The Forest County Potawatomi Community Brush Run weekend at Crandon International Raceway represents the debut of a newly created short-course racing unification with Lucas Oil and its Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League. It is also the first of four PRO and Sportsman race weekends that conclude with Labor Day weekend’s 49th Crandon World Championship Off-Road Races(r) all culminating in the richest competition in the sport – the AMSOIL Cup Challenge.
To celebrate these milestones, track officials, along with the gracious support of the Forest County Potawatomi Community, today announced they have joined forces to offer both PRO and Sportsman class racers a total Brush Run cash purse of $87,240
The weekend’s feature race will be Sunday afternoon’s “Forest County Potawatomi Community Cup Challenge,” which pits the unlimited PRO 4 versus PRO 2 categories separated by a timed, staggered start. The intense annual race is a fan favorite, and in 2018 offers a total cash prize package of $28,000, with the winner picking up a healthy $10,000 pay day plus valuable product bonuses from Lincoln Welders and MasterCraft Safety. Second place will pay $3,500, third place $2,000, fourth place $1,500 and 5ththrough 15th will earn a guaranteed $1,000 cash award.
One of short-course racing’s most coveted prizes, the first Forest County Potawatomi Chairman’s Cup race was won in 1994 by desert racing veteran Curt LeDuc, driving a Ford 4×4 truck. Since that time, off-road racing’s biggest names have earned the Chairman’s Cup title, a list that includes Scott Douglas, Rob MacCachren Carl Renezeder, Jack Flannery, Scott Taylor, Ricky Johnson and Jeff Kincaid. In 2017 Johnny Greaves piloted his Toyota 4×4 to his fifth race win, also setting the record for the most Community Cup wins by any Crandon driver.
In the PRO categories competitors in the PRO 4, PRO 2, PRO Lite and two PRO SXS classes will race for an estimated total purse of $48,240 for the weekend, or $24,120 for each day of the Brush Run event. An estimated total of $3,950 per day will be on the line for the two PRO SXS (side-x-side) classes that seem to grow on a race-by-race basis.
Crandon’s long-established support of the hard charging, grass roots Sportsman category racers will continue at the 2018 Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run weekend. The track has committed an additional $10,000 in cash purse money to be distributed over two days and covering eight separate Sportsman classes.
June’s Crandon Forest County Potawatomi weekend will also be the debut event of the newly established Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League, a four weekend, seven-race championship that represents the first step toward a national unified series for all Lucas Oil PRO short course competitors. The event will be highlighted via four hours of programing broadcast to 33 million homes on the MAVTV network, as well as professional live streaming of all PRO and most Sportsman classes of racing on Lucas Oil Racing TV.
Crandon International has earned a reputation of hosting the biggest and best off-road short-course races in the world, and the upcoming 25th anniversary FCP June Brush Run is no exception,” explained Cliff Flannery, president of Crandon International Raceway.”2018 has already seen the first steps toward national unification of the sport via our new partnership with Lucas Oil. We are proud of the fact that the first race in that effort will take place here at the Big House, and we want all racers who come to Crandon in June to feel welcome and appreciated.”
The 25th annual Crandon Forest County Potawatomi is comprised of a full-slate of Lucas Oil series PRO and Sportsman races, with more than 200 teams expected to kick-off their racing season in traditional Midwest style. Speaking of Crandon tradition, Saturday night will feature “Crossing Croix” performing a festival-style concert free to fans camping at Crandon for the weekend or those attending Saturday’s races. Gates will open for concert-only attendees with a $10.00 charge.
“Crandon International will open its gates to the public all three days beginning at 8:00am. Race fans can enjoy watching practice on Friday, June 15th for free. Weekend admission is $45 for adults, with children 12 and under and seniors 75 and older getting in free. One-day admission is $25 for adults, children under 12 and senior 75 or older admitted free.
All weekend, camping and concert tickets for the Crandon Brush Run races will be available when the gates open beginning at 12:00 noon Thursday, June 14th.