40,000 spectators are expected this weekend at The Crandon International Off-Road Raceway for their Brush Run race weekend.
We also debut a new reporter for WXPR...Jill Zagar. She talked to a homegrown racer who has a chance to win the big race this weekend...(click headline for audio)
(Interview)
Lets go racing”, will be a term used in many places throughout the country as racers and off--?road race enthusiasts gear up for the 22nd annual Forest County Potawatomi Spring Brush Run.
Another term used by racers is “that’s racing”, a term endearing to the sport and the trials and tribulations that naturally follow suit.
One team that hales from our local Northwoods is the Kincaid family of Crandon and Argonne.
Jeff Kincaid has affectionately called out race terms for the past 25 years. That’s when Jeff saddled his first Pro--?Light race truck. He never looked back. Following a winning career in Pro--?Lite, Jeff moved up to a faster, more expensive and stringent class of race vehicles. The Pro--?2 Class is where Jeff races today. But he is not the only member of the Kincaid family to shake the dirt from his boots. His oldest son, Keegan, has followed in his father’s footsteps running Pro--?Lites and now has settled in a Pro--?2 truck.
Keegan has been battering the doors off of his competitors. Keegan, at only 25 years of age, holds a Pro--?Lite championship under his belt. A true hometown star of short course off road, he is fiercely competitive and ruling. Keegan looks for a big win this weekend at the Crandon International Off--?road Raceway. He is currently third in points following the last races in Chicago on the 17th and 18th of June.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Keegan on Tuesday. Grateful and humble are two words that come to mind. Here is how it went:
Keegan, How many horsepower does your Pro 2 race truck deliver? “Our Pro 2 race trucks are 900 horsepower. About 420 cubic inch motors and they put 900 horsepower to the ground.”
Do you and your Dad still work on your own race trucks? “Ya, the main people in our shop is my father and I. We pr tty much do everything ourselves. We actually build our race trucks during the winter and race them during the summer. We have our weekend help that dedicate their time to come on the weekend to make our program better.”
Who do you have on your weekend race crew that has kept you in the wins? “We bring in a group of guys, four guys that are relatives and good friends and my father. They dedicate a lot of their time to come race weekends, take time off and put a lot of hard work in to build our program to where it is today.”
How many sponsors do you have this year? “This season we have the same main sponsors that we’ve had for the past couple years. They have grown my team tremendously. Traxxis has been with me since day one, the fastest name in radio control. Cooper Tire hopped on board and brought our team to the next level. Amsoil, which has also been with me since the beginning, have stood by me and brought us to this level where we are at.”
Has this economy been a hinder for the acquisition of sponsors? “A little bit, the economy has been down and it’s just been tough getting sponsors. That is the reason my dad’s sitting on the sidelines this year, sitting back and watching. He’s been building my program and helping me.
Hopefully next year or in the future, this fall or something, he can get back in the truck and we can do battle in the Pro--?2’s together.”
After all these years does your mom, Colleen, still get nervous at the start of each race? “Oh yeah, my mom was always nervous, always a nervous wreck before each race. Especially if me and my dad are racing against each other. I can only imagine. She does a good job. She’s one of my main people to help around the track. Without her, things wouldn’t be possible either.”
Is the “Big House” as Crandon Raceway is affectionately called still your favorite track? “Ya, of course, Crandon is always going to be my favorite track. It’s one of those tracks that everyone looks forward to going to. To have the 40,000 people while you’re racing all in front of you and they are my hometown people. Crandon is always number one on my list.”
If you’d like to watch the live action, rounds 7 and 8 are Saturday and Sunday, June 27th and 28th at Crandon International Off--Road Raceway on State Highway 8. Racing starts both days at 10:30. More information is on their website.
