Crandon, Wis. ~ The 2024 AMSOIL Championship Off-Road season reached its exhilarating crescendo on Saturday at the iconic Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, Wisconsin. Under a brilliant, sunlit sky, the historic track came alive with the roar of engines and the thrill of competition as the season finale unfolded.
The day’s racing was a high-octane spectacle of speed and strategy, as 19 champions across 19 classes emerged victorious in a series of gripping battles. Each race was a masterclass in off-road prowess, with the championship titles hanging in the balance until the very last, heart-stopping corners.
Mamer Holds of Greaves in Thrilling Pro 4 Tilt
The Pro 4 finale was a thrilling display of high-octane motorsport, marked by dramatic moments and a decisive outcome. Cole Mamer had something to prove and clinched his first win of the season in a gripping showdown with CJ Greaves.
Greaves applied relentless pressure throughout the race, especially in the latter half. His aggressive driving and strategic maneuvers kept him in contention for the top spot, but an unexpected stall halted his pursuit, preventing him from overtaking Mamer.
Johnny Greaves benefited from CJ’s stall and finished in second place. CJ Greaves ultimately finished third and locked down the season championship.
Despite the misfortune in the finale, Greaves’ remarkable season, characterized by five race wins, cemented his dominance in the Pro 4 category. With this victory, he repeated as the Pro 4 champion, proving his skill and consistency throughout the year.
Gutierrez Holds Off Greaves, Thomas Claims Championship
The final Pro 2 race of the season was a riveting showcase of strategic maneuvering, culminating in a dramatic conclusion. At the forefront of the action were Ricky Gutierrez and Kyle Greaves, who engaged in a gripping duel throughout the entire race. Both drivers demonstrated exceptional skill and determination, trading positions and pushing their limits. Despite Greaves’ relentless efforts and close proximity to Gutierrez, he couldn’t quite find a way past, and Gutierrez ultimately secured the victory.
In third place, Ryan Beat kept a close watch on the leaders, staying within striking distance but ultimately failing to challenge for the top spots.
Mickey Thomas emerged as the Pro 2 champion as the season wrapped up. Although Thomas finished sixth in the final race, his remarkable season, highlighted by six wins, had already secured his position as the top driver.
Greaves’ second-place finish on Saturday was pivotal. It allowed him to surpass Beat in the final standings and secure the runner-up spot in the championship by one point.
First Win for Woods in Pro Lite.
Trey Gibbs, who had already secured the Pro Lite championship at Bark River, started the Crandon race with a commanding presence, leading for the event’s first half. But a mid-race setback forced him to pull into the hot pits, disrupting his lead and impacting his final position.
Matt Wood seized the moment and claimed his first career Pro Lite victory. Woods was fast throughout Saturday’s contest, and he had to be because Travis Milhausen, Jr. was a constant presence throughout the race. Milhausen finished second, and Champ Off Road announcer Brent Smith finished third place.
Despite this unforeseen challenge, Gibbs returned to the track and finished in a respectable fourth place.
Parson Takes Pro Spec Win, Title
The Pro Spec season unfolded with dramatic twists and turns, keeping fans on the edge of their seats as the championship battle came down to the final races. Dylan Parsons, a driver who had faced fluctuating fortunes throughout the season, knew he needed a standout performance to clinch the title. He delivered by winning both the Bark River and Crandon races.
His back-to-back victories were pivotal, allowing him to secure the Pro Spec championship and fend off fierce competition from Chris Van Den Elzen, who finished second in Crandon, just behind Parsons.
Wyatt Miller, a young sprint car driver making his Crandon debut, finished in third place. Miller’s strong showing in his first appearance at the track was impressive, signaling his potential and adaptability as he transitions to off-road racing.
Pro Buggy: Jordan Bernloehr wrapped up the Pro Buggy championship with a stellar performance in Saturday’s race, adding to his earlier sweeps at Bark River and Lena. Bernloehr secured the title with a dramatic last-lap pass on Dave Mason Jr., who unfortunately dropped out of the race. Lorenzo Bonacci made a remarkable recovery from 10th to finish in second place, while Jadin Lemke advanced from 11th to take third.
Bernloehr’s victory marked his sixth consecutive win, solidifying his dominance and clinching the championship in impressive fashion.
Greaves Secures Pro SXS Title with Win
CJ Greaves continued his impressive run with a commanding victory in Saturday’s Pro SxS race, securing his fourth win of the season. Greaves’ performance was a testament to his skill and consistency, especially in the second half of the season, where he strengthened his championship bid.
Veteran racer Rodney VanEperen delivered a solid performance, finishing as the runner-up.
The battle for third place was particularly intense. In a dramatic final turn, Jeb Bootle managed to hold off a determined Owen VanEperen, clinching third.
With his victory at Crandon, Greaves secured the race win and locked down the Pro SXS class championship, with Bootle finishing second.
