CRANDON, Wis. — Crandon International Raceway and MidAmerica Outdoors have reached a new three-year agreement to bring the Ultra4 USA series to the legendary Wisconsin race track each Labor Day weekend for the Crandon Ultra4 World Championships.
The Ultra4 USA series has made appearances at the track’s legendary Polaris Crandon World Championship and Red Bull Crandon Cup weekend since 2018. Beginning in 2023, the country’s premiere rock racing sanctioning body will bring West and East Ultra4 series competitors for a combined points race at Crandon through 2025.
Car classes in this series include 4400 Unlimited, 4800 Limited, 4500 Modified, 4600 Stock, Stock Sportsman and SXS classes including Pro Modified, Stock Production and Open categories.
More than 120 Ultra4 USA racers are expected to participate in the 2023 Crandon Ultra4 World Championships next September, joining several hundred more traditional off-road, short-course competitors that make up the growing AMSOIL Champ Off-Road Series.
The diverse group of Ultra4 race teams have roots all across America and Canada, with the rugged form of the sport made famous by the annual “King of the Hammers” event in California.
Earlier this year the Ultra4 USA series was purchased by Oklahoma-based MidAmerica Outdoors from Hammerking Productions — the California organizing body behind King of the Hammers. Founded by Jason Robinett, MidAmerica Outdoors’ portfolio not only includes the Ultra4 USA series, but also America’s premiere riding and racing off-road park spanning over 1,600 acres located in Jay, Oklahoma.
Featuring a wide variety of spectator-friendly race areas, exciting terrain for trail riding and world-class amenities and facilities, the park plays host to multiple off-road racing circuits throughout the year.
“This new agreement is a direct result of Crandon not only opening its doors to Ultra4-style racing at the largest short-course event in the world, but also successfully blending two distinctive forms of off-road racing into one massive lifestyle festival weekend,” Robinett said. “We wanted to make certain Crandon’s investment in a hybrid rock racing course, their first-tier, livestream production package and a massive new spectator viewing area will be enjoyed by racers and fans for years to come.
“There is no question this announcement represents a key building block to our vision for Ultra4 USA’s future.”
Always trying to improve the “Crandon Experience” for both racers and fans, in the past two years, the facility has greatly improved its rock sections within the track’s “UltraCross” configuration of the traditional 1.75-mile Crandon race course.
That expansion has included adding a rock section to an area just after the Crandon finish line, plus enhancing the track’s 100-acre Crandon Off-Road Park. In 2022, these upgrades also featured a reconfiguration of the new “Rigid Ridge” Ultra4 spectator area with more Rigid Industries industrial lights, better viewing and improved fan hospitality.
“Adding Ultra4 rock racing to our Polaris Crandon World Championship and Red Bull World Cup weekend has been really positive and exciting, especially in the past two years with all the classed being here,” said Crandon President Cliff Flannery. “Our fans love it, especially the Saturday night racing under the lights on Rigid Ridge. We appreciate the Ultra4 USA series and Jason Robinett for expanding their commitment toward creating a true Crandon Ultra4 World Championship event for 2023 and beyond.”
In addition to hosting the event, Crandon International and its promotional agency TRG Rennsport worked with Long Haul Productions to greatly expand the Ultra4 livestream coverage from Crandon, an effort that allowed fans around the world to view all the action via a live, multi-camera production.
The SPEED SPORT media group is also producing a one-hour special on the Ultra4 racing at the Polaris Crandon World Championships to be aired later this fall on the MAVTV cable network.
While a final Polaris Crandon World Championship and Red Bull Crandon World Cup weekend schedule will be released next year, it’s expected that the Ultra4 format used in 2022 will largely remain intact. All Ultra4 categories will be combined into three separate classes, including one for all UTV competitors, another for the Everyman Challenge group — 4800 Limited, 4500 Modified, 4600 Stock, Stock Sportsman — and a third for Unlimited Class 4400 vehicles.
For 2023, the Ultra4 USA series will be part of Labor Day weekend at Crandon as the track hosts the 54th Polaris Crandon World Championship Off-Road Races.