Gateway 2009: Everything You Need To Know!

Bret Kepner

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
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 15th! 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 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.

Gates open at 5 PM with racing until 10 PM. SCSS qualifying takes place from 6:30 PM until 9 PM. The semi-finals of the Street Car Shootout will commence at 9:20 PM with the final rounds in all three divisions at 9:45 PM.

Spectator admission to SCSS events is $10. 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.

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. An Open Test-and-Tune for all types of vehicles will be held on these two dates with a raindate for each week on Wednesday, August 12th and Wednesday, August 19th.



Wednesday Test-N-Tune Events

The GIR Slicks-N-Bikes Test-N-Tune program begins its forty-third year with no changes to the traditional Wednesday program comprised of twenty-four events beginning on April 1st and ending on October 21st. Timed trials are available for cars with purpose-only racing tires (slicks and drag radials) and all street or strip motorcycles. Gates open at 5 PM with timed trials until 10 PM. The Doc’s Harley-Davidson Street Bike Shootout will continue in 2009 with a “suicide” qualifying session at 7:30 PM and eliminations for the four quickest qualifiers beginning at 8:30 PM.

Spectator admission for Wednesday Test-N-Tune events is $10. Contestant Admission for 2009 is $25. Contestant admission for all motorcycle riders and Junior Dragster racers is $20. Contestant Admission of $20 for all drivers with two or more passengers purchasing a spectator admission.

After reviewing weather and attendance records from the past five seasons, Dover Motorsports has determined that the Wednesday Test-N-Tune series will be moved to Tuesday, August 11th and Tuesday, August 18th, traditionally the hottest weeks of the season. An Open Test-and-Tune for all types of vehicles will be held on these two dates with a raindate for each week on Wednesday, August 12th and Wednesday, August 19th.


Open Test-N-Tune Events

Along with the scheduled Tuesday SCSS and Wednesday Slicks-n-Bikes 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 Wednesday, March 25th, from 6 PM until 10 PM.

Two Open Test-N-Tune events will conclude the 2009 season on Saturday October 31st and Saturday, November 15th. 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.

Also in 2009, Gateway International Raceway will host the new Outlaw All Stars event featuring a full card of heads-up street car racing. Scheduled for Saturday, May 16th, the OAS program will include Outlaw Street Eliminator, (with no rules except NHRA Safety Guidelines), Super Street Eliminator, (for vehicles with true 10.5-inch rear tires), Drag Radial Eliminator, (for entries using D.O.T.-approved tires), and five “heads-up” Index divisions, (10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 13.00 and 14.00 seconds). All categories will compete on the full GIR quarter-mile, (except for Outlaw Street which will be run on the eighth-mile), and all classes will utilize a “Pro Start”.

This event will determine the feasibility of an Outlaw All Stars series. A successful debut could result in additional AOS events added to the 2009 GIR schedule.




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), April 29 (Wednesday):
Closed due to preparations for the NHRA O’Reilly Midwest Nationals

June 23 (Tuesday), June 24 (Wednesday):
Closed due to preparations for the ADRL Gateway Drags

July 14 (Tuesday), July 15 (Wednesday), 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 9 (Wednesday), 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

3/7/2009 Sat NHRA Chassis Certification/Gateway VIP Inspection (no racing)
3/8/2009 Sun NHRA Chassis Certification/Gateway VIP Inspection (no racing)
3/21/2009 Sat Icebreaker Open Test-n-Tune Event #01 (10 AM-4 PM)
3/25/2009 Wed Open Test-n-Tune Event #02 (6 PM-10 PM)
3/27/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #1
3/28/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #03 (10 AM-4 PM)
3/31/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #01
4/1/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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/High School Eliminator
4/8/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #02
4/11/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #01
4/14/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #03/High School Eliminator
4/15/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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/High School Eliminator
4/22/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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/High School Eliminator
5/6/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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
5/13/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #06
5/16/2009 Sat Outlaw All Stars Event #01
5/19/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #07
5/20/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #07
5/22/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #3
5/26/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #08/High School Eliminator
5/27/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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
6/3/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #09
6/4/2009 Thu GIR Drag Racing School #2
6/9/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #10/High School Eliminator
6/10/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #10
6/13/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #03
6/16/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #11/High School Eliminator
6/17/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #11
6/23/2009 Tue Closed (ADRL Event)
6/24/2009 Wed Closed (ADRL Event)
6/26/2009 Fri ADRL Gateway Drags
6/27/2009 Sat ADRL Gateway Drags
6/30/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #12/High School Eliminator
7/1/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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/High School Eliminator
7/8/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #13
7/11/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #04
7/14/2009 Tue Closed (Oval Track Event)
7/15/2009 Wed 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/High School Eliminator
7/22/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #14
7/28/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #15/High School Eliminator Finale
7/29/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #15
7/31/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #5
8/4/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #16
8/5/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #16
8/6/2009 Thu GIR Drag Racing School #4
8/8/2009 Sat Bracket Racing Series #05
8/11/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #04
8/12/2009 Wed Open Test-n-Tune Event #04 RAINDATE
8/14/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #6
8/18/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #05
8/19/2009 Wed Open Test-n-Tune Event #05 RAINDATE
8/25/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #17
8/26/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #17
9/1/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #18
9/2/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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)
9/9/2009 Wed 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
9/16/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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
9/23/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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
9/30/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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
10/7/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #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
10/14/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #23
10/16/2009 Fri Midnight Madness (8-3) #8
10/20/2009 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #24
10/21/2009 Wed Slicks/Bikes Test-N-Tune #24
10/31/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #06 (10 AM-4 PM)
11/15/2009 Sun Open Test-n-Tune Event #07 (10 AM-4 PM)




2009 Gateway International Raceway Tuesday SCSS 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
3/25/2009 Wed 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
8/12/2009 Wed Open Test-n-Tune Event #04 RAINDATE
8/18/2009 Tue Open Test-n-Tune Event #05
8/19/2009 Wed Open Test-n-Tune Event #05 RAINDATE
10/31/2009 Sat Open Test-n-Tune Event #06
11/15/2009 Sun 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
8/8/2009 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!
 
Cliff’s Notes:

This is what we were able to accomplish in many meetings this winter between myself, GIR Drag Racing manager Rich Schaefer and GIR General Manager Len Batycki.

The new racing season will run from March 21st to November 15th. The final two Test-and-Tune events are now considered a part of the full schedule, (in other words, they‘re official). It‘s interesting to note that ALL of the 2008 TNT events scheduled after November 1st would‘ve been cancelled due to weather.

All admission prices and racer entry prices remain the same except for Midnight Madness which is now $15 for spectators and $25 to race

Be advised that the ADRL Gateway Drags, while all but signed, are not yet finalized.

High School Eliminator will again be “spread out” over a longer period so those racers don’t have to be at the track every single week during the summer.

The structure of the SCSS Tuesday Point Championship has been revised. All qualifiers in the Super Sixteen will now receive five (5) points with one (1) bonus point awarded to each of the top four qualifiers. An additional one (1) point will be awarded for each round-win in eliminations. Therefore, the sixteenth qualifier will receive five (5) points while the most the event winner could claim is eight (8) points. This will allow the racers who consistently qualify, (but who might not win any events), to still have a realistic shot at the point title. This keeps intact the integrity of my original concept for the series, (to showcase the cars which can qualify week after week).
 
Brett, thanks for all the info. The Gateway Buicks are planning to have a few track nights. Hopefully, we can invade Gateway and beat up on some other street cars. Take care, Craig
 
This thread should be made a sticky for those of us in the central-midwest...
 
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