Lena, WI (August 1, 2021) — Dirt City Motorplex located in Lena, Wisconsin, was the scene for rounds 7 and 8 of Championship Off-Road Series. The short, narrow, technical track was designed by racers, including Johnny and CJ Greaves. It features tight turns, table tops, a split track, and high speed straightaways. Saturday’s races were marred by rain that pushed the Pro-4 race to Sunday morning. The weekend races were packed with highs and lows for the Greaves Duo. Johnny reached a milestone by earning his 100 Pro-4 win on Sunday morning. CJ suffered mechanical issues in the 1st race and landed a 2nd place finish in the afternoon Pro-4 race. He left the weekend still holding to a very tight points lead. He took a 1st place in the mud soaked Saturday Pro Stock SxS race. A flat tire took away his chances for a win on Sunday.
PRO STOCK SXS
Saturday: After a full day of Sportsman races, the Pro Stock Side-by-Sides prepared for the 2×2 rolling start in Saturday’s action. Just as the 22 car field of UTV’s began to roll, the rain began to fall. CJ’s Monster Energy Yamaha started on row 2. When the green flag few, CJ wasted no time charging up to the front by turn one as the track quickly turned into a slimy, slick mess from the steady downpour of rain. CJ was in the lead but Brock Heger was pressuring to take the spot. CJ went a little wide and Heger took the lead momentarily, but CJ battled back to regain the lead. Heger does manage to take the lead again just ahead of the competition caution.
CJ got a great restart and took advantage as Heger slid wide as the rain continued to fall harder and harder. Adrian Cenni also took advantage of Heger’s slide to take 2nd. Trever Bushmake would eventually pass Cenni and Heger also moved up. CJ checked out and took the win by more than 15 car links.
Sunday: Overnight the rain left the area bringing much improved track conditions for Sunday’s round 8. CJ started deep in the field of 23 cars, rolling off from row 5 in 10th. As the green flag flew, CJ went to work, slowly picking off one spot after another. He fought his way as high as 4th before the competition caution.
Wood was in the lead and slowed the field to a crawl before taking the green flag, bunching all the UTV’s up on the restart. Cenni was behind CJ and eventually pushed CJ off the track. Heger also collected CJ. As a result of all the collisions, CJ got a flat with only 1 and a half minutes remaining in the race. A full course caution gave CJ’s crew time to change the flat in the hot pits and got him back on the track on the lead lap, at the rear of the field. With only 2 laps remaining, another pileup collected CJ. Meanwhile, Brock Heger took advantage of the leader’s mistake and took the win. This dropped CJ down in the points standings but by only 4 points.
PRO-4
Sunday Morning: Rain soaked the track so much on Saturday that it became a safety issue and track officials elected to postpone the race to Sunday morning. The track was dry but the soft dirt made holes and ruts quickly develop during the races.
The Greaves Duo occupied the front two rows with Johnny rolling off from the pole position and CJ behind him on row 2. As the field took the green flag, LeDuc aggressively attacked turn one, setting the stage for a lot of early race contact. CJ landed in 5th as the racers began to sort out. Mittag and Henderson make contact and Henderson spun out, colliding with CJ. CJ was able to recover and landed in 2nd and LeDuc was in 3rd. Johnny was holding on to a nice lead up front.
LeDuc hit one of the tractor tire barriers stopping him dead in his tracks and causing him to lose spots as significant ruts and holes began to develop. Johnny hit one of the ruts wrong that sent him off the track and into a couple of the small tire barriers. He never checked up though and continued but dropped back to third. CJ was able to take the lead as the yellow flew for the competition caution.
On the restart, LeDuc hit the tire again. Henderson went inside of Johnny to take 2nd with only 2 minutes left in the race. Jimmy Henderson made a mistake and spun-out moving Johnny to second.
On the final lap, CJ developed a mechanical problem and pulled off the track. Johnny Greaves moved up to the top spot where he finished the race, claiming his 100th Pro-4 win of his legendary career.
“My daughter just had a baby so you guys just got beat by a grandpa,” said a jubilant Greaves following the race. “I didn’t know I was going for my 100th win or I would have made a lot more mistakes out there.”
Johnny has well over 100 wins from other classes in his long and successful career in short-course off-road racing.
Sunday Afternoon: CJ Greaves lined his black number 33 Monster Energy/Toyota/Maxxis Tire/Vision Wheel Pro-4 on the second row while Johnny put his Monster Energy Toyota from row 4 in the 10 truck field.
The front runners started mixing it up as soon as the green flag flew. Chaney, Carlson and Mittag were banging fenders and CJ, taking the split lane, passed to take over 3rd. Johnny was also in the mix heading to the front when he developed a left rear flat. Carlson also experienced trouble. He went up on two wheels in the turn and flipped over on his roof. Mittag did the same thing but saved it to go into the lead. The Carlson mishap brought out a full course caution. This gave Johnny a chance to duck into the hot pits for a quick tire change.
Johnny G and Carlson joined the field at the rear as the green flew for the restart. Kyle LeDuc was on the move, making his way to 3rd via the split track. Johnny and Chaney got together sending him into a rollover. Johnny also flipped over bringing out another full course caution.
The green/white flag, signifying the final lap, flew sending CJ Greaves on the attack from his 2nd place spot while at the same time holding off LeDuc. On one of the turns, CJ biked his machine allowing LeDuc to take 2nd. Mittag stalls slightly in the turn which allows LeDuc to move into the lead. CJ also muscles his way around Mittag to take the 2nd place spot as the checkered flag flew. Johnny was unable to make up any ground and finished 9th.
Next Race: The Greaves Duo will head to Bark River Michigan for rounds 9 and 10 on August 14-15. Bark River is a large spralling track that both Johnny and CJ have had a lot of successful races. It should be a very exciting weekend as the points races are very tight.