Four years ago, Zach Zagar brought short-course off-road racing back to Antigo, Wisconsin. The sport he loved as a kid, which he made a living from for over a decade, now brings new life to the Langlade County Fairgrounds as a fixture in the AMSOIL Championship Off-Road Tour. The annual early June event is now in its fourth year of hosting the race series, and each year, the organizers strive to come up with new ideas to make the Antigo Lions Roaring Raceway a memorable experience for both the racers and fans. In 2024, the race weekend will culminate in a PRO2 versus PRO4 showdown, paying tribute to Kyle Leduc.
In the 90s, the Antigo race was a popular event for competitors and spectators. The top off-road racers in the country competed at the early-season event. Some of the largest fields of truck and buggy racers looked to Antigo as a great race to prepare for the upcoming race weekends at Crandon and Bark River. The fans packed the grandstands, and race broadcasts on the main sports cable network of the day were very well received.
Then, the economic climate shifted, and the race series underwent ownership changes, causing the off-road event to go silent for several years. In the 2000s, short-course racing briefly returned, but only with Sportsman classes. However, the grandstands were far from full.
Four years ago, Zach Zagar discussed bringing short-course racing back to the fairgrounds with fellow Lions Club members. With encouragement from area businessman JP Remington, they convinced the Lions Club to support the idea. Next, a plan was created, and after some deliberation, the Langlade County Fair Board approved the facility rental.
During meetings with the Lions Club and the Fair Board, Zach expressed his passion for off-road racing. He believed that he could make a positive impact on the community by creating more than just a racing venue. Zach also aimed to support the Antigo area’s local businesses and charitable groups.
Zagar found the process of launching the race quite stressful. However, with the assistance of JP Remington and Champ Off-Road President Carl Schubitzke, his dream became a reality. The event became a stop on the 2021 AMSOIL Championship Off-Road Tour, and Antigo Lions Roaring Raceway was reborn.
The short-course racers and fans have given the event rave reviews in its first three years. There have been serious thoughts about adding more grandstands and expanding to other motorsports events at the fairgrounds.
In 2023, a new track layout was created, which included running the course clockwise, creating a signature infield tabletop and additional jumps. The concept came from longtime friend Kyle Leduc. “We gotta make Antigo big,” Kyle kept saying to Zach. Leduc had an idea to redesign the track. To convince his friend, Kyle, with the help of his kids, they built a miniature version of the track with toy trucks while at the beach in Alabama. Photos were taken and sent back to Wisconsin to explain his vision.
Zach was hooked on the idea, and over $100,000 of dirt was brought in early Spring to create the new layout.
Then, the news went public that Kyle was fighting a major illness and could not race the 2023 season. He promised to be back once he was healthy to race on the new layout. Unfortunately, Kyle Leduc lost his battle with cancer in the fall of 2023.
“Kyle was a big part of my life and a big part of the off-road community. We all saw what a great racer and fabricator he was, but he was also someone so many racers got to know because he was always there to help. It didn’t matter what you were racing; Kyle always seemed to lend a helping hand. I need to honor his legacy with a Cup race at our event. The funds raised through partnerships for the Race for Kyle Cup will go to the winner, with any additional money going to Kyle’s family.”
Thanks to the support of the Lions Club and other area volunteer organizations, short-course off-road racing has once again found a home in Antigo, Wisconsin.
Antigo Lions Roaring Raceway will host Rounds 3 and 4 of the AMSOIL Championship Off-Road Tour from June 8 to 9, culminating with the Kyle Leduc Memorial Cup.
