July 12-13, 2025 (Elk River, MN)–The ERX Motorplex played host to Championship Off Road series’ rounds 7 and 8 this past weekend. CJ was looking to turn his side-by-side season around as the team had some struggles in Crandon. He also wanted to keep his Pro-4 winning streak going while Johnny was hoping to gain some ground on his 3rd place in the Pro-4 points standings. This weekend had its share of ups and downs for the Greaves Duo. CJ continues to chase bugs in his SXS program but managed to pull off a couple podiums. He took win number 196 in Saturday’s Pro-4 race. Johnny suffered a chest injury in a dramatic nose dive off of one of the jumps. Kyle Greaves filled-in for him on Sunday and managed a top 5 finish.
Pro Stock SXS
Saturday: CJ Greaves’ Monster Energy Polaris, bearing the red number 33 plate for the defending champion, led the field of side-by-sides to the green flag. Owen VanEperen was beside him for the rolling 2×2 start. He quickly went to the lead but Owen overtook him on the 3rd lap.
CJ stuck the nose of his RZR alongside Owen on the restart but couldn’t make the pass. He continued to pressure VanEperen when bad luck struck again. He pulled off the track with a race ending mechanical problem with 2 minutes to go in the race.
Sunday: CJ was the top qualifier for Sunday’s race and rolled off from row 3 due to the inversion. Truett took the early lead but by lap 4, Owen VanEperen took the lead in the 180 degree hairpin turn. All the while, CJ was lurking back in 5th behind Jeb Bootle. At the halfway point he was in 4th and edging closer to the front.
CJ got a great re-start and shot ahead to 3rd momentarily. Fellow Polaris driver battled back to reclaim the 3rd spot with CJ continuing to look for a pass that would stick. He finally made the pass in turn one about midway through the 2nd half of the race. He found himself in 2nd with only 2 laps to chase down the race leader. He closed in but ran out of time and settled for a hard fought 2nd.
Pro SXS
Saturday: CJ Greaves started on the 3rd row and road around in 5th after passing the elder VanEperen until the competition caution. He was on the hunt though as the 2nd half of the race got underway. He passed Anderson to take 4th and used the split lane to outrun Kyle Chaney to claim 3rd. Meanwhile, Andrew Carlson and Owen VanEperen were battling up front which allowed CJ to join the mix. A crash with an injured driver brought out a red flag with only 2 laps to go.
When the green/white flag flew the top 3 made a sprint for the checkered flag. Owen prevailed to take the win followed by Carlson and CJ Greaves.
Sunday: CJ and Owen lined up on the 3rd row again. CJ was the top qualifier in the 20 car field. Rodney Van Eperen was the race leader for a while with Bootle, Owen and CJ in hot pursuit. Rodney stalled his machine in the hairpin turn and handed the lead to Jeb Bootle with Owen and CJ not far behind him at the competition caution.
In a strange occurrence, Rodney drove in too hot into the hairpin turn and hit his son, almost taking him out of the race. But Owen was able to continue without losing any ground. CJ was also on the move. He got a great downhill run and took 2nd and the top 4 began to spread out from the rest of the field. Bootle was in the lead. CJ was making his move for the lead when he pulled off the track for a disappointing DNF.
Pro-4
Saturday: Nine 4-wheel drive trucks lined up for the rolling start with CJ and Jimmy Henderson on the front row. Johnny was a couple rows back in 5th. CJ quickly went to the lead but bobbled in the hairpin turn, allowing Henderson to take the lead. However, Henderson went wide and CJ reclaimed the lead. Johnny, while riding in 4th, landed nose first off the flyaway, injuring himself in the process. He pulled out of the race and made a trip to the hospital with a broken sternum.
Meanwhile, CJ was on rails, building a 3 second lead going into the competition caution. On the restart, CJ checked out as the track began to develop some deep holes. Henderson landed hard on a jump and shredded his right rear tire. CJ’s Monster Energy Toyo Tire Toyota built a 7 second lead which he carried to the finish line for win number 196!
Sunday: CJ was the top qualifier and started on the pole beside Jimmy Henderson. Johnny’s nephew and Pro-2 driver, Kyle Greaves, filled in for him due to his injury on Saturday. He started on the very back of the 8-truck field. By turn one, CJ was already in the lead. All the trucks were settling in for the first half of the race with the exception of “the wild man” Adrian Cenni. Cenni rolled his truck and landed on its side bringing out a full-course caution as the track crew worked to get him back on all-fours. CJ continued to lead following the restart and up to the competition caution.
On the restart, CJ Greaves once again checked out from the field and seemed to be comfortably cruising to the checkered. Kyle was also getting the hang of the 4-wheel drive and moved up to 6th. With 2 minutes to go, CJ did a 360 in the middle of the track after losing front-wheel drive. One by one the field passed him and he dropped down to 6th. With 2 laps remaining, Chaney went off track with a problem moving Kyle Greaves up to 3rd and CJ now in 4th. But Kyle spun-out allowing CJ to take the final podium spot. Kyle ended up 5th.