Once the dust settles after a weekend of CORR in Crandon, Wisconsin, the world-famous track doesn’t leave town with the thousands of spectators. Local drivers get several chances to hit the dirt and July 21-23 the track will even open to Lucas Oil Ultimate ATV Experience.

On June 3-4 Crandon International Off-Road Raceway is opening up to a motocross and ATV race of the Northern Cup Series, which serves riders in Wisconsin and Michigan’s upper peninsula.

The track is essentially the same no matter who’s racing and no matter what they’re riding. Pro Lite are clocked at 120 miles per hour on one straightaway, while they struggle to go in a smooth line on “mug pit turn.” The track hosts 8 CORR Classes when they host that national series, but they also host three “Crandon Class” races of local racers and beginners from far and wide.

About sixty racers entered this entry-level amateur class last year, said track promoter Doug Davis. “Race membership in these classes continues to grow!” he explained, and the races accept Formula 4x4 trucks (Jeep, Blazers, Broncos, etc.), Classix (Sedans) and Enduro Trucks (pickup trucks). “Some racers are just part-time and only race Crandon events,” he said. The pros still dominate the track, and about 240 CORR-registered racers make it to each big race, Davis said.

The promoters and people of Crandon know they’ve got something special and they let the racers and spectators know it. “At the annual BorgWarner World Championships,” explained track spokesperson Doug Davis, “Crandon holds its annual World Championship Labor Day parade, followed by the NISMO Time Trials.”

On June 8-11 the city is opening up for the Potawatomi "Gathering Thunder" Biker Rally. “This is our fourth consecutive Biker Rally,” explained Davis. “This year, we feature all kinds of activities and events to see and do. Crandon will host a downtown street party for bikers on Thursday, June 8 at 8 p.m. Over the Friday and Saturday weekend, entertainment includes John Kay & Steppenwolf and also the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, among other bands. On Saturday, bikers can watch Lucas Oil Pro AM TT racing action on the track.”

The famous track is 1.75 miles long, but Davis said that recent widening of the track has yielded a measurement on the inside groove of 1.6 miles. “It is the most famous track in off-road racing ... period!” he said. “No question: Crandon's rich history in off-road racing sets it apart from all other tracks. Crandon is in its 37th year of consecutive off-road racing.”

The track is famous for its Land Rush Start and exciting first turn that has been called "the most exciting but dangerous turn in all of racing.” Pro racer Steve Frederico would agree with that.

“The start at Crandon is definitely the key,” he said. “It’s a land-rich starter and it used to be a mogul section and each line was diff, so it would separate the trucks. What they did was they flattened the track.” Now it’s a long straightaway before that first nasty turn. “You can only go three wide through eh first corner, so I think there’s going to be lots of crashes and excitement at the first corner now.”

Clearly, he said, “Crandon is probably the coolest track to race on the whole circuit and has been, probably, for the last ten years.” According to Davis, 61,000 spectators came to all the events last year. That’s not how Frederico remembers it, and the bigger numbers work for him. “It’s 100,000 people standing on their feet, cheering for you and your desire to get to the winners circle is even greater because you’re at Crandon.”

Good passing skills are essential for a win, and Frederico offers some pointers on when to go for it. “There are two unique passing corners,” he explained. “The gravel pit and the Argon corner.Those are the two passing corners that it’s easier to set people up to pas. The guy in front of you doesn’t have to make a mistake for you to pass him. So there’s act two distinct lines through those two corners.”

Whether they’re in town for the big World Championship Race or not, spectators find that the locals of Crandon are very accommodating. “As you know, Crandon is a town of 1,920 people!,” exclaimed Davis. “We are fortunate to have more than 600 volunteers and volunteer organizations working three shifts at Crandon during a race weekend! Nearly one third of the population is involved in some way, shape or form in producing the races at Crandon. Heck, I am just the front man for a dedicated, responsible, friendly group of people that have made Crandon the ‘little town with the BIG track.’ Each race weekend brings a turnover in excess of $10 million to the community. We use this as an average number but the World Championship weekend is much larger. Hotels and motels are sold out, airlines are booked, potato chips are wiped out at convenience stores. Gasoline sales spike upward at stations, restaurants are full -- the list goes on and on.”

It’s a fair assessment, said Melinda Otto, executive director of the Crandon Area Chamber of Commerce. “It mostly impacts our restaurants and accommodations. There is a good deal of shopping done, too. Many of the shops on Main Street as well.” In her 17 years at the Chamber she hasn’t seen much change in the local impact, except that “Over the last five-10 years we’ve seen that people will vacation that entire week before the event.” All lodging does book up, she said, but, she said, “Some people cancel out at the last minute and we make sure that we’re all filled locally and then we start sending people to other places, like Rhinelander. We keep a list of all the accommodations in the county. We have a lot of resorts and everything.”

The campgrounds fill, too. Except for one, she said, “All the campgrounds in the area are on a first-come, first served-basis. The Nicolet National Forest offers inexpensive camping and a chance to experience Crandon’s other big tourist draw: Nature. Lakes dot the area and offer premier fishing. The wild and scenic Wolf River passes by and can make for a thrilling kayak trip or a pleasant canoe excursion.

The county hosts several historical museums, Ottos said. “There is a premier logging museum at the Camp 5 Farm. They’ve got a 20-minute ride to the Camp 5 Farm where they have a logging museum, blacksmith shop, things like that.”

A lot of racers and race fans agree that another way to keep the history of Crandon alive is to go to the races.