Crandon, WI (Sept. 1, 2019) — Johnny and CJ Greaves headed to the “Big House” at Crandon International Raceway this past weekend for the final race of the season that happened to also be the 50th anniversary of the fabled track in Wisconsin. A huge crowd, that may have been the largest ever, witnessed very exciting races with the “who’s who” of off-road racing taking part in the racing action.
This year’s annual Labor Day weekend races brought new meaning to the nickname “the Big House”. An incredible crowd and an all-star lineup of racers from the Lucas Oil West Coast and Midwest series joining the fracas. In Pro-4, the Greaves Duo competed in the largest field they have faced in many years with drives like Kyle LeDuc, Scott Douglas, Bryce Menzies, Adrian Cennie, and others that made up the 15 truck field.
CJ capped off his Pro Stock SXS UTV and Pro-4 season by claiming the championship in both classes. He won Saturday’s race to claim the title and put a bow on the season with a win in Sunday’s World Championship race. He completed a perfect season and claimed the Pro Stock Side-by-Side class with a win on Saturday. He also took a 3rd place podium in the World Championship race on Sunday.
Johnny claimed the Pro-4 runner up spot in the standings by just 22 points behind CJ. He had bad luck in both races while running up front. Mittag slammed into Johnny in the closing laps of Saturday’s race sending him back to 4th. On Sunday, he was running in 2nd with only one lap to go and had to pull out of the race due to mechanical issues.
Gray Leadbetter showed great strides after moving up from the Sportsman class to the Pro Stock SXS UTV class. She held her own in a field of more than 30 cars.
PRO STOCK SXS UTV
SATURDAY: CJ’s Monster Energy/Yamaha Racing/Maxxis Tire/Yamalube UTV lead the field of more than 30 Pro Stock Side-by-Side UTV’s to the green flag from the pole position in Saturday’s racing action in Crandon. This was the last points race of the season and featured a mixture of west coast and midwest drivers.
CJ held the hole shot and checked out early for the 8 lap race. He remained in the lead all the way to the competition caution.
Robert Loire pressured CJ on the restart, going side-by-side at one point. CJ prevailed and had a good lead when a full course caution came out that stopped the race forcing a green/white checkered situation.
CJ got a great jump of the restart and took the win and the championship.
SUNDAY: CJ once again lead the field of 42 UTV’s to the green flag from the front row in the Pro Stock SxS World Championship race on Sunday. However CJ didn’t get a good start and found himself in 3rd. The first half of the race was plagued with rollovers and caution flags.
CJ worked hard to stay up front and landed a 3rd place podium finish.
PRO 4
SATURDAY: 15 trucks lined up for the famed landrush start in Saturday’s Pro-4 race. The collection of West coast drivers and mid-west drivers made for the largest field the Greaves Duo has faced in several years. Bryce Menzies got the hole shot but with CJ Greaves’ Monster Energy / Maxxis Tire / Toyota right on his heals and Johnny trailing in 3rd.
On lap 5, Bryce’s machine broke sending CJ into the lead. CJ and Johnny battled into the gravel pit, through the finish and headed to the Argonne turn when Johnny experienced an electrical issue causing his motor to run on 7 cylinders, and ultimately allowing him to get passed by several positions.
CJ went on to win the race and claimed his 3rd Pro-4 championship in a row. Johnny was unable to move up and took 4th, just off the podium.
SUNDAY: The landrush start claimed several trucks as the raced towards the Forest County Potawatomi turn one in Sunday’s Pro-4, World Championship race. Adrian Cenni, Kyle LeDuc and Scott Douglas got tangled up as the charged to the first turn. Meanwhile, CJ got the hole shot and Johnny’s Monster Energy Toyota followed in 3rd.
As the leaders came to the finish line turn, the yellow caution flag flew. CJ saw the flag and slowed. Johnny and Mittag were not able to checkup in time and got into each other. The caution flag meant a full restart from the landrush once again.
CJ won the holeshot and the lead once again at the restart. RJ Anderson was in 2nd followed by Johnny. Anderson had a tire going down and lost his position to Johnny and Kyle LeDuc making it an all Monster Energy top 3 at the competition caution.
As the top positions were making their way to the end of lap 5, Kyle made a move to pass CJ. In the process, he slid into him. CJ was able to hold his ground and pushed through the turn. LeDuc’s momentum was broken giving CJ some breathing room. Johnny also took advantage and moved up to 2nd.
CJ and Johnny were running one and two on the white flag lap when disaster struck Johnny in the form of mechanical problems, causing him to pull out of the race. LeDuc also has problems and flips with only 2 turns to go.
CJ took the win and the World Championship!
WORLD CUP CHALLENGE RACE
27 trucks were on the grid for the famous World Cup Challenge, the final race of the weekend to put a dramatic end to Crandon’s 50th Anniversary. The field was made up of some of the biggest names in off-road racing.
11 midwest Pro-2’s lined up on the front, 4 west coast Pro-2’s on the 2nd row, and 12 Pro-4’s in the back. When the green flag flew, the midwest Pro-2’s were given a 5 second head start on their west coast counterparts. The Pro-4’s were unleashed after 30 seconds.
Keegan Kincaid was the leader of the Pro-2’s and CJ and Menzies went side-by-side through turn one to tie for the holeshot. CJ was running strong when Bryce Menzies truck stalled causing a big pileup of the Pro-4’s which collected CJ on lap 6. This dramatically slowed the progress of the 4-wheel drives allowing the two-wheel drives to stretch their lead.
Johnny was running in 3rd place of the Pro 4’s until a rock edge caused a flat tire and he had to pull off early in the race.
Later, CJ also developed a flat from the earlier contact that took him out of the competition too. RJ Anderson ended up passing Keegan Kincaid to take the win followed by Jeremy McGrath in 3rd.