R. R. Branstrom At Race-Driven, Escanaba’s Polaris dealership, Manager Jeff Matthews shows how the bed of an Xpedition, a crossover side-by-side, lifts to dump.

EDITOR NOTE: The Daily Press will be featuring a series of articles on local businesses, highlighting their history and what makes them unique. The series will run on a regular basis in the Daily Press.

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ESCANABA — Race-Driven, a name now well-known in the Escanaba area, started as a much different operation when Brian Heiting founded his business in August 2007 in Pulaski, Wis.

Initially, they made a few parts. Today, they’re a dealer of Polaris ATVs and UTVs and Hewitt docks.

“We started off with manufacturing a couple of part numbers and brake pads. Started out …basically working out of my kitchen in my house, shipping products out, (and) slowly but surely, kept adding more and more products,” said Heiting.

His wife, Christine, is also involved in the business.

In 2009, they moved to the Upper Peninsula, and Race-Driven parked in the former Bavarian Bakery in Gladstone at 919 Delta Ave. The vast majority of the business was still conducted online, but people were able to pop into the Gladstone location and make purchases there.

“We had a few dealers around the area that we sold to … and then a handful of walk-in customers,” Heiting explained.

In 2011, Race-Driven bought the building at 501 Stephenson Avenue that had housed Coyne Chevrolet and then a Riverside dealership.

Having moved to Escanaba, Race-Driven expanded their retail offerings. In addition to their growing parts selection, they brought in gear from other brands — helmets from Cyclone and apparel from Back 40 and Road Dog.

A few years later, Race-Driven snagged another building in Danforth, which became home to the manufacturing arm of the company. In 2017, Race-Driven Manufacturing and Powder Coating was officially incorporated to run alongside Race-Driven, Inc.

In 2018, Race-Driven was named as one of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch — an annual list that recognizes “high potential, second-stage companies” from all industries “whose growth supports Michigan’s economy.”

Proving them right, Race-Driven made major leaps shortly after. In 2019, they opened up a dealership for off-road vehicles: to do so, they bought out Polaris from Riverside, bought GTM from Zambon’s in Marquette, and purchased the property at 1419 Ludington St. that had been belonged to Northern Motors and sold Fords for over 90 years.

The Northern Motor Co., which had been established in 1923, occupied premises at 608-610 Ludington St. (built between 1884 and 1888, now housing Eagles Hall) until their new building at 1419 Ludington was completed in 1926.

The National Register of Historic Places notes that an eastern extension was built after 1950 and that the building, which occupies almost the entire north half of Ludington’s 14th block, was remodeled in 1999.

It has served as Race-Driven’s dealership for the last six years and features a full parts and service department onsite. With four Polaris-certified master technicians on staff, Manager Jeff Matthews said they’ve done complete engine rebuilds and work on “pretty much anything.” Race-Driven also offers pick-up and delivery for service if a customer isn’t able to get their machine into the shop.

“We have one of the best service departments in the area… people will come to us from various other places,” Matthews said.

Within the last couple years, Race-Driven sold off the rights to motorcycle brands GasGas and KTM; they now are no longer a dealer for those companies.

Though they do accept trades and sometimes have in other off-road toys, the focus at the Race-Driven dealership is four-wheelers and side-by-sides from North American powersports giant Polaris.

Between the Sportsman and Scrambler ATVs and Ranger, RZR, and XPEDITION side-by-sides, there are a number of models to excite off-roaders and others who spend time outdoors.

“One thing that Polaris leads on is that we’re in our fifth generation of cab units, whereas most other competitors … are only on their first or second generation. So Polaris is way ahead of the game,” said Matthews.

The Rangers, which are more for utility work and have dump beds, are used by hunters and landowners doing property maintenance. They are “by far” the most popular machine Race-Driven sells, Matthews said.

RZRs are recreational vehicles, much sportier, with serious suspension and features that enable them to climb dunes and race off-road.

Right now, Race-Driven delivers, and some customers bring their own trailers, but Matthews said that Race-Driven is looking to add trailers in the near future.

“When you sell the side-by-side, it’s nice to sell something to take them home with,” he said.

New territory Race-Driven has been expanding into is that of the Hewitt Roll-a-Docks.

The portable rolling docks, which may be customized, have become increasingly popular for lakefront properties in recent years, and now Race-Driven is an official dealer. The local business is providing dock sale, delivery and setup in the area.

About two years ago, Race-Driven sold the Danforth manufacturing and powered-coating arm. Heiting said that Race-Driven still does manufacturing, but they subcontract the work instead of doing it in-house.

The business’s two facilities are now the Ludington Street dealership and the Stephenson distribution hub, which fulfills online orders.

“They’re pretty big over there, ship in five days a week,” Doug Pratt said of the Stephenson warehouse. “Super busy.”

Race-Driven is active in the community and has donated to the Ford River Lions Club, Gladstone Yacht Club’s “Rockin’ the Bay” and more, and they sponsor racers.

A remodel is underway in a southeast portion of the dealership, with the plan to transform it into a Hewitt dock showroom. They’ll likely rearrange some of the retail sections, moving the accessories and gear nearer to the front of the store, Matthews said.