History of the Purdue Grand Prix
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PURDUE GRAND PRIX Media Guide April 25th, 2015 Purdue University – West Lafayette, IN “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome ………………………………………………….…… 3 History ………………………………………………………… 4 Grand Prix Fast Facts …………………………………………. 6 Race Day Schedule …………………………………………… 7 Track Map …………………………………………………….. 8 2015 Teams and Drivers ……………………………………… 9 Grand Prix Foundation/Leadership …………………………… 11 Ambassadors ………………………………………………….. 15 Scholarship Winners ………………………………………….. 16 2015 Grand Marshal …………………………………………. 17 Past Grand Marshals …………………………………………... 18 Past Winners …………………………………………………... 19 Press Release ………………………………………………….. 20 Media Guide – 2015 2 “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” Ladies and gentleman, start your engines! On behalf of the 2015 Purdue Grand Prix Foundation, I would like to thank you for attending the 58th annual Purdue Grand Prix. The media coverage that you provide for our organization is imperative to the success of our event. For over half a century, our goal has been to bring students, faculty, staff, and the Lafayette and West Lafayette communities together to enjoy an auto racing event that is unique to our university and provides scholarship money to our fellow Boilermakers. Each year, the Purdue Grand Prix Foundation distributes over $10,000 in the form of scholarships to qualified and deserving students across campus. Proceeds from events such as the skip-a-meal functions at local restaurants to our main fundraiser, the annual kart race, help to support our scholarship fund. Media coverage you provide helps us reach outside the local community and share what we, as a foundation, stand for: “Students Helping Students.” As you look through this media guide, please find various items that will provide more information about our event and those people that have been involved in making it possible. Please use this information as you see fit through your many areas of communication. If you find that you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me via email: [email protected] or via my personal cell phone: (765) 602-2270. We encourage you to take pictures or conduct interviews with our Senior Board members and Grand Prix teams. We do ask that you visibly wear your Media Pass at all times so that you may be easily identified. Safety is of the utmost importance, so we do ask that you are aware of your surroundings and follow all safety instructions. Safety officials and members of the Senior Board should be clearly identified as well, so please ask if you have any questions or concerns. I encourage you to visit with our sponsors and enjoy everything that encompasses the “Greatest Spectacle in College Racing.” As a Senior Board, we are very thankful for your attendance and appreciate all that you do to support our organization. Brandon Brunt Purdue Grand Prix Foundation Director of Public Relations Media Guide – 2015 3 “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” History of the Purdue Grand Prix A tradition was born amidst the roar of lawnmower engines at Purdue University on May 17, 1958. The Purdue Grand Prix was born after a dream inspired by a few enthusiastic students' late night bull session became a reality. The students wanted a way for engineering students at Purdue to exercise their skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm. Since its beginning, Grand Prix has matured into a successful and well-run organization that concentrates its fundraising efforts to provide scholarships to students. The Foundation centers on its motto of "students helping students". The first race was run on North Intramural Field and an adjacent parking lot. Each kart was built from scratch, had a lawnmower engine, and could barely exceed 30 m.p.h. After 144 laps or 60 miles and an average speed of 22.6 m.p.h., James Moneyhun of Gable Courts, now Terry Courts, became the first winner of the Purdue Grand Prix. Today, each team's kart is built from scratch at the average cost of $5,000. The money is partially raised from a team sponsor such as local businesses, housing units, or private individuals and all karts race with a Yamaha KT-100 engine. The Purdue Auto Club was the original sponsor and governing body of the Purdue Grand Prix. However, upon the disbandment of the Purdue Auto Club, the longevity of the Grand Prix race was threatened. The student body wanted the Grand Prix to continue, and so it was decided that a new organization needed to be formed to manage the race. The final draft of the Grand Prix Foundation’s constitution was approved on November 9, 1965 and the Grand Prix Foundation has been the sanctioning body of the race since. The Grand Prix Foundation consists of a President, an 8 member Senior Board, a Junior Board consisting of over 