JAY, Okla. — Designed to complement the new national Pro short course off-road series announced on Tuesday, American Outdoor Events released plans for the unification of regional racers currently competing in separate series around the country.
The yet-to-be-named series would unify sportsman category racers in a wide variety of truck, buggy and side-by-side classes current running under the Great American Shortcourse series in the west, the Midwest Off-Road Racing group in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota, and the MidAmerica Racing group competing in Oklahoma and Missouri.
Current plans also call for the expansion of regional short course off-road racing to an East region in 2025, bringing short course to fans and drivers from coast to coast.
The regional purses will be a combined more than $1 million with a minimum $300,000 series purse per region. This $1 million is in addition to the $1.5 million race and prize package already on the table as part of the new national Pro short course series.
“Grassroots regional racing is the heart and soul of off-road motorsports. Families building cars together, coming to the track, spending time outdoors, and drivers getting seat time to develop their skills are critical to the long-term fun and success of short course racing on all levels,” said Jason Robinett, owner and CEO of AOE.
“We are proud to continue evolving our support in the growth of sportsman classes nationally the same way we have been growing regionally with our MAO Racing and MidAmerica Outdoors series the last four years.”
Standardization
A key component to this unification will be the standardization of safety and tech rules over the coming years, a much-needed development for a wide variety of vehicles that would allow competitors to race in a multitude of AOE produced events.
AOE will also be offering racer development classes focused on media and sponsorship education to help teams grow their social media presence and increase value for sponsors.
For 2024, each region will continue to run its existing rulebook (with seasonal updates). An updated unified rulebook for 2025 will help ensure each region is consistent and drivers can race anywhere under the same tech and same safety rules. This will help reduce cost for teams and provide more choices when it comes to where to race.
Each region will also have flexibility in classes run to allow for regional flavor and top-notch racing.
Each of the three regions will have a full race season with the Pro race series joining them for key events on specific race dates. When the Pro series is racing with the regional series, there will be opportunities for up-and-coming regional racers to earn entry into the Pro races that are televised.
Each region will also have its full series livestreamed on AOE.tv and SPEEDSPORT.tv for free.
Combo Events
Pro and regional racers will combine for major 2024 events at legendary Crandon Int’l Raceway for June’s 31st Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run and Labor Day weekend’s massive 54th Polaris Crandon World Championships. The groups will also come together at Minnesota’s ERX Motor Park on July 12-14 and at Michigan’s Bark River International Raceway on Aug. 9-11.
The MidAmerica Racing series will combine with the new AOE Pro series at the MidAmerica Outdoors park in Jay, Okla., Sept. 20-22 and again Oct. 11-13 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
West Coast regional racers in the GAS series can also look forward to joining the AOE Pro series for one weekend of competition in early 2024 with expanded dates in 2025. The date and location for this season opener are still being finalized.
The regional short course racing series will open a wealth of fresh and dynamic opportunities for industry-leading marketing partners nationally, regionally and locally. As the programs gain momentum, sponsors will have the chance to align their brand with the excitement and passion that short course racing embodies wherever they are comfortable.
By partnering with American Outdoors Events, businesses can connect with a dedicated and enthusiastic fan base, amplifying their reach and impact across a multitude of platforms and race series.
The series name, branding, broadcast platforms and corporate partnerships are scheduled to be unveiled Thursday, Dec. 7, at the PRI show in Indianapolis. In addition to a formal press conference and driver introductions, AOE will also be hosting series summits for race teams, tracks and corporate partners.