If it’s Labor Day weekend it must be time for one incredible constant to the world of off-road motorsport – the annual trek to our Mecca known simply as Crandon.
Once again, the incredibly lush and picturesque Wisconsin Northwoods will serve in stark contrast to the sport’s more recognizable backdrops of monochromatic desert earth tones and the manmade modulations of other – and arguably lesser – short course venues. Boiled down to its essential elements, the upcoming World Championships at Crandon International Raceway are a can’t-miss, perfect mix of people, place and time that’s unlike anything else our sport has to offer.
And like Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis 500, after 45 incredible years “Big Crandon” can rightfully be considered a true American treasure. It lives and grows regardless of politics or which acronym of alphabet soup is championing Midwest off-road racing. By all indications, this weekend will be no exception. Crandon’s iconic reputation thrives because each Labor Day its explosion of sights, sounds and distinctive smells isn’t good – it’s great.
To understand the Crandon phenomenon one must understand the unique history that brought it to life; carved out of a 400-acre farm in a tiny hamlet the better side of two hours from the shores of Green Bay.
Legend has it that the concept of off-road racing was brought into the country’s heartland via its living room and the nationally broadcast coverage of the 1968 NORRA Mexican 1000 by ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.” Wisconsin was a long way from Baja, but the appeal of running stock looking Jeeps, trucks, sedans and VW-powered dune buggies seemed within reason to fun-loving locals looking for some post-winter fun.
By 1970 a motley crew of 100 pipe buggies, crude Jeeps and bastardized sedans showed up for the first annual Crandon “Brush Run 101,” a single lap, mad dash through the woods with little room for passing all culminating in a giant mud bog that delighted the awestruck locals. Organized by the Crandon Jaycees and a start/finish line at the Forest County Fairgrounds, the first race was won by Wally Schauer and Jim Zbella.
The issue, of course, was a lack of spectating and using huge chunks of private land. By 1979, the race moved to a five-mile course at nearby Pitt’s Field, stabilizing the Crandon phenomenon — a development cemented in 1984 with a final move to a shorter track at Plummer Farm. Combining acres of camping and room for further development, the new 1.75-mile track, of which 95 percent was viewable from the spectator area, help take the Crandon experience to new and long-term levels. And when ESPN began broadcasting the first of their so-called “World Championships” in 1989, the momentum Crandon needed to put their organic jewel into the national racing mainstream.
Track officials are bracing for a three-day crowd expected to exceed 45,000 fans, many of whom arrive several days early to set-up camp in preparation of action packed racing by day and the event’s highly popular concerts and colorful parties by night. The weekend officially kicks off on Friday, August 29th at 9:30 a.m. with the Pit Crew Competition and 45th Anniversary World Championship Labor Day Parade in downtown Crandon before 13 different classes take to the track for practice, qualifying and racing as part of The Off Road Championship (TORC) series presented by Amsoil.
Saturday will see a full slate of competition as driver’s from across the country and Canada vie to become one of Crandon’s World Champions – an official title bestowed on each of the day’s class winners. Wisconsin own seven-member Vic Ferrari Band will again entertain the crowd that evening – a highly popular Crandon Labor Day weekend tradition.
On Sunday, the weekend will culminate with more competition and series’ championships in the Sportsman and PRO Light truck categories. The finale will see TORC’s PRO 2WD and PRO 4×4 classes let loose on the track at the same time after receiving staggered starts in the 5th Annual Amsoil Cup Challenge race. In a new off-road motorsports record, the winner will take home $45,000 in cash plus additional prizes from MasterCraft Safety and Lincoln Welders from a total purse of just over $56,000.
Top racers expected at Crandon include 2013 Amsoil Cup winner CJ Greaves, who also made TORC history recently as the only driver to win all three PRO classes in a single day of racing. Also on tap will be father and multiple World Champion Johnny Greaves, 2014 Crandon Brush Run Forest County Potawatomi Community Cup winner Chad Hord and 2010 Amsoil Cup winner Scott Douglas.
West coast racers will also be making their presences felt, with the PRO 4×4 of Kyle LeDuc and the PRO 2WDs piloted by brother Todd LeDuc and R.J. Anderson surely running with the TORC series big dogs. Casey Currie will be part of a stacked field of PRO Light trucks, while 15 Lucas Series Modified Kart racers will also be making the long trek east.
In all, there is nothing that can beat another Labor Day Crandon classic for storylines – except for one fairly unknown fact.
The track’s big secret to success is not only is hard work, but, first and foremost, being community based. While more than 650 volunteers are the real heartbeat of every Crandon race, track management in turns gives back in the form of donations to a large variety of area organizations. We aren’t talking a token amount either. In 2013 the facility set a new record of $54,700 to 17 different youth and civic groups.
With racers and trucks/buggies, crews and off-road fans converging from all points on the U.S. map, the small logging town of Crandon, Wisc., (population: 1,961), the weekend’s special story will play out once again – just as it has for 45 great years.
Action photography by Mad Media.
Lifestyle photography by Peter Murphy.
Vintage photography from Crandon International.