An urban mini grand prix.

White Plains, NY--On September 13, 1992, a blue sky overlooked a mini grand prix course set up for the 1st Annual Car Race in the downtown urban streets of White Plains, New York--the first in the northeast, and the largest race of its kind ever held in the United States. Seventy-two cars, sponsored by corporate firms, service clubs and local merchants competed for trophies with the passion and exuberance of an Indianapolis 500 race, where cars have engines with 800 horsepower, exceed speeds of 220 miles per hour and cost $400,000.

In this race, each sponsor contributed $3,000 toward the purchase of a car, a four-hour mandatory training program, a corporate co-sponsorship, a helmet and spare tire for the tire-changing competition and tickets to attend a pre-race banquet for their crew of five. The balance of the funds were contributed toward the Arthritis Foundation.

The eight-foot cars were small five-horsepower go-cart types with a top speed of 25 miles per hour. Each entry consisted of a five-member crew--two drivers, a crew chief, a tire changer and a timer. Each club team competed in two heats, and the cumulative score determined the feature race line up. The fiberglass body cars built by MANCO Products of Fort Wayne, Indiana, have the same engines that power backyard lawn-mowers. Cosmetic modification to the cars such as painting and decals were encouraged and acceptable. Each engine's governor was set at a specified RPM at the drivers, school.

All competitors attended a training session under the auspices of the "Skip Barber Racing School" to ensure that all safety standards were enforced. Drivers had to be 18 years of age or older.

The top 25 cars and the winner of the Best Looking Car Competition ran in the feature race. Uniform competitions took place at the Gala Banquet that weekend.

The beneficiary of this "sporting spectacular" was the New York Chapter, Hudson Valley Branch of the Arthritis Foundation. They netted over $200,000. The major sponsor was Texaco, Inc., which is headquartered in Westchester County, New York, and contributed some $45,000 in cash and in kind services, while Purolator made a contribution of $15,000. We raised additional funds by selling posters, T-shirts and advertising space along the course of the Mini Grand Prix.

Noted professional race car drivers Mario and Michael Andretti launched the program at a major press party held at Texaco Headquarters in Harrison, New York, and rotary Clubs of District 7230 provided hundreds of volunteers to help market the cars, secure donated materials and supplies and erect and dismantle the race course barriers.

The New York Region Sports Car Club of America sanctioned and supervised the race, and Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio of White Plains asked all his commissioners to cooperate fully with the steering committee that planned the program. Area hotels, restaurants, and merchants did a "booming business," as more than 20,000 spectators and participants descended on White Plains during the beautiful fall weekend.

Plans are already being formulated to increase the number of cars to 90 in 1993, and the same sponsors have committed their resources to a second successful venture. This race captured the imagination of the city and neighboring communities of the New York metropolitan area. You can conduct a mini grand prix in your urban area by following the Urban Mini Grand Prix Plan.

Urban Mini Grand Prix Plan

* Contact the National Arthritis Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia [phone], which will put you in touch with the local chapter office that will assist you directly with this race. The Mini Grand Prix is a trademarked event of the Arthritis Foundation.

* Meet with city administrative and departmental officials to determine if a Mini Grand Prix race course is feasible in your downtown urban center. Departments that are basic to the success of this event include public safety, public works, traffic, building, finance, risk manager, parking authority, and the department of recreation and parks.

* Contact the Sports Car Club of America at Englewood, Colorado [phone], which will refer you to the regional office in your area. This organization will sanction and supervise all formal aspects of this race, including assistance with course design, training track volunteers, officiating, scoring and providing officials for tech inspection.

* Contact major sponsors, businesses and service clubs for funds, volunteers and in-kind services.

* Seek official approvals to conduct such a race on the streets of your community.

* Establish a steering committee consisting of Arthritis Foundation officials, major sponsors and city officials. Assign a marketing, technical and hospitality coordinator. Other sub-committees would include car sponsorships, publicity and promotion, car logistics, awards, volunteers, banquet, concessions and entertainment.

* Determine the final layout of the course in conjunction with the Sports Car Club of America, and your departments of public safety and traffic. The route should not interfere adversely with local business establishments, malls, or places of worship. Carefully assess parking and traffic controls. Consider selecting a Sunday when transient traffic might be minimal.

* Select a route that will be free of hazards, be 1/2 mile to a mile in length, have adequate viewing areas for spectators and contain ample space for the start and finish. A separate area properly identified for registration should be near the start of the race. The sponsors may require exhibit space under tents that should be located near the finish line.

* Make provision for adequate parking for participants, officials, sponsors and spectators. Consider shuttle busing from outside locations, if necessary.

* Use the entire roadbed for the track. Inexpensive barriers to outline the track are tires, snow fencing and sawhorses, all of which can be donated. It will require five to six hours to lay out such a track.

* Upwards to a dozen 10' x 15' tents should be erected early on race day morning to provide areas for VIPS, exhibits, first aid, a press station, an information booth and so forth. The race should be held rain or shine.

* Disburse two, 50-gallon drums of fuel from the tech impound area, with fire apparatus placed nearby, ready for emergency action. Place a tarp on the street to protect the area in case of spillage. All the cars should arrive at the race gas-free and subsequently placed in paddock areas previously assigned on one of the street beds. Paddock assignments should be done by lottery, with the paddocks themselves measuring 10' x 12'. Pit areas on the race course would be determined by the Sports Club Car officials. All cars must be teched during the practice heats, without exception.

* Sponsoring and cooperating agencies can publicize their involvement by placing their banners/logos over the snow fencing in strategic locations. Volunteer marshalls should be stationed throughout the course to assist the general public when attempts are made to cross streets in-between the heats.

* Provide for adequate emergency medical technicians and ambulances on scene as appropriate. A police command center, a race command center and EMS Center should be located along the course. If sponsors are serving food to their clients or others, be sure that the food-handling permits are secured from the proper health authority.

* Distribute sufficient waste receptacles throughout the course and have a sufficient number of paid and volunteer staffers at the conclusion of the race to remove all course barriers and clean the streets. Request the sanitation department to sweep the streets thoroughly before and after the race.

* Make certain the local public works department does not issue permits for street openings prior to the race except for emergency conditions and inspect the race course the day before and the morning of the race.

* Be sure there are adequate restroom facilities in the area or rent a number of portable toilets.

* Work closely with the city's risk manager, corporation counsel, or appropriate official to be certain that the insurance coverage will be adequate to cover such incidents as bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, product liability and participant legal liability.

* Involve city officials and sponsors in pre- and post-event press parties and award ceremonies.

* Hold a post-event evaluation meeting with all concerned parties identifying strengths and weaknesses for future program planning.

Joseph P. Davidson Commissioner of Recreation and Parks White Plains, NY