MADISON, Ill. - With the NCAA's March Madness well underway, Gateway International Raceway is getting into the collegiate spirit as it prepares for its College Night on Tuesday, April 8th. Current college students and faculty are invited to come out wearing the colors of their institution of secondary education and race on GIR's NHRA dragstrip in their personal vehicles.
Gates open at 5 p.m. for the event and ESPN Drag Racing Analyst Bret Kepner will conduct a 30-minute bracket racing class starting at 5:15 p.m. with the event starting at 7 p.m. Students and faculty planning to race get in free with a valid college ID. The cost for other racers is $ 20, $ 15 for high school students with a valid ID, and adult spectators will be charged $ 10 with children 12 and under getting in free. Spectators wearing college gear will also be admitted free of charge.
"We look at College Night and all of our Rivalry Night events as a great opportunity for the public to get to do something very few ever do: race down an NHRA-sanctioned dragstrip," said GIR Dragstrip Manager and 2001 Rutgers grad Jason Dukes.
"There are few rivalries as intense as those formed at the collegiate level. Whether you attended a two-year or four-year college or heck, even if you may not have quite finished the program due to your extra-curriculer schedule, we want to see you represent your school at Gateway on April 8th."
College Night is the first event on GIR's Rivalry Night schedule for 2008. Other events on the schedule include:
May 20-Cardinal Fans vs. Cub Fans
June 10-Soccer Mom Night
July 8-King of the Road Challenge (MoDoT vs. ILDoT)
Aug. 5-Fastor Paster
Sept. 9-Second Annual Guns N' Hoses Challenge
For more information on Gateway International Raceway's Rivalry Nights or any of the other programs and events at GIR, visit GatewayRaceway.com.
Gates open at 5 p.m. for the event and ESPN Drag Racing Analyst Bret Kepner will conduct a 30-minute bracket racing class starting at 5:15 p.m. with the event starting at 7 p.m. Students and faculty planning to race get in free with a valid college ID. The cost for other racers is $ 20, $ 15 for high school students with a valid ID, and adult spectators will be charged $ 10 with children 12 and under getting in free. Spectators wearing college gear will also be admitted free of charge.
"We look at College Night and all of our Rivalry Night events as a great opportunity for the public to get to do something very few ever do: race down an NHRA-sanctioned dragstrip," said GIR Dragstrip Manager and 2001 Rutgers grad Jason Dukes.
"There are few rivalries as intense as those formed at the collegiate level. Whether you attended a two-year or four-year college or heck, even if you may not have quite finished the program due to your extra-curriculer schedule, we want to see you represent your school at Gateway on April 8th."
College Night is the first event on GIR's Rivalry Night schedule for 2008. Other events on the schedule include:
May 20-Cardinal Fans vs. Cub Fans
June 10-Soccer Mom Night
July 8-King of the Road Challenge (MoDoT vs. ILDoT)
Aug. 5-Fastor Paster
Sept. 9-Second Annual Guns N' Hoses Challenge
For more information on Gateway International Raceway's Rivalry Nights or any of the other programs and events at GIR, visit GatewayRaceway.com.
