You Can Also Name The First Rocket Racer!
The Rocket Racing League
announced Monday the company has issued Requests For Proposals
(RFP) for race venues and teams. The RRL’s race events are
slated to begin during the 2007-2008 racing season, after the
inaugural public exhibition flight at the X Prize Cup in New Mexico
in October 2006.
"The issuance of these RFPs is a significant milestone in
getting Rocket Racing off the ground,” said RRL President and
CEO Granger Whitelaw. "Efforts to assemble the teams, build and
test rocket planes, and secure sponsorships and locations are
steadily underway."
The RFP to host "RRL Series" sanctioned race events seeks
competitive bids for four of the six races slated for 2007.
Competing cities, airport authorities and other venues can submit
bids outlining financial, land, tax credit, and in-kind services
commitments to the RRL.
Through its partnership with the RRL, the winning venue provider
will receive direct revenues through the sale of sponsorships,
tickets, advertising, concessions, merchandizing and parking. The
surrounding city or township can expect to see increased job
creation as well as additional revenue generation through hotel and
camping accommodations, restaurants, grocery and retail sales. The
RFP also outlined its support efforts for venue providers,
including local and national marketing and sales efforts.
RRL representatives tell Aero-News the RFP for independently
owned race teams requires a deposit of $100,000, held in escrow, on
a Mark-1 X-Racer. The team must also submit a signed RRL Master
Team Agreement. Proposals must contain the backgrounds of the team
owners, information regarding pilots and must demonstrate the
financial ability to cover the estimated upfront cost of $1.2M and
the estimated annual operating cost of $500,000 to $1,000,000 per
year.
Teams are also asked to provide evidence of sponsorship sales
and support capabilities.
Once accepted, race teams will be responsible for purchasing and
maintaining their Mark-1 X-Racer and all necessary equipment as
well as ensuring that the race vehicle remains in full compliance
with the rules and regulations of the RRL. Teams will be charged
with hiring and training their pilots and crew to the
qualifications set by the RRL Governing Body and the FAA.
As was previously reported in
Aero-News, the RRL has accepted its first independent
team for the 2007 season. Leading Edge Rocket Racing,
LLC is comprised of former F-16 jockeys Robert "Bobaloo"
Rickard and Don A. "Dagger" Grantham, Jr.
Initial letters of intent are due March 31, 2006 and written
proposals are due May 31, 2006.
The RRL expects to have 10 or more race teams for the 2007-2008
racing season.
Rocket Racing semi-finals will be held at the Reno Air Races
in 2007 with the finals at the X Prize Cup.
Name The Mark-1 X-Racer!
The RRL also announced that it is launching a web-based contest
for the naming of its first X-Racer rocket plane. The winner will
receive a Prize package including an annual VIP access pass to the
Mark-1 X-Racer Series events.
"Since our launch in October, we’ve received thousands of
emails and millions of web site hits from fans around the world,"
said Granger Whitelaw, President and CEO of the Rocket Racing
League. "We’re honored to have their support, and want to
give them the honor or naming their first rocket plane."
The naming contest will occur in two phases. Phase I is the open
submission of names through the league’s website. As names
are submitted, they will be displayed in order of receipt for
public viewing. In the event of duplicate name entries, priority
will be give to first date of submission.
In Phase II, a committee appointed by the RRL will select 10
semi-finalists from among the total pool of name submissions.
These 10 semifinalists will be posted online and to be voted on by
fans.
The winner will be announced at the X Prize Cup in October 2006
in Las Cruces, NM during the unveiling of the Mark-1 X-Racer. The
winner will enjoy an annual VIP access pass to the Mark-1 X-Racer
Series events, an astronaut-guided tour of the Mark-1 X-Racer, and
a RRL bomber jacket.