Purdue Grand Prix Explained

Race Title:Purdue Grand Prix
Track Map:GrandPrixTrack.jpg
Venue:Grand Prix Track, Northwest Sports Complex, Purdue University
Location:West Lafayette, IN
Coordinates:40.4377°N -86.944°W
Sponsor:Purdue Grand Prix Foundation
First Race:May 17, 1958
Last Race:April 22, 2023
Distance:50 miles
Laps:160
Duration:1:11:41.405 (Alexander Kardashian, 2022)[1]
Most Wins Driver:Jimmy Simpson (4)
Surface:Asphalt
Length Mi:0.2698
Turns:5
Record Time:24.953 seconds
Record Driver:Jacob Peddycord
Record Car:Yamaha KT100
Record Year:2023
Record Class:38.924 mph[2]

The Purdue Grand Prix is a go-kart race that has been held annually by Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, since May 17, 1958. It is known as "the Greatest Spectacle in College Racing." It hosts approximately 3,500 live spectators per year, with many more watching televised or streamed broadcasts.[3] The primary function of the event is to raise money for Purdue student scholarships under the aegis of the Purdue Grand Prix Foundation and its motto: 'Students Helping Students.' Though the race is traditionally held on a Saturday, associated festivities, parties, parades, and other events, both sanctioned and unsanctioned, begin the weekend before and are held throughout the week. Grand Prix is also a large event for alumni who often return to campus for the weekend.

Details

Student organizations, resident hall clubs, co-op houses, and Greek organizations build and race go-karts on a purpose-built course located northwest of the main campus at the block of Cherry Lane, McCormick Road, and US Highway 52. Each kart is required to use a Yamaha KT100 engine and costs approximately $5,000. The event is open to all members of the Purdue student body, including students at other Purdue University System campuses. Students from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis have won the race on several occasions, possibly due to the motorsports engineering major offered at that campus.

Qualifications are held, weather permitting, on a single day one week before race day. The karts are divided into groups of four and are allowed seven minutes on the track. Each kart's fastest lap is recorded as its qualifying time. The top 27 times are placed in the starting field from fastest to slowest. The remaining six positions are determined by three 15-lap sprint races held prior to the main Grand Prix race. The top two finishers from each sprint race comprise the rest of the 33-kart starting grid. The race is traditionally held on a Saturday; however, due to inclement weather, the race may be postponed to Sunday.

Every five years alumni races are held where former students who participated in the Grand Prix return to race. Karts built prior to 1986 take part in a 15-lap Classic race. Newer karts race in a 35-lap Modern race.

History

The first race was held on May 17, 1958, at the North Intramural Field and adjacent parking lot as a way for engineering students to exercise their skills. It was organized by David Ross and Dan Tubergan. Each cart was built from scratch and was powered by a lawnmower engine. Originally managed by the Purdue Auto Club, the Grand Prix Foundation took over administration of Grand Prix when it was founded in 1965. A purpose-built 3/8-mile track was built near Ross–Ade Stadium in 1968 for $25,000; it was first used in the 1969 Grand Prix.

The 2007 Grand Prix was the 50th-anniversary celebration. David Wolf, a Purdue graduate and astronaut, was the grand marshal for that year's pre-race parade.

The 2008 Grand Prix was the final race held on the "old" track north of Ross–Ade Stadium. This track was demolished due to the Mackey Arena expansion project. The new track, which has been used since 2009, is located at the Northwest Sports Complex. It cost roughly $1 million to build and is modeled after the World Kart Championship Track in Japan.

In 2010 the first Electric Vehicle Grand Prix was held at the Purdue Grand Prix track, following a similar format to its gasoline-powered counterpart. The annual race is usually held at the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; some years an additional race is held at the Grand Prix Track in West Lafayette. Purdue teams and teams from visiting universities are often allowed to test at Purdue's track on the days in which the gas karts are not practicing. While the EV Grand Prix does not attract as many karts as the Purdue Grand Prix, it has a much more widespread reach, attracting teams from three continents and across the United States.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club is a tradition where students and alumni dress in costumes to fill local bars and nightclubs early in the morning.[4] It is best described as a cross between a pep rally, a Halloween party, and a bar crawl. It was started by members of the Theta Chi Fraternity in the mid-1980s who wanted to see how early in the morning an establishment could be legally open for drinking.[5] Breakfast Club is also seen the morning of home athletic events, and plays a significant role during the football season. Many participants are dedicated; getting up at 5:00 a.m. on Saturdays and lining up at the bars on Chauncey Hill and the levee by 6:00 a.m. on game days.[6] [7]

