June 25, 2014 at 2:43 p.m.
Brush Run to kick off 45th year of off-road racing in Crandon
Brush Run to kick off 45th year of off-road racing in Crandon
This Saturday and Sunday the stars of The Off-Road Championship (TORC) Series - led by Wisconsin's own father/son tandem of Johnny and C.J. Greaves - return to Crandon Raceway for the annual running of the Brush Run, including the $25,000 Forest County Potawatomi Community Cup Race.
Back in 1970 the Crandon Area Jaycees and some 150 volunteers, led by President Rolland Yocum, pulled off what was to be called the inaugural Crandon Brush Run 101. The day began with a breakfast at the high school, with the racers - some 100 of them in dune buggies, modified cars and trucks and motorcycles - taking off from the Forest County Fairgrounds at 1 p.m. Chicago area off-road enthusiasts Wally Schauer and Jim Zbella would win the grueling contest with a time just over three hours.
It didn't know it at the time but the city of Crandon wrote the first chapter of a now 45-year storied history of off-road racing, setting the stage for what's now viewed as the Mecca of short course off-road racing.
"Back then the Jaycees basically just took the Baja racing they saw on TV and re-created it through the woods around Crandon," explained current Crandon Raceway President Cliff Flannery. "It wasn't until we got bumped from one farmer's property to another that this short course idea really began to take root."
Crandon's story spread like wildfire amongst the tight-knit off-road community. And as the name recognition of the drivers grew, including off-road legend Walker Evans, Crandon's reputation as a big-time event caught the attention of television producers - namely ESPN. It got so big they added a second event, a spring race, which officials called the Brush Run. In1989 ESPN would broadcast its first of many Crandon events, the Labor Day contest now called the "World Championships."
The two events annually draw in the area of 75,000 fans, infusing an estimated $10.5 million into the local economy. As one small gas station owner put it: "The Crandon races are like our second and third Christmases."
Fans come from all over the United States to be part of the off-road happening that is the Brush Run and World Championships. The camping is a festival in and of itself, bringing family and friends back year after year to the same camping spots where they revel in the year's past events while making new friends along the way.
"Everyone at Crandon Raceway is thrilled to be celebrating out 45 year this summer and look forward to seeing everyone out for the Brush Run," added Flannery. "We've got 650 volunteers that help put on this event and they'll do everything they can to make sure you have one heck of a time here at Crandon Raceway."
Fans are encouraged to get to the track early on Saturday so they can be entered in the $1,000 "Brush Run Fan Appreciation Drawing." Fans arriving before 11 a.m. to purchase a ticket will be entered - at no charge. Gates open at 8 a.m. Saturday's action continues long after the machines have been shut down for the night. The Appleton-based band "RPM" will rock the Big House from 8 p.m. to midnight.
New sponsors for this year's Brush Run include: Polaris, AutoGear, Pepsi and Mt. Dew, Walker Evans Racing, Laona State Bank, Parsons of Eagle River and Antigo, Ponsse North America and Old Wisconsin beef sticks.
For ticket information, including camping, visit www.crandonoffroad.com.
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