Mickey Thomas, Jordan Bernloehr triple down in Bark River, Crandon compensation sweep

A typical Championship Off-Road weekend has two races, one on each day. Bark River International Raceway ended up hosting three as its Off-Road Rumble in the UP was coupled with a Friday race day to make up for June’s Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run at Crandon having its Saturday events rained out.

The Friday races were considered part of the Crandon Brush Run and points earned went towards that, while Saturday and Sunday were on the Off-Road Rumble slate. Nevertheless, three drivers completed a “full” weekend sweep by winning on all three days.

In Pro 2, Mickey Thomas dominated on Friday, then beat Ricky Gutierrez on Saturday before notching win #6 of 2024 with another butt whooping on Sunday. The first win elevated him past Ryan Beat for the points lead before he built an advantage with the next two and Beat’s retirement in the Sunday race.

After entering Bark River trailing Beat by one point, Thomas now leads by thirty-seven with one round remaining (incidentally at Crandon).

“What a weekend. I’m almost speechless. This place is awesome,” said Thomas on Sunday. “We just had a absolutely flawless weekend, literally couldn’t have gone better. Everything just went our way, our truck was dialed, the team was just working flawlessly. Just so proud of of everybody. It means a lot. We are in a tight championship battle, we helped our points lead there so we’ll see where we stand, but we’re feeling pretty good and Crandon’s another good track for us.”

Jordan Bernloehr continued his momentum after winning the last race at Dirt City by notching three straight at Bark River in Pro Buggy. The class championship leader overtook Lorenzo Bonacci on the penultimate lap on Friday, inherited the Saturday lead when Dave Mason Jr. dropped out, then dominated all of Sunday.

His recent stretch has proven to be a welcome surprise after struggling to win for much of the season.

“Everything is about confidence,” Bernloehr began. “Obviously seat time is the best, but we were right there every race but we just couldn’t get on the top step. All it took was just keeping consistent. Three for three, man, I don’t know what to think about that one. This one will be remembered for the rest of my life.

“I’m like almost nervous because I’m trying to be careful with the car and I don’t even have to be. The car rips and everything.”

Brixton Wirt was the only Sportsman driver to go three of three at Bark River in 200 SxS. owever, it may come with little surprise as Wirt had been riding a four-race win streak entering the weekend. Ironically, the Brush Run compensation race winner had missed the Brush Run itself in June.

In Pro 4, Jimmy Henderson could have joined the trio in winning all three races had C.J. Greaves not held him off on Friday. Nonetheless, winning Saturday and Sunday meant he at least swept the Off-Road Rumble, which will prove vital as he continues to trail Greaves in points by twenty-three.

Dylan Parsons enjoyed two of three wins in Pro SPEC to take the points lead. The lone non-victory on Saturday proved to be a chaotic day when Chris Van Den Elzen and Wyatt Miller crashed together on the final lap, which Hunter VanZile seized upon to score his maiden win in the category. Parsons overcame having to pit for a flat tyre to sneak past the carnage for second. The contact dropped Miller to sixth, though a third and second on Friday and Sunday means he is now four-for-five in short course podiums.

Class winners

Pro

Sportsman