May 18-19, 2024 (Lena, WI) — The 2024 Champ Off Road Series is underway with Johnny and CJ putting together another formidable Pro-4 and Pro Side-by-Side team. The season opener was at the Dirt City Motorplex in Lena, Wisconsin. As the series continues to grow, and more competitors enter the ring, the racing has gotten more fierce. Mayhem at the Motorplex was an understatement, especially when it came to the Pro-4 class in which “survival” meant a probable podium finish. CJ struggled all weekend with mechanical issues as he worked through the gremlins of his new machines in all but one race of his 3-classes. He managed a 3rd place finish on Friday in the Pro SXS while Johnny picked up win number 104 on Sunday. He got the win even though he caught a rut and rolled 2-times. Johnny was stripped of his 2nd place finish on Saturday due to contact with Jimmy Henderson although there was plenty of fender banging going on by every truck on the track.
Pro Stock SXS
Saturday: CJ was up first in the Pro Stock SXS Class. His Monster Energy, Toyo Tire, Polaris RZR, bearing the red number plate for last year’s champion, lined up 5th due to the inversion. He had a great start and was looking strong at first, but his day was quickly cut short as he experience a mechanical issue before the end of the first lap.
Sunday: CJ faired a little better in Sunday’s race. He started deep in the field and ran out of the top 10 most of the first half of the race. Following the competition caution, he began to make his move towards the front. With about 2 minutes left in the race, he edged his way into the top-5. CJ’s charge was cut short as time ran out. He managed to pickup one more spot and finished 4th, just off the podium.
Pro SXS
Saturday: CJ Greaves mounted his new Polaris with a Monster Energy green color scheme, was looking good as it rolled off from the 3rd row. The racing was fierce early with several lead changes within the first few laps. CJ found himself in 4th after two of the front runners got together and spun-out. The field settled down and stretched out as the drivers prepared for the 2nd half of the race.
When racing resumed, new comer, Kainan Baker, was running strong when he experience mechanical problems and pulled out of the race. This moved CJ up into the 3rd position with Jeb Bootle right on his bumper. Bootle landed hard on CJ’s bumper off one of the jumps but CJ was able to hold it together and pushed forward. He held on to finish the race, taking the 3rd spot on the podium.
Sunday: CJ’s luck did not improve much in the Pro SXS class on Sunday. As the field raced toward turn one, Rodney VanEperen spun out in the turn. CJ was too close and his left front tire caught VanEperen’s machine, causing him to spin out as well. He continued, but lost a ton of spots in the process. CJ was 13th at the mandatory competition caution.
On the restart, another pileup allowed CJ to move up several spots into 8th. Some of the top running side-by-sides had mechanical problems. Greaves improved to 5th before the race concluded.
Pro-4
Saturday: Nine 4-wheel drive trucks made up the field as the powerful Pro-4’s made their season debut. Johnny and CJ started side-by-side on the front row. CJ was behind the wheel of a brand-new Toyota with very little testing due to the early rainy season. The Monster Energy Duo led the field to turn one. CJ pulled ahead to the lead while Johnny was getting tangle up with Adrian Cenni. CJ and Jimmy Henderson were running up front with Carlson in 3rd as the field stretched out. Adrian Cenni was pressing hard on Carlson as they all took the yellow flag for the competition caution.
CJ was in the lead but pulled off the track before the green flag flew with a mechanical problem, still working out the gremlins of the new truck. Johnny creeped up into the 3rd spot and survived multiple contacts with Adrian Cenni. Cenni would eventually take the lead and continued to bang into other drivers, including Jimmy Henderson, who managed to take the lead momentarily. Johnny was still running in 3rd but was pressing hard to get around Henderson. The two went door-to-door, making some contact. Henderson spun-out on the final lap and Johnny finished the race in 2nd. However, following the race, the officials penalized Johnny 3 positions for the contact with Henderson.
Sunday: CJ started Sunday’s race on the pole with Johnny right behind him on row 2. The Greaves Duo took turn one in the top 2 spots. Johnny over-rotated in one of the turns and Jimmy Henderson ran into him. The damage to Henderson’s truck took him out of the race. CJ pulled away from the field. Johnny was feeling pressure from Cenni and they went side-by-side. Johnny went wide in the turn and Cenni took 2nd. Kyle Chaney’s truck came to a smoky stop as he bailed out with fire in the cockpit. This brought out a full course caution.
Unfortunately, CJ’s mechanical woes continued and he pulled into the pit before the restart, handing the lead over the Cenni. Johnny Greaves had to carry the torch. Johnny’s number 22 went wide again and Andrew Carlson took 2nd. Adrian Cenni developed a flat that was shredding and had to go to the pits under green for a tire change. Johnny shuffled back to 3rd but it was still anyone’s race with the attrition rate running high. Holtger was running in 2nd when he swept wide into the cushion. Johnny was right there and moved up to 2nd and set his sights on Andrew Carlson. Then, disaster struck. Johnny caught a rut in turn 5 and took a couple barrel rolls. Fortunately, he landed on all fours and was already trying to refire the truck before it stopped bouncing. With only a few trucks remaining on the track, Johnny knew if he could keep going, he might get a good finish.
The leader, Andrew Carlson, also had trouble with the ruts, and took his turn with a rollover. Unlike Johnny, he landed on his roof and had to be recovered by the track crew. Only Kainan Baker and Johnny Holtger stood in the way of the elder Greaves. With only a few laps remaining, Baker lost a wheel. Greaves and Holtger were in a dead heat as the white flag flew for the final lap. Greaves got the mistake he was looking for from Holtger. Greaves took advantage and made the pass. He went on to win the race in spite of the near race ending roll-over.
The Greaves Duo will regroup and head to the Antigo Off-Road National in Antigo, Wisconsin, on June 8-9.
Photos by Jeffrey Keeble