -

Championship Enduro Series 2010
CLICK HERE TO ENLARGE

http://www.championshipenduro.com

 

June 1st, 2010 -

Championship Enduro Series Kicks off 2010
BY: Carl Lankenau and Joe Cassidy

Antioch, Illinois- The Championship Enduro Series and River Valley Kart Club started out the 2010 season at Gingerman Raceway in Michigan May 21-23.  In spite of the rain, Friday racers were able to have their scheduled practice, and at the end of the day we decided to do things a bit differently by running the track backwards.

SATURDAY WINNERS
Sprint Junior Novice: Hunter Macomber
Sprint Junior Award: Richard Willims
4-Cycle International: Nash Larson
Stock Moto: Palo Llcary
TAG Senior: Eric Schumacher
Briggs Sprint Animal 360: Jake Bustos
PistonPort Can 360: Ryan Petty
TAG Masters: Matt Sriver
Yamaha Heavy: Carl Lankenau
Controlled Limited: Scott Grenier
Unlimited:  Doug VanSweden
HPVKomet Senior: Scott Gazillo
Piston Port Sprint: Dennis Cole
Sprint Opem: Tiim Pratt
TAG Heavy: Eric Schumacher
Sprint Briggs Animal Heavy: Scott Evans
CIK 125 Sprint: Josh Lane
G125 Sprint: Randy Pierson

SUNDAY WINNERS
Sprint Junior Novice: Hunter Macomber
Sprint Junior Award: Richard Willims
4-Cycle International: Nash Larson
Stock Moto: Palo Llcary
TAG Senior: Eric Schumacher
Briggs Sprint Animal 360: Jake Bustos
PistonPort Can 360: Ryan Petty
TAG Masters: Matt Sriver
Yamaha Heavy: Carl Lankenau
Unlimited:  Tris Gour
HPVKomet Senior: Scott Gazillo
Piston Port Sprint: Jerry Revely
Sprint Open: Tim Pratt
TAG Heavy: Scott Granier
Sprint Briggs Animal 385: Jake Bustos
CIK 125 Sprint: Graham Wilcock
G125 Sprint: Randy Pierson

Saturday night the club held their 2009 Banquet, awards ceremony and bonfire with Joe Cassidy as the DJ.  Lots of BIG trophies, jackets, and hats were handed out at this event to last year’s winners.  Gingerman provided a great dinner, which was perfect for the racers appetite.  And of course, everyone enjoyed “Bench Racing” during this time as well.

*The Fast time of the weekend was Josh Lane with a 1:25.283
*The next race on the schedule is Grattan Raceway in Michigan, June 26-27.

For more information, log-on to www.RiverValleyKartClub.com or www.ChampionshipEnduro.com
Contact Information (and any questions regarding points contact):

Carl Lankenau: LankenauConst@aol.com


May 18th, 2010 -

BRAKE TETHER

Note: The need for a brake tether is a new rule instituted by CES/RVKC beginning with the fist event of the 2010 season. Brake tether is a safety precaution; it is not to be used as a primary braking component. It is designed as a safety feature in the case of a primary cable failure and is only to be used for safe return to the pits to fix the problem properly.

Kits will be available at the CES events in case competitors have not purchased and installed one prior to pre-race tech. Cost is less than $10
Contents of package: (1) Righetti clutch cable, (2) Righetti barrel clamps

Proper installation instructions
You will need to have a brake pedal with at least two hoops (since one hoop will be in use with the primary Brake Rod/Cable). The Master cylinder also needs to have at least two positions as majority of master cylinder are equipped this way.

Loop one end of the supplied cable through the brake pedal hoop, run it back towards the master cylinder and loop it through the master cylinder, running it back towards the brake pedal.  Bringing the end the cable to roughly center between the pedal and master cylinder, grab the other end of the cable bring towards center. This will determine how long of a piece you need, cut off access cable leaving a few inches to spare.

Sending both ends of the cable through opposite ends of supplied barrel clamp.

(Recommended) If you can use two people having one person holding the brake pedal down working position, the other person can pull both ends of the cable in opposite directions. Do not pull the cable tight you want leave a little tolerance of play seeing this is not the primary cable. Tighten the screw on the barrel clamp.

If you are doing this by yourself it is trail an error to obtain the correct amount of slack. With the brake pedal in its resting position, pull the cable in opposite directions leaving a little slack; tighten the screw on barrel clamp.

