Ah, yes, Wisconsin. The land of breweries, cheese, green pastures, and...off-road racing! What? Off-road racing? That's correct: Wisconsin is home to some of the best off-road racing on the planet. Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR) is now in its sixth season and combines the high-speed excitement of the Baja 1000 with the convenience of watching Tiger Woods sink a 20-yard putt. CORR holds its competitions at venues such as ski areas and OHV parks, laying out courses that combine hairpin turns, jumps, whoops, and full-throttle straight-aways. The courses are short - usually less than 2 miles per lap - allowing fans to see their favorite trucks and drivers from the comfort of stadium-style bleachers or a grassy hillside.
For those not lucky enough to attend CORR events in person, Speed Channel has stepped up to cover the series. Last year, the TV airtime jumped from 59 to 84 hours of coverage, allowing armchair fans a much better chance to catch a glimpse of their favorite flying trucks. The truck classes include Pro-4 (fullsize four-wheel drive), Pro-2 (fullsize two-wheel drive), Sportsman 2 (fullsize two-wheel drive based on a stock chassis), Stock (fullsize two-wheel drive with limited modifications), and Pro-lite (mini and midsize two-wheel-drive trucks). CORR also features three buggy classes, but hey, this is OFF-ROAD - we want to see the trucks!
CORR's two-day season opener in Dresser, Wisconsin, was a carnage-fest, where more trucks seemed to be on their lids than on their tires. Johnny Greaves wove his way through the Pro-4 pack and put his fullsize four-wheel-drive Toyota Tundra across the finish line with the checkered flag flying. Greaves won with convincing style and was among the lucky few to suffer minimal damage at rounds one and two in Dresser.
A few weeks later, the four-wheeled gladiators again donned their racing suits and pitted their machines against the track and each other. CORR rounds three and four, held at The Mole Lake Regency Casino in Antigo, Wisconsin, differed not only for the racing field in general, but for Greaves as well. On the 1-mile Antigo course, the trucks stayed upright and got down to the real business of racing. In Pro-4, early leader Carl Renezeder put his Lucas Oil Chevy into a barrier, spun out, and gave the lead to the Rancho F-150 of Scott Douglas. Douglas laid into the gas pedal, eluding all competitors. Greaves charged hard in his Forest County Potawatomi Toyota Tundra, but Douglas prevailed; this cut Greaves' series lead down to a mere point over closest rival Douglas. Greaves and Douglas were counting on a second go-round the next day, but Mother Nature canceled the event: Round four was rained out. Stay tuned for rounds five and six at Crandon, Wisconsin.