Gateway 2010: Everything You Need To Know!

Bret Kepner

New Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
The following is the first look at the CORRECT 2010 Gateway International Raceway Drag Racing Format and Schedule by anybody, anywhere. Bear in mind the 2010 schedule currently posted on GatewayRaceway.com is incomplete and does not include much of the information included herein.

You're welcome from Bret Kepner Photos.com.



A massively expanded 2010 drag racing season marks the biggest news for Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois, with exactly one hundred days of drag racing competition currently scheduled. The success of the Outlaw All Stars events has led to a full eight-event series for the coming season. Likewise, the popular Tuesday night Street Car Shootout Series will now include a massive thirty-event season beginning in March and ending in November. Open Test-and-Tune events for vehicles with slick tires will return in 2010 on a limited basis. 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 2010 Street Car Shootout Series will include its most aggressive schedule yet with a total of thirty events beginning on March 23rd and ending on November 2nd. The series will also benefit from increased exposure and assistance from the NHRA Street Legal Drags Program presented by the American Automobile Association, (AAA). Open test-and-tune action for all vehicles 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 will remain unchanged awarding 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.

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 2010 season), a disc of digital photos from Bret Kepner Photos.com, and will be awarded new trophy plaques.

For the fifth 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.


The structure of the Doc’s Harley-Davidson SBSS Season Point Championship will be revised awarding five points to each driver qualifying in the Quick Four field at each event and 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.

An important change of the 2010 Tuesday night format is the fact that Thursdays will now 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 following Thursday using the same schedule and format.

However, Tuesday events scheduled in the same week with one of the new Slick and Bikes Test-and-Tune events will not be rescheduled in the event of rain.

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

For all vehicles, Contestant Admission for 2010 remains at $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.

Gates open at 5 PM with racing until 11 PM. SCSS and SBSS qualifying takes place from 6:30 PM until 9:00 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 10:30 PM.



Thursday Slicks-and-Bikes Test-N-Tune Events

The GIR Slicks-N-Bikes Test-N-Tune program begins its forty-third year with a major change to Thursday nights on a limited schedule. Events are scheduled for May 6, June 24, July 29, August 12 and September 9. 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.

Spectator admission for Thursday Slicks-and-Bikes Test-N-Tune events is $10. Contestant Admission for 2010 is $20. Contestant Admission is $15 for all drivers with two or more passengers purchasing a spectator admission.


The 2010 Outlaw All Star Series at Gateway International Raceway

Gateway International Raceway will drastically expand the Outlaw All Star Series to eight events in 2010. 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 for cars and one Index division and one Heads-Up class for motorcycles. The first event is scheduled for Sunday, March 28. The series will include point championships for each eliminator category in 2010 with winners earning traditional championship trophies and jackets.

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.

Nine-Fifty (9.50 Seconds) 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 Motorcycle 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.

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 and Thursday Slicks-and-Bikes programs, Gateway International Raceway will also host three Open Test-N-Tune events, (open to all vehicles), beginning with the season-opening Icebreaker event on Saturday, March 20th. Gates open at 10 AM with racing until 4 PM. Open Test-N-Tune events which include a Gambler’s Bracket Race format will be held on Saturday, October 30th and Saturday, November 6th from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM.

Spectator admission to Open Test-N-Tune events is $10. Contestant Admission for 2010 is $25.



Midnight Madness Series

The eight-event Midnight Madness series remains unchanged for 2010 with gates opening at 8 PM and racing for all vehicles conducted from 9 PM until 2 AM.

Spectator admission for 2009 Midnight Madness events is $15. Contestant Admission for 2010 is $25.



Saturday Bracket Racing Series

Gateway continues its bracket racing series with eight 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 2010 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 2010 season includes the return of the NHRA Division 3/5 National Open, The Screamin’ Eagle All-Harley Drag Racing Association Nationals, Monster MoPar Weekend XXVI, the MegaBucks Bracket Racing Championships, the Nostalgia Drag Racing Nationals and Muscle Car Reunion, the Amercian Drag Racing League Gateway Drags and the addition of the National Muscle Car Association World Finals which include the LSX Shootout. The premiere event on the GIR schedule, the National Hot Rod Association Midwest Nationals, will be held April 30th through May 1st, 2010.