30 members, track workers, and safety and security workers. The foundation is a university sponsored student organization that is run by students, for students. The primary purpose of the foundation is to raise around $10,000 in annual funds for student scholarships. Media Guide – 2015 4 “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” Besides focusing primarily on scholarships, the Grand Prix Student Ambassadors Program selects individuals from the student body to represent the spirit of Grand Prix throughout the school year in the local community. Today, the race is run on a track carefully modeled after the World Kart Championship Track in Japan. The “old” track, located on the northeast comer of campus near Ross-Ade Stadium, was built in 1968 and was completed in time for the 11th running of the Purdue Grand Prix in 1969. Known as "The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing," the Grand Prix race consists of 33 drivers and teams that participate in the 160-lap or 50 mile race each spring at the conclusion of what was known as “Gala Week.” In 1995, Ian Smith set a record as being the first student to win the race three times in a row. The “new” track is located at the corner of McCormick Road and Cherry Lane and is the second of Purdue’s athletic facilities to move to this location. The track is similar in design to the old track; however, the new one is wider and safer for both kart teams and track workers. The new facility cost over $1,000,000 and is one of the premier karting facilities in the country. As more of the phases of the new athletic complex are completed, more permanent structures will be completed in this area. The new track allowed for a new scoring system to be installed, and is one of the most advanced computer scoring systems anywhere in the world of kart racing. This system allows up-to-date information to be presented to the kart crews, the public, and the media. The track was completed in time for the 52nd annual race and opened on April 25, 2009. Media Guide – 2015 5 “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” Fast Facts The first Grand Prix Race was in 1958. The primary function of the race is to raise over $10,000 in annual student scholarships. The first Grand Prix karts were built from scratch using lawnmower engines. The Grand Prix main event is a 50-mile long, 160-lap race. The first races were held in parking lots and on the Engineering Mall. The first track was built in 1968 and cost upwards of $25,000 (in 1968 dollars). The track was modeled after the World Kart Championship track in Japan. Every five years, alumni are invited back for an Alumni Race. In 2007, Liz Lehmann became the first female winner of the Purdue Grand Prix. The Purdue Grand Prix is dubbed “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing”. In 2009, the new Grand Prix track was completed and cost upwards of $1,000,000. In 2015, the Grand Prix Foundation awarded 20 scholarships totaling $11,000. Media Guide – 2015 6 “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” Race Day Schedule of Events 8:30 AM Pits, Track, and Grandstands Open to Public 9:30 AM Pits and Track Closed to Public 9:50 AM Odd Number Karts Practice 10:20 AM Even Number Karts Practice 10:45 AM Practice Ends 11:30 AM First Sprint Race (25 laps) 12:00 PM Second Sprint Race (25 laps) 12:30 PM Third Sprint Race (25 laps) 1:00 PM Tricycle Race 1:30 PM Purdue University All-American Twirling Team 1:40 PM Line Up Main Feature 1:55 PM Grand Marshal Introduction 2:01 PM Miss Purdue Introduction 2:03 PM Ambassador and Scholarship Recipient Introductions 2:10 PM Driver Introductions 2:20 PM “Back Home Again In Indiana”—Matt Davenport 2:22 PM Invocation 2:24 PM Color Guard 2:26 PM National Anthem—Matt Davenport 2:28 PM “Drivers Start Your Engines” 2:30 PM 58TH Annual Purdue Grand Prix Race Begins (160 laps) 4:10 PM Victory Celebration in Victory Lane Media Guide – 2015 7 “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” Track Map Media Guide – 2015 8 “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing” 2015 TEAMS, DRIVERS, and CREW CHIEFS Kart # Team Driver Crew Chief 1 Delts Racing Jimmy Simpson Julian Williams 2 IUPUI Team #2 James Schnabel Bret Guzik 3 Cary Racing GP1 Michael Perugini Max Leeds 4 NSBE Racing Morgan Eberhardt Brandon Washington 5 Beta Sig Racing Austin Harpe Josh Porter 6 Phi Delt Racing Marc Leclerc Jackson Blakley 7 Chem E Brandon Biega Si Hui Wong 8 MEGP Zachary Robinson Joshua Hendricks 9 Sigma Chi 2 Nick Hale Spencer Owen 11 Kappa Sigma Racing Daniel Leeds Paul Johnson 12 3270 Racing Paul Sanfilippo Chris Kritzer 13 Student Veteran Organization Ryan Keene Andrew Running 16 IUPUI Girls Team Allison Schoch Madeline Dement 17 Owen Nathan Ohlson Steven Farren 18 SHPE Racing Jaime Ortega Ricardo Chavez 21 Shrevehart Peter Gray Will Blakeslee 22 Pi Kappa Phi Racing Chip