Push brake pedal into working position making sure there is slack in the cable. If there is no slack repeat steps 4 or 5, to acquire desired amount of slack.

Once the desired amount of slack is achieved wire tie or electrical take the loose end of the cables around the barrel clamp.

 

May 10th, 2010 -

CHAMPIONSHIP ENDURO SERIES VENUE AND DATE CHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT

Antioch, Illinois - Due to the fact that the Bluegrass Motorsports Park track in Kentucky will not be ready for competition, The Championship Enduro Series (CES) has had to make an adjustment to its 2010 series lineup.

As previously announced the 2010 Championship Enduro Series will present a 10 race series consisting of 2 points races at each venue each weekend. However the series will be raced at 4 race tracks instead of 5, as the series will run two separate weekends at GingerMan Raceway (see below) during the season.

The series will begin in May at GingerMan Raceway in Southaven, Michigan which will also include the 2009 awards banquet.

The 2nd event will take place in June at Grattan Raceway Michigan in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The third event in July will change to the brand new track extension and configuration at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven Michigan. This will replace the previously announced Bluegrass Motorsports Park event. The new event Date is July 23-24-25 2010.

Note: Blue Grass entries will transfer to the Gingerman #2 event or will be refunded at the competitors request.

The fourth event will be in the beginning of August at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, Wisconsin.

The season finale will take place on the third weekend of September another new venue: The Autobahn Country Club in Joliet Illinois. CES will be running the North track.

REVISED 2010 CES SCHEDULE

May 21–22-23 Gingerman Raceway, Michigan

June 25-26-27 Grattan Raceway, Michigan

July 23-24-25 Gingerman Raceway, Michigan New configuration

August 6-7-8 Blackhawk Farms, Wisconsin

September 17-18-19 Autobahn Country Club, Illinois

~The 2010 Series will consist of 10 races at 5 tracks

~Each CES event weekend will consist of two points races, one each day.

~All other Race weekend points will be combined as each day is considered a separate race.

~One series champion will be crowned per class.

~Best 8 out of 10 races will count towards year end points.

~You must be a member of CES / RVKC to qualify for series year end awards.

~The 2009 Awards banquet will be held in the banquet building at Gingerman Raceway May 22, 2010.

FMI – www.ChampionshipEnduro.com

 

March 25th, 2010 -

February 25th, 2010 -

Win a ProMaxx Workspace System by competing in the 2010 CES Road Racing Series

Turn your garage into a true race shop with this complete system.

ProMaxx is pleased to announce that competitors in the 2010 CES Road Racing Series will be eligible to win a complete ProMaxx Workspace System (pictured below). The complete system includes one large storage cabinet, one cabinet dolly, three wall cabinets, one workbench, one mobile storage cabinet and one mobile tool cabinet.

Only one system will be awarded for the 2010 season. The winner will be announced on Sunday, September 19, 2010 at the Autobahn race. Every class is eligible to earn a chance to win.

The winner will be chosen at random from raffle tickets earned based on the following criteria:

• One raffle ticket for each class entered. The more classes entered the more chances you have to win.

• One additional raffle ticket will be awarded for every race weekend where you have pre-entered at least one class. Only one extra raffle ticket per driver for the entire weekend for pre-entering.

• All RVKC/CES members will automatically receive one raffle ticket when you pay your 2010 membership fee.

 

November 2nd, 2009 -

CES ANNOUNCES 2010 RACE DATE CHANGE AND AUTOBAHN TEST UPDATE

Antioch, Illinois - On October 28, 2009, Championship Enduro Series invited a small group of drivers and crews to participate in an on-track test at "The Autobahn Country Club" race facility in Joliet, Illinois.

We want to thank Mark Basso and his staff at Autobahn for this opportunity and also their hospitality in affording us a tour and test of this world-class facility.

Dave Larson, on behalf of GEM Promotions, and RVKC organized and welcomed the drivers and crews that participated in the test. Listed below are the test participants:
Rich Voss: 125 Shifter
Jordan Johnson: TAG 125
Scott Grenier: Enduro and TAG 125
Carl Lankenau: Enduro
Ryan Lankenau: 125 Shifter
Johnny West: Super Kart

The other staff and crew members on hand were Tim Lang: Tech, Deanne Dean: Scoring; crew members included Dan Dean, Ty Johnson, Tim Renc, Don Grenier, Leo Grenier, Joey West, and Scott Fessler.