Winners

YearChampion(s)Team
1958James MoneyhunFred Bartlett
Gregory Boman
Ronald Moffett
Kenneth Shull
Gable Courts
1959Dick Clayton
John Alexander
Robert Elsperman
John Jeffers
Tom Ross
Sigma Chi
1960John MullalyChauncey House
1961Tom EllisPhi Delta Theta
1962Jon Mickley
Bert Rosendahl
Bob Whiting
Jerry Williams
Tom Williams
H-1 SE Resident Hall
1963Edward McDonaldSigma Phi Epsilon
1964Robert BootyAlpha Sigma Phi
1965Jim FeutselFlying Vegetables
1966George TaylorThe Photon
1967Al BrittinghamKappa Delta Rho
1968Al BrittinghamKappa Delta Rho
1969Gary Van der HeideSigma Chi
1970James FryAcacia
1971George KozakWiley
1972Mike GoodsonAlpha Eta Rho
1973Charles Workman, Jr.Sigma Phi Epsilon
1974Wayne GerhartAlpha Tau Omega
1975Mike BrennanKappa Sigma
1976Chuck SpragueTarkington
1977Dave JonesBeta Theta Pi
1978Robert KeagySigma Chi
1979Dave FleekPhi Sigma Kappa
1980Brian GrantTarkington
1981David FuhrmanFuBaR
1982John BrenanAlpha Chi Rho
1983John ShumakerAlpha Sigma Phi
1984Curtis Chariton
1985Doug WrightPi Kappa Alpha
1986Bob PitzerCary/Meredith
1987Dave SkeltonPi Kappa Phi
1988Steve DaughteryTarkington/Windsor
1989Tom SmithFarmHouse Racing
1990Doug HodgdonAlpha Sigma Phi
1991Doug HodgdonAlpha Sigma Phi
1992Brian Berrisford
1993Ian Smith
1994Ian Smith
1995Ian Smith
1996Dustin Smith
1997Joe TroyerDelta Theta Sigma
1998Kyle Smith
1999Tom GrayTheta Chi
2000James Weida
2001Tom GrayTheta Chi
2002Timothy O'BrienWiley
2003Timothy O'BrienWiley Hall Excalibur Club Racing No. 2
2004Clayton SmithTeam Smith
2005Timothy O'Brien
2006Clayton SmithTeam Smith
2007Liz LehmannPMA
2008Jon LaskiIUPUI Motorsports No. 1
2009Travis IlesSigma Chi
2010Justin PenixIUPUI Motorsports No. 1
2011Justin PenixIUPUI Motorsports No. 1
2012Blake DeisterIUPUI MKP Racing
2013Jimmy SimpsonElectric Vehicle Club
2014Jimmy SimpsonDelts Racing (Delta Tau Delta Fraternity)
2015Jimmy SimpsonDelts Racing
2016Jimmy SimpsonDelts Racing
2017Kyle TilleyCary Club Racing No. 1
2018Jared ThomasIUPUI Motorsports No. 2
2019Brenden JohnsonAcacia Racing No. 2
2020Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021Jacob PeddycordHarrison Hall Cavalier Club Racing
2022Alexander KardashianJimmy Simpson Racing
2023Michael CruzCruz Control Racing
2024Aidan FoxKappa Sigma

Trivia

This Year

This year the race was held on April 20, 2024 at the Purdue Grand Prix Track on Cheery Lane. Tickets and information can be found on the Purdue Grand Prix Foundation website.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: RACE Purdue Grand Prix Race 65, 2022 Purdue Grand Prix Race 65, Purdue Grand Prix Foundation, United States - Official Event Results, MYLAPS Speedhive .
  2. Web site: 2023 Purdue Grand Prix Race 66 - Practice 5 - Results .
  3. Web site: 2022-04-23 . Purdue Grand Prix: 'Greatest spectacle in college racing' returns with historical traditions . 2023-07-18 . Our Community Now . en.
  4. Web site: HustleFish . 2019-04-12 . What is Breakfast Club? . 2023-07-18 . granitestudentliving.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: Writer . Jason GulleyStaff . 2002-04-19 . First home of Breakfast Club ends morning tradition . 2023-07-18 . Purdue Exponent . en.
  6. Web site: 2022-08-22 . Purdue Football Game Checklist . 2023-07-18 . www.homeofpurdue.com . en-us.
  7. Book: The College Buzz Book . March 23, 2006 . Vault Inc. . 9781581313994 . 292 . 23 March 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200818180458/https://books.google.com/books?id=4jsn3_VEvBsC&pg=PA292 . August 18, 2020 . live.