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Melissa Theisen - Editor

Before the off-road Brush Run racers started their engines for a weekend of high speed action, race fans had the opportunity to see up close and personal what life on the track is like.

Early Friday morning, racers and their crews parked their buggies, PRO Lite vehicles and 4X4s along the length of Lake Avenue in downtown Crandon. Race enthusiasts had the opportunity to meet their favorite drivers and get autographs and posters or pose for pictures before the races. Local racer Jeff Kincaid’s station was particularly popular amongst the youngsters.

A breakfast buffet was offered at LaFetta’s on Friday as well as the rest of the race weekend, and members of the Crandon Chamber of Commerce manned the grill across the street.

As people wandered up and down the street searching for their favorite drivers, they could watch the pit crews participate in tire changing and car pushing competitions.

Others got into the spirit of the event by decorating their storefronts for the annual window decorating contest, held by the Chamber of Commerce. Some windows featured welcoming words for both the racers and the fans who would be staying in the Crandon area over the weekend, while others focused on the racers themselves, featuring posters and photos of their favorite drivers over the years.

The large crowd grew even bigger for the noon parade through town. This annual parade begins at the far end of town and travels through town and is concluded with the racers driving their vehicles to the Brush Run track to prepare for the weekend’s races.

Among some of the additional floats and performers in the parade were the Crandon and Antigo marching bands, Forest County veterans and remote control replicas of the Brush Run vehicles. A ramp was set up and dragged by ATV down the street so the “drivers” of the remote control cars could do jumps and other tricks as they walked the route.

Some of the families of the victims of the October 7, 2007 shootings also decorated floats in honor of the children, several of whom worked at Brush Run or attended Brush Run every year.

And as with any parade, candy throwers were tossing their sweet treats to the young and the young at heart along with several floats featuring bottles of soda, which was much appreciated by spectators who were standing in the sun all morning.

As the parade came to an end, the crowds dispersed, many of whom traveled straight to the track to ensure premium seating during the races that would take place later that night and the remainder of the weekend. Others rested up before the embarking towards the weekend’s entertainment.

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