Upon check-in at the main gate at about 11 am, the track supplied full color track maps and a detailed schedule for the on-track use allowing for 4 groups at 15 min intervals. The gate guard directed us to the North Track paddock where our staff and the teams started unloading and setting up for the afternoon test. Just after 12-noon, the track workers broke for lunch and our group made a track tour in our street vehicles to see the track layout and to find out where the exits and entrances were this also allowed us to check out run off and barrier placements. After the on-track tour, Mr. Larson assembled the group in his pit area for a briefing and provided lunch for the group and laid out the day's schedule.

Our group shared the track with the country club members, several sedan racers and a Pro Mazda team. The track was staffed with a full compliment of corner workers and a flagman. The facility also has a track manager in control of the track to oversee its operation while the track is in use.

The weather and the track conditions were both cold and damp, although we did not have any rain and the sun visited us for a short period of time we were still not able to get the track surface in race condition. The track did have some standing water and even with the low temperatures we were able to get enough heat into the surface to make it useable for karts but not dry enough for full-on race laps.

We will post the track times that we have from the Test date in the RVKC section of My Laps soon.

We want to thank this group of people and their crews for taking the time and coming out to make this test successful.

A date change for the season finale has been made to the CES 2010 schedule the updated event will take place on the third weekend of September at the new facility venue, The Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois. We will be running the North track on September 17, 18 and 19, 2010. This new date will allow us a better break between the Blackhawk event and the year-ending Autobahn event.

We are very happy that we are able to make this change and confirm this as the CES 2010 schedule:

The Revised CES 2010 SCHEDULE
May 21-22-23 - Gingerman Raceway (MI)
June 25-26-27 - Grattan Raceway (MI)
July 16-17-18 - Bluegrass Motorsports Park (KY)
August 6-7-8 - Blackhawk Farms (IL)
September 17-18-19 - Autobahn Country Club (IL)

As the season draws nearer we will be announcing more information as to other groups that will join us for the 2010 events. Keep an eye on www.ChampionshipEnduro.com or www.RiverValleyKartClub.com for all series updates and information.

 

October 12th, 2009 -

Dear Karting Family and Friends,

We wanted to take this opportunity to say Thank You for all your support this past year.  The memorial races were a perfect tribute to Adam and we really appreciate the time it took to put it in the schedule and to all the racers that were so generous.  The idea of having it a team race is perfect, as that was one of his favorite ways of competing.  Although those of you that knew him best, know that competition was really his middle name.  He would rather have raced than just about anything.

We also wanted to share what has happened to the money that was set aside in his name and the proceeds from the benefit race and barbeque.  We have paid a lot of his medical bills with it, as his medical insurance was not paying because the accident occurred while he was “racing for profit”.   You all know that not to be the case, but he left us no “Power of Attorney” paperwork, so it limits how much you can speak for someone deceased, even if it is your son, as he was over 18.  We are currently working with the Theda Clark Medical Center’s attorney and are heading towards having both Adam’s insurance and the insurance at Road America take care of a lot of the bills, and the benefit money will be used to pick up the remaining balances.  So again, thank you all for your generosity and support.

One thing I need to say to you all, if you are over 18, unmarried, and racing, please take a minute and give someone your “Power of Attorney”.  It really helps a lot if you are unable to speak for yourself.  Paperwork for this can be obtained on the internet and your local office supply store for nominal cost.  It would have helped us a lot if we had thought about it before, but no one thinks for those things when they are young. Discuss with someone if you are an organ donor, and what your wishes might be if you get injured.  These few simple things will help your family.  It is a high risk sport, and I know we never think about it that way.  To racers, it is just part of your life, and very fun.

We hope to continue in karting in some form and being active in RVKC in years to come.  We have made a lot of friends through the years and it would be hard to give all that up.  So we hope to see you all at maybe the swap-meet, or at a track next summer.

Sincerely,
Bill, Grace, & Becca Schatz

 

September 27th, 2009 -

BONFIRE AND BENCH-RACING -- October 24th

Carl and Ryan Lankenau invite All CES / RVKC members and their families to a bonfire and bench-racing get together on October 24, 2009 at 7:00 PM.

Relive the past season, talk to fellow competitors and see the Pro-Maxx garage cabinets Scott Henry gave away.


