Class 11, which has become a staple of the Crandon World Championship Races since their addition in 2021, will return for a fifth time this year.

“We are thrilled to welcome back the Class 11 World Championship races at Crandon International Raceway,” Crandon promoter Marty Fiolka stated. “Since watching their debut through Forest County Potawatomi Turn 1, these historic cars have captivated us with some really fierce competition.

“Class 11 drivers and their race cars have become a treasured tradition here at Crandon. We can’t wait to share the excitement with fans here and around the world.”

The category consists of mostly stock Volkswagen Beetles save for safety upgrades like a roll cage and some performance improvements. The Beetle has appeared at Crandon races as early as 1969, both with the Labor Day championship weekend and the Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run in June.

The inaugural running of the Brush Run in 1969 saw the VW of Ralph Merwin finish second overall. Then known as the Brush Run 101, the event was a precursor to modern short course that loosely resembled desert racing, consisting of four laps around a 25-mile course through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Crandon International Raceway would not be built until 1970.

Class 11s are primarily seen in desert racing like SCORE, where they’re beloved for the sheer absurdity of a Beetle trying to survive Baja—and succeeding for the most part. King of the Hammers and Nitrocross have also integrated the Bugs into their programs.

Beetles joined Crandon’s Labor Day slate in 2021. Two races are held: one on Friday as part of the World Championship and another on Sunday in support of the Red Bull World Cup. 2024’s weekend saw Blake Wilkey claim the Friday race while Donny Donovan took Sunday’s.

The Red Bull World Cup and Crandon World Championship Races will be held on August 28–31.

Featured image credit: Wausau Daily Herald