April 19, 2005
Previous winners Smith, O'Brien to vie for 2005 Grand Prix title
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Thirty-three Purdue University student drivers and their teams will compete for the winner's trophy on Saturday (April 23) in the 48th annual Grand Prix kart race.
|
The main event race begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Grand Prix track, which is located north of Ross-Ade Stadium. Pits are open to the public beginning at 9 a.m., with the pits closing and the track opening to the public at 10 a.m.
Three sprint races, which will determine the final six competitors for the 33-kart main event, are scheduled for 11:30 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 12:40 p.m. The top two finishers in each of the sprint races will occupy the final six positions for the main race. The other 27 spots were determined during qualifying that took place Saturday (April 16) through Tuesday (April 19).
Kristy Curry, head coach of the Purdue women's basketball team, will preside as grand marshal of the 2005 Grand Prix.
"It always is a lot of work to put Grand Prix together, but everything is going smoothly and we plan on another great race this year," said Kim Hall, Grand Prix president. "It also is exciting to have coach Curry as our grand marshal this year. It makes for a nice link between Purdue athletics and Grand Prix."
Among the drivers registered for the 2005 Grand Prix is defending champion Clayton Smith, a junior majoring in aeronautics and astronautics from Mulberry, Ind. Smith survived wet conditions and a flat tire to win the 2004 race, becoming the fifth member of his family to win the Grand Prix. Two of Smith's brothers, one of his cousins and one of his uncles are previous Grand Prix winners, with brother Ian winning three straight between 1993 and 1995.
Two-time winner Timothy O'Brien, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering from Lebanon, Ohio, also is registered for the 2005 event. Last year, O'Brien held a 20-second lead and was well on his way to a third Grand Prix title when he had to withdraw from the race because of mechanical problems with 29 laps remaining in the 160-lap, 50-mile race. O'Brien won back-to-back Grand Prix titles in 2002 and 2003.
"The race is definitely going to be competitive, but we are not going to be concerned about any one driver," said Smith, who has qualified for the pole position in each of his three Grand Prix appearances.
"Even though we're starting from the pole again, I would say that having the top qualifying speed ceases to be a factor once the race starts. It is more or less about being able to navigate through the pack, meaning that patience and endurance are the two largest factors in winning the race."
Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 on race day. Advance tickets are available on the following dates at the following locations: Wednesday (April 20) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the lobby of Lilly Hall of Life Sciences; Thursday (April 21) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the lobby of Stewart Center; and Friday (April 22) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the lobby of Stewart Center.
Several other Grand Prix-related events, including Grand Prix Day on Friday (April 22), are scheduled for this week at various times and campus locations. That event, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Memorial Mall and will feature the display of Grand Prix karts and a pit-stop competition.
The Purdue Grand Prix Foundation is a student-run, non-profit organization that conducts the kart race and related events each year to raise money for student scholarships. This year the foundation awarded $9,500 in scholarship money to 19 students.
The foundation received support from Kimberly-Clark, Toyota Motor Co., Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics, Coca-Cola Co., Radio Works/WKHY-B102.9, Pay Less Super Markets, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Red Bull Energy Drink and Jefferson Commons apartments.
The first Grand Prix kart race, featuring cars that were made from scratch and powered by lawnmower engines, ran in 1958 and took place on an intramural field and adjacent parking lot near what is now the Recreational Sports Center. The race also was run for a time on the Engineering Mall in front of Hovde Hall before moving to the current track in 1969.
Grand Prix rain delay schedule
Writer: Aaron Martin, (765) 496-3133, martinac@purdue.edu
Sources: Kim Hall, (765) 494-2708, khall@purdue.edu
Clayton Smith, (765) 242-5204, smith155@purdue.edu
Ross Trentadue, director of Grand Prix promotions, (765) 494-2708, rtrentad@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: To receive media credentials for the Purdue Grand Prix, contact Ross Trentadue, director of Grand Prix promotions, at (765) 494-2708, rtrentad@purdue.edu.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Clayton Smith (front, in kart No. 2) leads the pack during the early laps of the 2004 Grand Prix kart race. Smith went on to win the race and will attempt to defend his title on Saturday (April 23), when the 2005 Grand Prix takes place at the race track north of Ross-Ade Stadium. The pits open at 9 a.m., followed by the opening of the track at 10 a.m. and the main event race at 2:30 p.m. (Purdue News Service file photo/Mark Simons)
A publication-quality photograph of Smith, taken during the 2004 Grand Prix kart race, is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2004/smith-grandprix.jpg
To the News Service home page