Who: All CES/RVKC Members and families
What: Bonfire/Bench-racing
When: October 24 @ 7PM
Where: 28W041 Greenview Ave, Warrenville IL 60555
Why: Why not?
How: R.S.V.P. to LankenauConst@aol.com

September 21st, 2009 -

CHAMPIONSHIP ENDURO SERIES/ RVKC ANNOUNCES 2010 RACE SCHEDULE

One of the nation's most prestigious series adds two new venues to series...

Antioch, IL -- The Championship Enduro Series and River Valley Kart Club has announced their 2010 event schedule, one of the earliest road racing series in karting to do so. The new schedule is made up of 10 races at 5 tracks, two of them new to the series.

"We are very excited about the upcoming season", said CES President Dave Larson, "our competitors will race at some of their favorite places but also get the chance to experience two great new locations."

The season starts at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan in May and will also be the site of the CES Awards Banquet as before.

The series then moves to another traditional venue for the series when it rolls into Grattan Raceway in Grand Rapids, Michigan in June.

The third event represents an exciting addition to the CES when it takes the racers to the brand-new Bluegrass Motorsports Park near Cincinnati. The event is in July. This new track was designed by Derek Daley and is situated on 500-acres of rolling Kentucky bluegrass.

The fourth event takes the series to its home track of Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Beloit, Wisconsin in early August.

The season finale represents another first-time race track for the series when they visit the exciting Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois where Karters will compete on the North Course of this beautiful venue. Autobahn recently hosted the hugely successful Autobahn Grand Prix in July.

2010 SCHEDULE

May 21-22-23
Gingerman Raceway (Michigan)

June 25-26-27
Grattan Raceway (Michigan)

July 16-17-18
*Bluegrass Motorsports Park (Kentucky)

August 6-7-8
Blackhawk Farms (Illinois)

August 20-21-22
*Autobahn Country Club (Illinois)

*= New Venues

Key Information:
Each CES event weekend will consist of two points races, one each day.

All other Race weekend Points will be combined as each day is considered a separate race.

One series champion will be crowned per class.

Best 8 out of 10 races will count towards year end points.

You must be a member of CES / RVKC to qualify for series year end awards.

Tentatively 2009 Awards banquet will be held in the banquet building at Gingerman Raceway May 22, 2010.

 

August 21st, 2009 -

CES GRATTAN RACES ARE A GO!

Thanks to all for pre-registering and those who have promised to race, so the two Grattan Races, August 29-30 will go forward as planned. (Note: Each day is a complete and separate race event). We'll see you at the track!

Sincerely,
Championship Enduro Series/Dave Larson
River Valley Kart Club/Board of Directors

 

August 17th, 2009 -

CES GRATTAN RACE IN JEOPARDY

Antioch, Illinois - The Championship Enduro Series, co-hosted by River Valley Kart Club race scheduled August 28-30 at Grattan Raceway in Michigan is in serious jeopardy of being cancelled if we do not have at least 100 pre-entries by August 20. As it stands, only 20% of necessary pre-entries have been received.

CES is one of the premiere road racing series in the country, long admired for fairness and great competition. This particular event has been hamstrung by the scheduling of another road racing event in the western US, by the end-of-the season economy and school beginning.

If you plan to race at Grattan, PLEASE pre-enter immediately.

 

August 11th, 2009 -

THANK YOU

The River Valley Kart Club Board of Directors would like to thank the more than 350 guests who attended the 50th Anniversary Picnic at BlackHawk Farms on August 1. It was wonderful to see past racers and their families, a great many former board members and all the friend and families of the current racers. We hope you all had a good time!


Row 1 Right to Left:
Darrell Sitarz, Jim Perry, Bill McCornack, Bill Schatz, Bob Zirves Jr., Chris Scala, Dave Larson, Peter Zaagman.

Row 2 Right to Left:
Bob Zirves Sr., Ron Thompson, Neal Isler, Lorraine Bernasek, Louise Zirves, Rich Voss, Dave Evans, Lance Lane, Mike Lapke, Brian Zirves, Don Granier, and Michelle Witkus-Zirves (too short to be seen).

 

July 1st, 2009 -

RVKC CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH RACING AND A CATERED AFFAIR AT BLACKHAWK FARMS

Reunion to renew old acquaintances, rivalries and make new friends

Antioch, Illinois - The Illinois-based River Valley Kart Club (RVKC) celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year will continue its celebratory festivities on August 1-2, 2009 at BlackHawk Farms in Rockton, Illinois. RVKC will host two days of exciting Championship Enduro Series racing on the 1.95-mile track with class winners vying for very special one-of-a-kind commemorative awards.

