Last Updated: Wednesday, May 9, 2007 5:05 PM CDT
Sports : Three drivers test Crandon off-road race track
Crandon International Off-Road Raceway, the most hallowed ground in professional off-road racing, officially opened this week. Gracing the Crandon gates for the first time in 2007 for test sessions were Lucas Oil World Series of Off-Road Racing (WSORR) drivers Chad Hord, Ryan Mulder and Greg Stingle. It was the earliest opening of the track in 15 years.
Hord of Felch, Mich., is the country's number one PRO Light Pickup racer. Stingle of Black Creek is a top buggy competitor in WSORR's 1600 Light class, while Mulder of Channing, Mich., took high speed laps in his Nokian Tyre Super Buggy. The trio shared the track for over six hours of quality testing in near perfect conditions.
“I can't imagine it will be like this again this year,” said Mulder. “It was like driving on a brand new surface.”
Hord unloaded and fired up a new Nissan Frontier he will campaign for the 2007 season.
“Man, it was great to be first out on the track,” said Hord. “The whole course was fresh and brand new all the way around. Sort of like being the first to skate on the ice after the Zamboni machine is done. The track was just like glass and picture perfect.”
“I had good luck with the new first turn,” Hord said. “It has been filled in on the outside wall. It's a good improvement.”
During the off-season, Crandon track officials reworked the entrance to the turn and also re-banked the most famous turn in off-road racing circles. Hord was the first off-road racer to test the new Potawatomi Turn One.
Hord said he didn't get a chance to use the full starting line as the Crandon Raceway maintenance team was laying sod and seeding the famous American Racing Wheels starting line.
“It was great to put in laps with this new race truck,” said Hord. “I'm pretty happy how it worked out of the box.” Hord's sponsors for 2007 include Nissan, Boss Snowplows, Lucas Oil and Kumho Tires.
Crandon International Off-Road Raceway has been accepting reservations for track testing. “With the outstanding late Spring weather we have had, we were able to open a week earlier than usual,” stated Cliff Flannery, track president, Crandon Raceway. The track's Web address is crandonoffroad.com.
Crandon Raceway opens the racing season when WSORR rumbles into town for the Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run Races June 23 and 24. The weekend features the 14th annual FCP Chairman's Cup race on Sunday, June 24. Forest County Potawatomi driver Johnny Greaves is the defending champion of the Cup in his Toyota PRO 4x4 pickup.
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