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Crandon Braces For 34th World Championship Off-Road Racing Weekend
CRANDON, WI -- A mysterious, otherworldly life form known as the "Transtormer"
will make its first appearance in the Northwoods as one of the star
attractions at the 3rd annual Xtreme Thunderfest, Friday evening, August 29 at
Crandon International Off-Road Raceway. The Xtreme Thunderfest, underwritten
by the Forest County Potawatomi, is the prelude to the largest off-road racing
spectacle in the country -- the annual BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road
Race at Crandon Raceway this coming Labor Day weekend.
Joining the "Transtormer" for the 7:00 p.m. Friday evening Xtreme
Thunderfest, are a bevy of monster trucks -- the most ever assembled at a
single time and place in Forest County. New monster trucks visiting Crandon
Raceway for the first time are Lil’ Miss Dangerous -- driven by the
country’s top female monster truck driver, and Avenger, a freestyle
finalist. Also appearing are Brutus, Bad News and Devastator. Fan favorite The
Destroyer also returns to Crandon. The mega-horsepower Monster Trucks will
crush cars, race with a "Christmas Tree" start, perform stunts and
do freestyle acrobatics.
Also part of the Friday Night Xtreme Thunderfest will be TNT Figure 8 stock
car racing featuring Stinger class cars. The Monster Trucks will make several
appearances during the evening before and after the visit by Transtormer.
"This is great show for kids and the young at heart," said Cliff
Flannery, president, Crandon Raceway. "We are showcasing the unusual and
exciting from the World of Motorsports before our big race weekend," he
said.
Crandon Raceway is expecting a record turnout for the grand-daddy of all
off-road races -- the
BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road Races. "Our adult camping is
nearly sold-out, although we have general camping spaces available", said
Flannery. "We’ll find a spot for everybody," he said.
Saturday heralds the arrival of the 34th annual off-road World Championships.
Upwards of 325 racers in various classes will be competing for World
Championship titles over the weekend. "The Crandon World Championships
draw the largest number of professional and amateur off-road racers in the
country," said Jeff Kincaid, one of the local racers from Argonne, WI,
who got his start at Crandon and is now a perennial champion in the Pro Lite
compact pickup division. "Fans are packed in like sardines to watch the
races," he noted. "As a driver you can feel the adrenaline and the
pressure associated with racing and winning at Crandon," he commented.
Vehicle classes include GOBs, entry-level buggies, compact pickup trucks, high
performance 4x4 race trucks, and several others.
On Sunday, Lucas Oil Championship Off-Road Racing Series action continues all
day. Then, the much-anticipated 9th annual World Championship Manufacturers’
Shootout for the $100,000 BorgWarner cup is scheduled for 4 p.m. The event is
the premier off-road race in the country. The winner receives the largest
purse for any single event in off-road racing. Last years’ winner -- Scott
Taylor, Belvidere, IL, took home more than $30,000 for the 10-lap Shootout.
"The purse is a gigantic sum for off-road racing," said Flannery.
"But equally important is for the winning driver to be forever
immortalized on the sterling silver and gold BorgWarner Cup," he noted.
Drivers who win the race have their name, race details and truck logo
permanently affixed to the 44-inch cup. The cup is then presented to the
winning truck manufacturer for display.
"Winning the BorgWarner Shootout means going down in motorsports history
as an exceptional racer," said Flannery. "While the racer may
retire, he will always be remembered for winning the Borg cup." Taylor
will certainly be remembered as the first driver of a 2-wheel drive pickup
truck to ever win the race. All previous winners drove 4x4 race pickups.
`In addition to BorgWarner, other key sponsors at Crandon International
Off-Road Raceway include the Forest County Potawatomi, NISMO, Snap-On Tools,
Rancho, Phil‘s Automotive Warehouse, BF Goodrich, Indian Springs Lodge,
Goodyear, Coca-Cola, Miller Lite, Bergstrom Ford, Johnsonville Sausage, KC
Hilites, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Brands, Miller Electric Welders, Baumgart
Tire, Precision Gear, Parsons Chevrolet, Amsoil, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry,
Associated Bank, K&N, Skyjacker, GM Hydra-Matic, Fabtech, Potawatomi Bingo
Northern Lights Casino, among others.
Situated on 400 acres, Crandon International Off-Road Raceway features
1.75-mile and 1.25-mile tracks. Crandon is approximately 25 minutes from
Rhinelander, 80 minutes from Wausau and 90 minutes from Green Bay. The
track’s Web site address is www.crandonoffroad.com.
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