On Saturday evening at the track everyone from former club members dating back to 1959 to current racers are invited to attend a special catered get-together which will include food, beverages, music, bench- racing, renewing old friendships and much more in the pavilion at the track. The first 300 weekend attendees will also receive a commemorative cloisonné pin marking the occasion.

Weekend Activities include:

Racing: All day Saturday and Sunday

Saturday Evening Festivities: Music: 5:30-8:30, Picnic-Style Dinner: 6:00, Awards 7:00, Having Fun: Until Curfew!

PIT PASSES:

1-Day $15
2-Day $25
3-Day $30 

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... don't miss it!

 

May 5th, 2009 -

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Each driver will be REQUIRED to complete the new Pre-Tech Inspection Form for every race event. You may download these forms and complete them before each event and have them ready for pre-tech or they will be available at the track for completion and presentation at pre-tech.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF

April 4th, 2009 -

Win a ProMaxx Workspace System racing Yamaha Laydown classes in the 2009 CES Road Racing Series.

Turn your garage into a true race shop with this complete system

Chicago, Illinois - In an effort to rebuild laydown class entries, ProMaxx is pleased to announce that competitors in the Yamaha Laydown classes of the 2009 CES Road Racing Series will be eligible to win a complete ProMaxx Workspace System (pictured below). The complete system includes one large storage cabinet, one cabinet dolly, three wall cabinets, one workbench, one mobile storage cabinet and one mobile tool cabinet.

Each class entry (from the list of eligible classes listed below) will give you one chance at winning this complete system. The more classes entered the more chances you have to win. Only one system will be awarded for the 2009 season. The winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at the Grattan race.

2009 CES Series Race Dates/Location:

May 30 & 31, Gingerman Raceway

August 1 & 2, Blackhawk Farms

August 29 & 30, Grattan Raceway

Eligible Classes:

Saturday: Yamaha Sportsman Enduro (YBX can on a stick) @ 410 lbs.

Yamaha Heavy Enduro (Fixed Pipe) @ 410 lbs.

Sunday: Yamaha Sportsman Enduro (YBX can on a stick) @ 410 lbs.

Yamaha Heavy Enduro (Fixed Pipe) @ 410 lbs.

About the series: The Championship Enduro Series is the largest and oldest enduro series in the Midwest and attracts long-track kart racers from across the country. It is co-hosted by River Valley Kart Club, one of the oldest kart clubs in the USA.

 

February 3, 2009 -

2008 Awards will be presented at the first race
of the season - Gingerman - Saturday May 30, 2009.
Questions? Contact Dave Evans at rbe1953@aol.com

 

January 6, 2009 -

The 1st Annual RVKC Swap Meet , scheduled for January 25, has been cancelled due to lack of participation. Refunds will be sent to those who applied for booth space.

 

December 1, 2008 -

1st Annual RVKC Swap Meet

DuPage County Fairgrounds

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PDF

 

 

October 15, 2008 -

Contrary to rumors, RVKC has been assured that there will be CES events in 2009. More information will follow in due time. Additional questions - please contact Dave Evans, RVKC President.

 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
April 1st , 2008 

River Valley Kart Club has instituted two new policies beginning April 1, 2008.

  1. The price of RVKC membership has increased to the following:
    1. Individual $40.00
    2. Family $50.00

 

  1. A rebate of $10.00 per class entered for both the 2008 Gingerman and BlackHawk Farms events will offered to each entering RVKC member.     Note: This is for the Gingerman and Blackhawk Farms events only.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact club president Dave Evans at rbe1953@aol.com.

 

January 25th, 2008

RVKC/CES BANQUET

The 2007 RVKC/CES Awards Banquet will be held March 8, 2008 at the Holiday Inn (Rt#64 and Gary Avenue), Carol Stream, Illinois. Cost $33 Adults/$22 Children Under 12. For more info and to order tickets, please click here.

 

January 8, 2008

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

River Valley Kart Club has purchased a magnetic sign board which will be used to inform competitors of their practice order. The new 4’x6’ will be displayed prominently at each RVKC event.

 

January 8, 2008

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

All racers under the age of 16 (sixteen) will be required to present a certified copy of his/her birth certificate with membership application. This is a new and permanent change to the membership application process.