Gateway Drag Racing School

For the fourteenth 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 classes will b switched to the first Wednesday of each month from May through September. The dates for the 2010 GIR Drag Racing School are May 12th, June 2nd, July 7th, August 4th and September 1st. 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 2010, those dates will be:

April 27 (Tuesday):
Closed due to preparations for the NHRA Midwest Nationals

July 13 (Tuesday), July 16 (Friday), and July 17 (Saturday):
Closed due to reconfiguring for the NASCAR/Nationwide stock car event on the oval track

October 19 (Tuesday), October 22 (Friday), and October 23 (Saturday):
Closed due to reconfiguring for the NASCAR/Nationwide stock car event on the oval track




Disclaimer

Since this information has not been officially released by Gateway International Raceway as of 12/18/2009, any and/or all information in this message may change at any time.

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




The following is the first look at the CORRECT 2010 Gateway Drag Racing Schedule by anybody, anywhere.

You're welcome from Bret Kepner Photos.com.

2010 Gateway International Raceway Drag Racing Schedule

3/6/2010 Sat NHRA Chassis Certification/Gateway VIP Inspection (no racing)
3/7/2010 Sun NHRA Chassis Certification/Gateway VIP Inspection (no racing)
3/20/2010 Sat Ice Breaker Open Test-n-Tune Event #01
3/23/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #01
3/26/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #1
3/28/2010 Sun Outlaw All Stars Series #1
3/30/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #02
4/3/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #01
4/6/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #03
4/9/2010 Fri NHRA National Open
4/10/2010 Sat NHRA National Open
4/11/2010 Sun NHRA National Open
4/13/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #04
4/17/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #03
4/20/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #05
4/23/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #2
4/25/2010 Sun Model T Ford Show and Swap
4/27/2010 Tue Closed (NHRA Event)
4/28/2010 Wed Closed (NHRA Event)
4/30/2010 Fri NHRA Midwest Nationals
5/1/2010 Sat NHRA Midwest Nationals
5/2/2010 Sun NHRA Midwest Nationals
5/4/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #06
5/6/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #01
5/8/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #04
5/11/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #07
5/12/2010 Wed GIR Drag Racing School #1
5/18/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #08
5/21/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #3
5/22/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #2
5/25/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #09
5/28/2010 Fri Nostalgia Nationals
5/29/2010 Sat Nostalgia Nationals
5/30/2010 Sun Nostalgia Nationals
6/1/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #10
6/2/2010 Wed GIR Drag Racing School #1
6/8/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #11
6/15/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #12
6/18/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #4
6/19/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #3
6/22/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #13
6/24/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #02
6/26/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #05
6/29/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #14
6/30/2010 Wed GIR Drag Racing School #1
7/6/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #15
7/10/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #06
7/13/2010 Tue Closed (Oval Event)
7/14/2010 Wed Closed (Oval Event)
7/16/2010 Fri Closed (Oval Event)
7/17/2010 Sat Closed (Oval Event)
7/20/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #16
7/23/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #5
7/24/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #4
7/27/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #17
7/29/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #03
7/31/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #07
8/3/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #18
8/4/2010 Wed GIR Drag Racing School #1
8/6/2010 Fri ADRL Gateway Drags
8/7/2010 Sat ADRL Gateway Drags
8/10/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #19
8/12/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #04
8/14/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #08
8/17/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #20
8/20/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #6
8/21/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #5
8/24/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #21
8/31/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #22
9/1/2010 Wed GIR Drag Racing School #1
9/2/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #05
9/7/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #23
9/10/2010 Fri Monster MoPar XXVI
9/11/2010 Sat Monster MoPar XXVI
9/12/2010 Sun Monster MoPar XXVI
9/14/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #24
9/17/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #7
9/18/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #6
9/21/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #25
9/24/2010 Fri AHDRA Harley Nationals
9/25/2010 Sat AHDRA Harley Nationals
9/26/2010 Sun AHDRA Harley Nationals
9/28/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #26
10/1/2010 Fri MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/2/2010 Sat MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/3/2010 Sun MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/5/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #27
10/8/2010 Fri NMCA World Finals/LSX Shootout
10/9/2010 Sat NMCA World Finals/LSX Shootout
10/10/2010 Sun NMCA World Finals/LSX Shootout
10/12/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #28
10/15/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #8
10/16/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #7
10/19/2010 Tue Closed (Oval Event)
10/20/2010 Wed Closed (Oval Event)
10/22/2010 Fri Closed (Oval Event)
10/23/2010 Sat Closed (Oval Event)
10/26/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #29
10/30/2010 Sat Open TNT/Gambler's Race #02
11/2/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #30
11/6/2010 Sat Open TNT/Gambler's Race #03
11/7/2010 Sun Outlaw All Stars Series #8




