Jay, OK (Sept 23-24, 2023)–The 2023 Champ Off Road Series held its final race this past weekend at the MidAmerica Outdoors track in Jay, Oklahoma. Several class championships were on the line for the weekend. This was the first time the series ran the all clay MAO track which would make racing unpredictable. To make things worse, it rained Friday, meaning no practice or qualifying. Racing was also canceled on Sunday due to an all night rain. So, Saturday’s race determined the championships. CJ had a comfortable lead in Pro Stock SXS and in spite of a DNF, finished the season in first place for his first championship in second year with Polaris. He had a huge lead in the race when he experienced mechanical problems with only a few laps to go. CJ ran strong in the Pro Turbo Class race too. He was pressuring the leader when he stalled. He finished the race in 3rd and took the runner up place in the standings by a narrow 11 point margin. CJ won the Pro-4 race which put an exclamation mark on took his 8th Pro-4 championship in his 9th season!
Pro Stock SXS
CJ Greaves lined up his Monster Energy/Polaris/Toyo Tire Pro Stock SXS for the final time in the 2023 Champ Off Road Series season. He took the lead early and was on rails, extending his lead to nearly 4 seconds at the halfway point of the race. When racing resumed, he again poured it on to what looked like another dominating performance. Unfortunately, with less than 2 laps to go, he pulled out of the race with mechanical issues. Fortunately, his points lead was so great he finished the season in first by 46 points.
Pro Turbo SXS
22 cars lined up for the 2×2 rolling start in Saturday’s Pro Turbo SXS race. CJ Greaves hope to make up the narrow 7 point margin and steel the championship from Kyle Chaney. The two points leaders started side-by-side on row 4. The ruts and mud puddles provided plenty of opportunities for mistakes. CJ was patient as the front running Bootle and Owen VanEperen battled up front.
In the second half of the race, CJ was riding in 4th as Chaney was working hard to get around VanEperen to get to the second place spot. Eventually both Chaney and CJ moved up to the 3rd and 4th position. CJ made the pass momentarily when he stalled his machine handing 2nd back to Chaney. CJ ended the race in 3rd which did not give him enough points to pass Chaney and completed the season second place in the standings.
Pro-4
CJ entered the Pro-4 class with a substantial points lead but he still wanted to end the year with a win. Johnny Greaves was on the poll of the 10 truck field and was also looking for a win to add to his legendary career and prove he was still a force to contend with. Johnny led the first several laps with Kyle Chaney working hard to get around the number 22 Monster Energy Toyota. The two traded positions a couple of times when Johnny developed a left front flat. He continued to run on the flat, holding on to 2nd for a while but gave-way to Henderson just before the competition caution. On the restart, the 3rd and 4th place trucks of Johnny and Carlson had flats. CJ Greaves was patiently lurking in 7th but began to pick-off one truck at a time. With only a few spots to pass, CJ took his time and eventually got around Carlson to move into 3rd behind Henderson while Chaney continued to lead.
Jimmy Henderson over-jumped the flyaway and hit the rear of Kyle’s truck as the two landed off the jump. This gave CJ the opportunity to take 2nd. Chaney and CJ were nose to tail until the final lap. With only a couple of turns to go on the final lap, Chaney spun-out, handing the lead and the win to CJ.