Inaugural USSA ‘Sprint World Cup’ kicks off this weekend

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The Wausau 525 Racetrack, now named the Wausau Ice Oval, has a storied history of snowmobile races. Now, a new era begins with the ‘Sprint World Cup’.

For the United States Snowmobile Association, or USSA, Wausau was a no-brainer to host the event. “Wausau’s always been a favorite of the race teams around here,” said Brett Richter, Media Director, USSA ProStar Series. “It’s one of the tracts that they really wanna race at. And it’s been a great facility, the people of Wausau are fantastic, they love being here.”

The same can be said for its drivers. 30 of the best drivers across the U.S. and Canada will compete for a purse of $21,000, their largest of the year. Flying around up to 90 mph, the race is a must-see event. “It’s been one of my favorite tracks on the circuit,” said Justin Peterson, Driver, 39X Pro-Champ. “Glad to see them make it happen again.”

“As much fun as they’re gonna have today, the competition really increases tomorrow,” said Richter. “So if you like what you see tonight, you really wanna come and see us Saturday and Sunday.”

Even with plenty of money on the line, the event is about making an impact on Wausau. “It’s great to give back to the community,” said Peterson. “You come here and everybody’s nice, cheerful, it’s a good time.”

Each race on Saturday and Sunday will start at 9:30 a.m and the USSA will accept donations benefiting area charities.

“The response from the race teams has been incredible,” said Richter. “When we told them that Friday night was going to be free to the public, they were ecstatic because we understand that this is sport that maybe people haven’t experienced. And then when we ask them to contribute and bring items for the local food bank and for the domestic violence shelters, they were all over it. The sport’s been outstanding.”

For more information on how you can attend this weekend’s festivities, click here.

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