Walker Evans Continues Legacy At Crandon

JoeyD23

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Jan 9, 2009
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Walker Evans Continues Legacy At Crandon International Raceway Via Newly Renamed "Legendary Launch"

CRANDON, WISC. -- Mirroring the lifelong relationship his old friend Parnelli Jones has with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, off-road icon Walker Evans recently added to his Crandon International Off-Road Raceway legacy. Thanks to a new track partnership with his highly successful business enterprise of Walker Evans Racing, the man nicknamed “The Legend” can enjoy watching the sport’s best racers literally fly into history via the renamed “Walker Evans Racing Legendary Launch.”

Along with Crandon’s famous Forest County Potawatomi Turn 1, the Walker Evans Racing “Legendary Launch” represents one of the track’s most historic landmarks. Located after a fast but steep uphill climb that lies at the exit of Crandon’s Polaris RZR Gravel Pit Turn, this extreme jump launches competitors toward the track’s Calamity Corner and the Amsoil Finish Line. More often than not fearless racers will attack this portion of the track side-by-side with two or even three competitors.

While today’s increasingly powerful TORC (The Off Road Championship) series PRO 2WD and PRO 4WD unlimited race trucks are coming ever closer, the Walker Evans Legendary Launch all-time distance record was set in June, 1996 by Jed Flannery, who sailed his Chevrolet truck 165.4 feet – just over half the length of a regulation football field!

Recently inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame America, Walker Evans was a winning driver and team owner no matter the off-road discipline. Seen here being interviewed in Crandon's winner's circle, Evans was a major influence in building the track's legacy. (Crandon image)
The Walker Evans Legendary Launch is sure to be a major attraction for the massive 46th annual Crandon International World Championship Off-Road Races ®. Held over the Labor Day holiday weekend on September 4-6th, the event represents the largest short-course off-road race in the world. With a record crowd and all 2,000 camping spots expected to be reserved in advance, spectators will enjoy a full schedule of TORC PRO and Crandon Sportsman competition as both series wrap-up their 2015 seasons. The weekend will be topped with the huge Amsoil Cup race, featuring the largest cash prize in off-road motorsports.

Since heading east to race in Crandon from his Riverside, California home, Walker “The Legend” has been one of the sport’s best racers, innovators and ambassadors. Over his long and successful career, Evans earned 142 victories in both desert racing and short course competition -- claiming 21 championships and five Baja 1000 wins in the process.

Evans was a figure in bringing national media and factory attention to Crandon International Raceway. He won his first SODA race in 1986 at the Lake Geneva Raceway in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. In 1994 and 1995 he took home the SODA Class-8 (two-wheel drive) championships and completed his SODA campaign with three overall and 31 class wins. He moved to the CORR series, where he claimed three race wins and the 1999 and 2000 CORR Pro-4 season title before his subsequent retirement from short-track off-road racing.

Walker Evans has been honored as an inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF) in 2004 and just recently into the Motorsports Hall of Fame America.


Walker Evans was (and is) a huge crowd favorite for legions of Crandon International off-road fans. That includes honoring his retirement from short-course competition during the traditional Labor Day parade in downtown Crandon. (Crandon image)
That legacy of racing excellence is being carried on by young talent RJ Anderson, son of Walker Evans Racing President and long-time team Crew Chief Randy Anderson. Starting from the tender age of 14, RJ is now a professional short-course racer and TORC Rookie of the Year, in addition to being a Pro-Lite champion. Last year, Anderson brought his Monster/Polaris-sponsored Pro-2 to race the World Championships weekend, dazzling everyone with a hard fought podium appearance in the weekend’s finale Amsoil Challenge Cup.

“Crandon’s relationship with Walker Evans and Walker Evans Racing runs deep,” explained Crandon International President Cliff Flannery. “We are proud of this historic relationship, and honored his company has agreed to this new partnership. To rename this historic part of Crandon as the ‘Walker Evans Racing Legendary Launch" is about as good as it gets.”

For more information on Crandon International Off-Road Raceway visitwww.crandonoffroad.com.

 

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