Crandon International Raceway Celebrates 40 Year Anniversary over Labor Day

Robby Gordon Returns to “The Big House” for the First Time in Two Decades

Making an appearance at Crandon International Raceway for the first time in 20 years, Robby Gordon has set his sights on repeating his last performance at the venue dubbed “The Big House.” Gordon, who has been known to pull “double-duty” after lengthy Baja races, will once again show his grit and determination in the motorsports arena by competing at both Crandon International Raceway and Atlantic Motor Speedway in two completely diverse styles of racing. Shuttling back and forth between Crandon for practice, and qualifying in the Sprint Cup at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Robby is certain to have a full Labor Day weekend schedule.

Recent Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee and Crandon native, Jack Flannery, reflected on Gordon’s first appearance at the raceway by commenting, “Walker Evans and Robby Gordon both came out to Crandon in 1989 to run for World Championships and be on ESPN. Robby had a fearless, aggressive driving style that he still has today. He just dominated the weekend, took all our Wisconsin purse money and went back to California. Robby is still the youngest racer to ever win a World Championship title at Crandon. He was fast back in 1989 and he will be fast this year. What a treat for TORC and Crandon off-road race fans. I can’t wait to watch him in action.”

Taking to the track for the 2009 BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road Races, Robby Gordon will pilot his No. 007 Polaris-branded Chevrolet Pro 2WD against other big-name and formidable competitors such as Rob MacCachren, Todd LeDuc, Ricky Johnson, and Jeremy McGrath. With a $10,000 first place prize purse and a historic commemorative anniversary ring on the line, the Pro 2 action during Saturday’s TORC Series Round 11 is sure to be a fierce competition.

Robby Gordon’s return to the Big House isn’t the only big major happening of the week! In honor of the 40th Year Anniversary, Crandon International Raceway has a full schedule of activities planned to celebrate four decades of legendary short-course racing at this historic venue.

Doug Davis, Crandon Off-Road Race Promoter, remarked, “The stage is set for the biggest short course off-road racing event in history, hands down. Thousands of fans are making the trek to Crandon right now. Racers are converging on Crandon from all over the U.S. The biggest names in the sport will be going head-to-head, fender to fender in a brutal display of horsepower and the will to win World Championship titles in 11 race classes. A record number of sponsors are attending. We want to thank TORC, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Traxxas, AMSOIL, BorgWarner, Miller Lite, Ford Trucks, Mole Lake Casino, MasterCraft Safety, Monster Energy,– every single sponsor — for making this kind of major league show possible. On September 4, 5 and 6, off-road racing’s Big House will become Yankee Stadium, Lambeau Field, the Indy 500 all rolled into one. The weekend is going to be a special moment in motorsports history.”

As part of the celebration, the folks at Crandon are offering up a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to ride the original Brush Run 101 race course, coined the “Baja of the Northwoods.” Starting at the original Start/Finish line at the Forest County Fairgrounds in downtown Crandon, the chance to navigate the 25 1/4 mile original race course takes place Wednesday, September 2nd at 10am sharp and is free of charge! Once the green flag drops and the final street-legal vehicle enters the trail, the gates will be locked and no other vehicles will be allowed the enter for who knows how long!

While Thursday September 3rd is sure to bring a “party atmosphere,” Friday will officially kick-off the 40th Year Anniversary celebration with a huge Main Street parade in downtown Crandon. The parade begins at noon however, Main Street closes at 9am to allow fans the opportunity to get up-close and personal with the racecars and also watch the teams participate in crew competitions.

After the downtown festivities, “The Friday Night of Thunder” will get underway as Jeff Kincaid looks to defend his title in the 3rd Annual Forest County Potawatomi ProLight “Decision at Sundown” Challenge Cup. Winning the Challenge Cup in both 2007 and 2008, Kincaid is looking to once again claim the checkered flag and take home the “three-peat” in the ProLight class.

Saturday and Sunday’s racing will also bring the fans undeniable action as the winner of the Pro 4×4 Class competitions has the potential of winning a record-breaking over $40,000 in combined cash prizes. In addition to the purse money, competitors are also vying for the prestigious BorgWarner Sterling Silver Cup and 18k Gold Crandon Cup.

After the final checkered flag drops, the celebrating is far from over! Directly after the last race, the pits open up to fans for autograph signings while the Vic Ferrari Band prepares for a live performance. Following the concert, the weekend’s festivities conclude with an impressive fireworks show as the partying in the campgrounds and pits is sure to continue on into the wee hours of the next morning. The area dubbed as “Jurassic Park” (for its WILD and somewhat unmentionable activities) will be host to anyone who dares enter, but be sure to bring your “A“ game as these guys know how to party!

Not able to make it to Crandon to witness the 40th Year Anniversary celebration for yourself? Tune in or set your DVRs to record ABC’s LIVE coverage of the TORC Series’ BorgWarner Cup Race on Sunday, September 6th at 4pm Eastern Standard Time.