By Dominic Santina, Contributing Writer | Photography by Ashley Lizzie Photography
Northern Power Race Park is preparing to kick off its second full season of summer events. In 2025, NPRP introduced pit bike racing, side-by-side competitions, and mud bogs, running a limited schedule to test the waters. After working through the early stages of launching these events last year, the park is now ready to fully commit. The 2026 schedule will once again include all three, with upgrades planned for several of them.
Mud Bog
The Mud Bogs will return with two events in the 2026 calendar. The first event will be held on Sunday, June 28. While the second event will be held on Saturday, October 10. The events promise to bring lots of mud and tons of fun.
“ NPRP Mud Bogs will bring the ultimate off-road chaos to Mancelona- deep ruts, roaring engines and plenty of wheel-spinning madness. It’s loud, it’s dirty and it’s a blast for drivers and fans alike. Bring your rig and see if you’ve got what it takes to power through the pit,” – NPRP website
The event will feature eight classes, including: Mega Truck, Open-Cut, Open-Paddle, Super Modified, Powder Puff, Modified Stock 2, Modified Stock 1, and Street Stock/Farm.
The entry fees for all the classes will range from $25 to $45 and all rules can be found on the Northern Power Race Park website.
Pit Bikes
The pit bike events continued to grow throughout the summer. A fun track to ride, providing dirt bike riders with a new experience to enjoy. The races are advertised as:
“Pit Bike racing at NPRP is all about tight battles, big energy and good times. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned rider, pit bikes bring the perfect mix of fun and competition for all ages. Come race, rip and hang with a crew that lives for the thrill! ,” – NPRP website
The Park has added three standalone events at the Northern Power Race Park. They will host a race once a month, with the first one being held on May 23, followed by Friday, June 26 and Saturday, July 25. The Park has also partnered with the Northwestern Michigan Fair to promote a Pit Bike race at the fairgrounds on Tuesday, August 11.
There are 10 classes available for those interested in competing in the Pit Bike races. They offer the following classes: Pit Bike Open, Pit Bike Mod, Pit Bike Limited, Pit Bike Stock, Youth Pit Bike, Youth Pit Bike – Quad, Trail Bike and Women’s Pit Bike.
You can find detailed rules for each division on the Northern Power Race Park website, along with the link to register for each event.
SXS Racing
The biggest change to the NPRP summer events is the news that it will host a points-paying series. The Side-by-Side racing series is the first event chosen. The season will be contested at the track built at NPRP last year. The first race will be hosted on Saturday, May 16. The second round is scheduled for Saturday, June 13 and the third round on Saturday, July 11. The championship round will be held on Saturday, August 29.
The series will feature three different classes: Pro Turbo, Pro NA, Sportsman and Women. The ProTurbo, Pro NA, and Women’s classes will feature a payout, a trophy and a point class. The Sportsman class will feature a trophy and points.
With the series becoming a point series, the format of the races also changes. Each race will consist of two qualifying rounds. Each race will feature six racers. If more than six are entered, there will be more than one heat. The winner of each heat will have the option to either advance directly to the final or run the second qualifying race. The top 10 finishers from the qualifying rounds will advance to the final in each class. The qualifying races will be four laps, while the final will be six laps.
As with the other series, all rules are available on the Northern Power Race Park website, along with a link to register for any SXS race.
Northern Power Race Park is gearing up for another big season after coming off a very successful snow season. The updates and improved series seem set to position them for the start of big summer seasons as well.
You can stay up to date with everything on their website, northernpowerracepark.com, or one of their social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok. •