2010 Gateway International Raceway Tuesday SCSS Schedule

3/23/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #01
3/30/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #02
4/6/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #03
4/13/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #04
4/20/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #05
5/4/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #06
5/11/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #07
5/18/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #08
5/25/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #09
6/1/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #10
6/8/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #11
6/15/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #12
6/22/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #13
6/29/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #14
7/6/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #15
7/20/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #16
7/27/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #17
8/3/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #18
8/10/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #19
8/17/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #20
8/24/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #21
8/31/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #22
9/7/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #23
9/14/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #24
9/21/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #25
9/28/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #26
10/5/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #27
10/12/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #28
10/26/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #29
11/2/2010 Tue SCSS Street Car Event #30




2010 Gateway International Raceway Outlaw All Stars Series Schedule

3/28/2010 Sun Outlaw All Stars Series #1
5/22/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #2
6/19/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #3
7/24/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #4
8/21/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #5
9/18/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #6
10/16/2010 Sat Outlaw All Stars Series #7
11/7/2010 Sun Outlaw All Stars Series #8




2010 Gateway International Raceway Midnight Madness Schedule

3/26/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8 PM-2 AM) #1
4/23/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #2
5/21/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #3
6/18/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #4
7/23/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #5
8/20/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #6
9/17/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #7
10/15/2010 Fri Midnight Madness (8-2) #8




2010 Gateway International Raceway Slicks and Bikes Open Test-N-Tune Schedule

5/6/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #01
6/24/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #02
7/29/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #03
8/12/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #04
9/2/2010 Thu Slicks and Bikes TNT #05




2010 Gateway International Raceway Bracket Racing Schedule

4/3/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #01
4/9/2010 Fri NHRA National Open
4/10/2010 Sat NHRA National Open
4/11/2010 Sun NHRA National Open/Bracket Racing Series #02
4/17/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #03
5/8/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #04
5/28/2010 Fri Nostalgia Nationals
5/29/2010 Sat Nostalgia Nationals
5/30/2010 Sun Nostalgia Nationals
6/26/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #05
7/10/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #06
7/31/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #07
8/14/2010 Sat Bracket Racing Series #08
9/10/2010 Fri Monster MoPar XXVI
9/11/2010 Sat Monster MoPar XXVI
9/12/2010 Sun Monster MoPar XXVI
10/1/2010 Fri MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/2/2010 Sat MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/3/2010 Sun MegaBucks Bracket Event #1
10/8/2010 Fri NMCA World Finals
10/9/2010 Sat NMCA World Finals
10/10/2010 Sun NMCA World Finals
10/30/2010 Sat Open TNT/Gambler's Race #02
11/6/2010 Sat Open TNT/Gambler's Race #03




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

Cliff’s Notes:


The new racing season will run from March 20th to November 7th.

The Street Car Shootout Series has been expanded to THIRTY events.

There will be no price increases for anything.

The Outlaw All Stars is now an eight-race series with a point championship in each class. There will be no changes to anything in the OAS from 2009.

There will be more bracket racing events in 2010.

The NMCA World Finals/LSX Shootout will now be held at Gateway.

Five Slicks-and-Bikes Test-N-Tune events, (the same as the old Wednesday night format), have been added on Thursday nights.

All Tuesday rainouts will now be rescheduled to the next Thursday.
 
Now that's what I'm talking about!!! No excuses for not getting to the track in 2010.

Glad to see the added test-N-Tunes plus 8 Outlaw Allstars. I'm definately going to be running a few of those races.

Alright guys, we have no excuse for us Buick guys not to win atleast 25% of the Tuesday night Tuner Class races.

Thanks Brett for helping get more races at Gateway!

Hope to see you guys at the track, Craig
 
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