CRANDON, WISC. – After nearly a year of preparation and cooperation, today legendary Crandon International Raceway released its official, action-packed Labor Day weekend schedule that offers an expanded format and four days of on-track action.

Known for hosting the oldest and most prestigious stadium-style off-road races in the world, Crandon International’s 47th annual Off-Road World Championship will be unlike any in the track’s colorful history. From the new Crandon World Cup/TORC PRO Open Testing on Thursday, September 1st to two packed days of TORC PRO and Sportsman racing to Sunday afternoon’s dramatic 7th annual AMSOIL Cup finale – the sport’s richest race – the 2016 Crandon World Championship promises to be something special for fans, drivers and teams.

Representing what many consider the sport’s “Indianapolis 500,” for tens of thousands of fun-loving race fans, the end-of-summer trek to Crandon is a “can’t miss” tradition. For 2016 guests to the 400-acre “Big House” can look forward to great racing, rich tradition, overnight camping and on-site concerts that make up the unforgettable “Crandon Experience.”

Crandon’s custom wrought iron gates will open to welcome visitors on Wednesday, August 31st at precisely 12:00 noon (EST). The facility’s massive grounds feature nearly 2,000 manicured grass campsites, many of which have been reserved for months. While track management expects a complete sell-out for campsites, those remaining are available onsite on a first-come, first-served basis.

For the first time in history, the weekend officially kicks off on Thursday, September 1st with a full slate of open testing for all PRO-category racers preparing for TORC championship racing, “Crandon World Cup Sunday” as well as the AMSOIL Cup.

On Friday, September 2nd, the morning’s focus shifts to downtown Crandon with the Pit Crew Competition starting at 9:30am. All of the weekend’s PRO and Sportsman class cars and drivers will line the streets of the small Wisconsin Northwoods community to interact with fans just prior to the 47th Anniversary Crandon World Championship Labor Day Parade. A perfect slice of authentic Americana, the parade is a special and unique Crandon highlight.

After taking the mile-long drive back to Crandon International Raceway, competitors will begin preparation for the Forest County Potawatomi “Friday Night of Thunder.” This special event will include all TORC Sportsman classes battling for season points and a special appearance of the Crandon PRO Modified Karts. At 8:30pm race fans will enjoy a live concert at the Crandon concert stage courtesy of the 5th Gear band.

On Saturday, all of the TORC PRO and Sportsman classes will see a full slate of competition as drivers from across the country and Canada vie for 2016 championship titles. In addition, all Sportsman category winners will earn one of the coveted official title of Crandon Off-Road World Champion ®. Returning after a popular debut last year, on Saturday night thousands of Crandon fans will enjoy a live concert by Road Trip.

New for 2016 is the highly anticipated Crandon World Cup. Hosted and promoted by Crandon International Raceway, the event has been created to attract the world’s best off-road racers and teams to compete for coveted Crandon World Championship® in a variety of PRO-level classes. For the first time in the sport’s nearly 50-year history, short course competitors from all sanctioning bodies around the country can race on a level playing field with no concerns about points, season championships or other hindrances. The event will be brought to an international mainstream audience as part of the Red Bull Signature Series – both via a live webcast on RedBull.TV and as a special 90-minute highlight program scheduled for airing on Sat., Oct. 8 at 2pm EST on NBC.

A world-class field of entries is expected to take the green flag for the weekend’s all-or-nothing 7th annual AMSOIL Cup shootout, which in 2016 offers a $58,00 cash purse and another $3,000 in products awaiting the winner of Crandon’s weekend finale. As is tradition, this prize package represents the largest payday in short-course off-road racing. Young racing sensation CJ Greaves will have to defend his 2015 title against at least 19 other hungry competitors looking to claim the race’s $47,000 first place prize.

Indeed, Crandon’s Labor Day weekend spectacle isn’t called the “Off-Road World Championship® ” for nothing – and the 2016 version will only to add stature to that reputation.

For more information, visit www.crandonoffroad.com.