The heritage of short course off-road racing has a uniquely midwestern flair to it, and the upper peninsula of Michigan features one of the sport’s premier tracks in Bark River International Raceway. Owned and operated by the Bark River Lions Club, the facility has hosted short course off-road racing for nearly half a century, with the sport’s top drivers heading to the track every August for one of the biggest race weekends of the year.

The Bark River track layout is one of the most unique in short course racing. It features a tricky mix of sweeping and tight corners that force drivers to be precise in their inputs, as well as natural jumps and multiple fast straightaways that lead to full-throttle racing. Not everyone has what it takes to win at Bark River, and those who pull it off truly have to earn it.