CLUB: ULTRA4 RACING COMES TO CANADA
WITH THE NEW NORTH SERIES
Fresh off my very first trip to Johnson Valley, California to take in the BEAST known as the King of the Hammers– I could not be more excited that Ultra4 Racing is OFFICIALLY heading north!
We have the team at Punisher Racing to thank for this. Although results at Hammers this year for the Canucks were less than hoped for – sights are squarely set on what will be an extremely exciting 2019 Ultra4 season.
For the past five years (maybe more), racers/promoters Ryan Stambaugh, Shawn and Melonie Holland – along with builder/racer Eric Brinker (the only Canadian to ever podium at an Ultra4 event), have been working tirelessly to carve out some northern (and Canadian) space for the most elite race series known to the off-road community.
While no one loves a reason to visit the southern US in the middle of winter more than I do – this is fantastic news.
In late 2017, the Alberta proud Punisher Racing finalized a solid partnership with Y.O.R.R (Yellowstone Off Road Racing) creating a race circuit geographically unique to anything that Ultra4 has ever seen – challenging even the most seasoned desert racers.
The Alberta and Montana three race series brings a new flavour found only in the terrain of the foothills/prairies that are now host to the newly annexed Ultra4 North Series. It’s no surprise that racers and promoters living in Western Canada would be pushing hard for more than the proverbial nod from Dave Cole and the Ultra4 organization. While the Punisher Series had been sanctioned as a qualifying series (top two points teams from that series were awarded entry into the King of the Hammers) – becoming an official ‘series’ takes the organization and coordination out of the hands of the Punisher Crew. This is welcome news as these guys are
traveling thousands of kilometres at a time, five to six times a year in order to have the chance to compete with the top cars and drivers in the Ultra4 circuit, on top of ensuring a quality and competitive product here in the North. Bringing it a little closer to home and under the Ultra4 crown, while not necessarily creating more seat time – will certainly up the caliber of competition in the region all season long.
September 29, 2018 at the OffRoad Expo in Pomona, California – LIVE streamed from the Nitto Tire USA booth – Dave Cole officially unveiled the Ultra4 2019 schedule, which included the newly sanctioned North series – it was super exciting to see ‘Alberta’ listed as host to an Ultra4 race!
The series will kick off in Broadview, MT May 11-12, 2019 at the ‘Big Sky 200.’ It is a super fast track complete with water crossings and the rolling prairie hills. This has been a favourite of YORR and Punisher for some
time. There are definitely some Canadians looking for a little redemption after the course beat them at last year’s race – weather and the delicate nature of a racecar were equally to blame that time ‘round. If there was ever a question about the ‘traction’ that is being generated by this sport, it was answered at this race. There were not one, but TWO professional camera crews spotted following race teams. I have zero insight into the content or product that will be forthcoming from either of these crews, but it was pretty neat to see professional production teams milling about a ranchers field in Montana documenting the intensity and hard work that goes into each race.
The next stop will be at the hub of the western Canadian offroad scene and the birthplace of Punisher Racing in Alix, Alberta at the Tail Creek Raceway (TCR 100) – August 17, 2019. It’s always exciting to see what the track builders come up with. Last year saw the addition of new tabletops and an increase in the ‘go-fast’ sections; who knows what this season will bring.
The third and final stop of the North Series is in Columbus, Montana– September 20, 2019 with the Wild West 100. With a track that traverses through the woods, up and down hillsides, ravines, rocks, and jumps – this race has everything you’d expect to see in Montana, including rattlesnakes.
There is no doubt, the dedicated men and women that make up Punisher and YORR will be working hard to ensure tracks that have an equal mix of technical challenges and gofast sections; the only thing higher than the bar set by Ultra4 is the urge by these groups to surpass it. This is a big stage – the BIGGEST stage in Off-Road racing and I’m 100% confident that racers and spectators alike will not be disappointed. Keep an eye on Ultra4racing.com for registration and class info. See you at the track!