12 Hour Karting Enduro Event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on IndyCar Weekend Oct 15th!

2011 Machismo 500 to join IndyCar Finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

12 Hour Endurance Race to be held October 15 at Speedway Bullring

May 24, 2011 – Karting Ventures, promoter of the of Machismo 500, today announced the 2011 edition of the ultimate endurance race to be held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during IndyCar’s $5 million season finale weekend. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 15 and will be run at the Speedway’s ‘Bullring’ facility, a 3/8 mile oval that will feature a custom designed infield section to create a banked ‘roval’ road course.

The fourth annual running of the Machismo will feature significant format changes from previous years’ races. First and foremost, the race will be run from noon to midnight on Saturday, as opposed to the overnight format of the past. Since the Machismo is a stand-alone event this year with exclusive use of the 7,000-seat Bullring race track, Karting Ventures was able to choose a time slot that was most attractive to its’ racers which allows them to attend the IndyCar race on Sunday. This time slot also paved the way for the extension of the race to a full 12-hours, an increase of 2 hours from 2010 and 4 hours from the inaugural event in 2008.

“The Machismo has grown and improved each year, but we felt it was time to pull out all the stops and take it to the top notch,” stated Rob Niles, Karting Ventures’ President. “I can’t think of a better way to do that than by running at the world-class Las Vegas Motor Speedway during IndyCar’s $5 million finale. There’s no better environment to host this event and showcase some of the best driving talent from the U.S. and abroad.”

Past Machismo events have attracted not only some of the best drivers from the karting ranks, but also from the world of professional motorsports. The 2008 edition saw current Indy 500 polesitter Alex Tagliani suffer heartbreak as he ran out of fuel while leading with just 10 minutes to go, handing the win over to karting champion and Ribtect President Robby Mott. The following year attracted more pro talent as IndyCar’s Rafa Matos was joined on track by Daytona 24 champ Joey Hand, as well as RallyCross star and Top Gear USA host Tanner Foust. However, 2009 belonged to the two-man duo of karting icon Jim Russell Jr. and teammate Chuck Gafrarar when the checkers flew. Last year’s race saw Team Magnus Racing/Lifeyo.com featuring Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series driver Craig Stanton taking the overall win in the Pro Class.

Interest in the 2011 Machismo is already in full swing as teams from across the globe have contacted event promoters in anticipation of today’s announcement. Multiple teams from North American, as well as squads from both the Magny Cours and Dubai Autodrome facilities, are making plans to contest this year’s 12-hour race.

“Everything about this year’s Machismo has just gone to a completely new and unmatched level,” stated Brad Packard, Machismo Program Manager. “We’ve put a lot of effort into creating an event that attracts the pinnacle of endurance racing competition. With the Las Vegas Motor Speedway venue on IndyCar weekend, I’m confident it is the ideal place and time for that to happen.”

This year’s event will feature the 2-class structure as used in the past – Pro and Sport. The 390cc Pro Class is reserved for experienced drivers/teams wanting to compete in the faster open-wheeled karts and requires approval of racing credentials by event promoters for acceptance into the premier Machismo class. The Sport Class is open to drivers/teams of all experience levels and features the 270cc full-bodied Sodi karts. Just as they do at Le Mans and Daytona, both classes will compete on the banks of the Bullring simultaneously, but will be scored separately, thus producing two sets of winners after 12 hours of racing.

The Machismo 500 is a pure arrive and drive event wherein all karts are prepared to an equal specification and provided by Karting Ventures for the race. Entry fees are all-inclusive, meaning the kart, fuel, tires, and pit lane support are included in the fee, as is the complimentary use of any required safety gear. Entry in the Pro Class is $3,599 per team while the Sport Class entry is $2,499 per team. For 2011, the entry fee includes a 1-hour team practice session the morning of the race, as well as a qualifying session to set the starting grid. Teams in each class can include up to 6 drivers, all of whom must compete for a minimum amount of time over the course of the event. Full details including driver stint requirements, pit stops, and driver seat time will be announced soon.

Both classes have limited space available, and as in the past, a sellout is expected. To reserve your spot, or for more information on the 2011 Machismo 12-Hour Enduro at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, please contact Brad Packard at brad@calspeedkarting.com, or via telephone at 951.241.3872. Registration is set to open at 9:00am on Wednesday, May 25, 2011.