VanEperen Shines in Pro Stock SXS Finale
The Pro Stock SXS race at Crandon on Saturday showcased consistency and breakthrough performances, culminating in an exciting finish to the season. Owen VanEperen, who had started the season with a victory, capped it off with another impressive win.
Colin Kernz, a steady performer all year, secured his sixth podium finish by coming in second. Since moving up mid-season, Kolton Krajeck earned his first podium in the Pro Stock SXS class.
In the championship battle, CJ Greaves completed a sweep of the Pro SXS classes, securing the points championship with a solid second half of the season that saw six wins.
Pro-AM SXS: In Saturday’s Pro-AM SXS showdown, Cody Jones executed a thrilling climb from a fourth-place start to secure victory, taking the lead on lap six and holding strong until the finish.
Derek Liebergen crossed the line in second, putting up a valiant effort to challenge Jones. Matthew Boerschinger, who began the race in seventh, made a remarkable push to finish in third.
Meanwhile, David Gay’s sixth-place finish was enough to clinch the championship, capping off a season that included four early-season wins and six podium finishes.
Sportsman SXS: Brayden Kernz staged a remarkable comeback, overcoming a 31-point deficit by winning the race and securing 52 points. This performance gave him an unofficial 20-point lead over Trent Peetz heading into the final round.
On Saturday, Tyler Wusterbarth dominated the race, leading from start to finish. Bryce Carlson surged into second place on lap seven, while Riley Marquardt executed a strong last-lap push to claim third.
Kernz secured the championship by finishing sixth and Peetz dropping out of the race on lap five.
Super Stock Truck: Cory Holtger and Nick Byng started the weekend fourth and fifth in Super Stock Truck points. They entered Saturday with Byng in the lead and Holtger second after a crazy Friday that shuffled contenders up and down the leaderboard.
When the dust settled on Saturday, the roller-coaster season in one of the most competitive classes in Champ Off-Road came to a close. Holtger completed the turnaround and took home the championship after finishing third.
Scott Boulanger would take home the wire-to-wire win in the finale, with Joe Maciosek passing Colt Wierzba on the last lap for second. Weirzba would finish third, with Holtger in fourth. But Maciosek would be penalized post-race, moving Weirzba and Holtger up on the spot, and with Byng finishing eighth, that was enough to put Holtger atop the leaderboard by four points, giving him the 2024 title.
Stock Truck: Thirteen points separated the top five in points for the ultra-competitive Stock Truck after the final tally on Saturday.
Brian Peot would lead Saturday’s showdown from start to finish to pick up his second win of the season. Tyler Mullens started seventh and moved past Nick Axelsen with two laps remaining to take home second, with Axelsen crossing the line in third.
Kirk Graff held a slim lead over Tyler Hoffman coming into the day, and his fifth-place finish was enough for him and the three drivers on the podium for the championship.
1600 Light Buggy: Connor Schulz entered the weekend with the 1600 Light Buggy title in hand, and after Friday’s win, the pressure was off for points. That allowed a new winner on Saturday, with his twin brother Colin taking the honors.
Colin Schulz made a pass on Greg Stingle on the third lap and then drove to his first win of the year. Stingle would finish second and point runner-up Jake Schilleman across third.
1600 Single Buggy: Connor Schulz and Mike Seefeldt needed to finish on top and then get a bad day from points leader John Fitzgerald for a crack at the 1600 Single Buggy title.
Beau Ambros drove a great race, leading from start to finish for his first win of the season. Schulz and Seefeldt would scratch it out for the runner-up spot, with Schulz taking the second spot. But Fitzgerald made his way behind Seefeldt and drove home a fourth-place finish, enough to secure a seven-point championship over Schulz.
Mod Kart: Gavin Plummer did everything he could to catch Avery Hemmer in the Mod Kart standings, including a sweep in Crandon, but more was needed as Hemmer was in the podium mix all weekend.
Plummer picked up his second-weekend win by leading from start to finish. But Hemmer was close by, finishing just under 5/10ths of a second behind Plummer in second. Lincoln Mandsager moved into third on the last lap for third.
Hemmer’s double podium weekend was enough to hold off Plummer for the championship by 17 points.
Short Course Kart: It was a back-and-forth showdown with Camden Paitl and Jacobi Tullberg in the season’s final Short Course Kart race.
When the checkered flag dropped, Paitl had the lead, with Tullberg crossing the line 6/10ths behind in second. Wesley Vande Voort would move into third on the last lap, and with Finley Holtger finishing fifth, it was enough for Vande Voort to lock down the season championship.
570 SXS: Kody Krantz earned his third 570 SXS win on Thursday and picked up number four on Saturday.
Logan Fritzinger did everything he could to chase down Ellah Holtger in the points race by finishing second ahead of Raymond Deininger on Saturday. Still, Holtger’s fifth-place finish was all needed as she held off Fritzinger by one point to take home the championship.
170/200 SXS: Britton Wirt was the top finisher in the combined 170/200 SXS race on Saturday, with Raymond Deininger crossing the line in second and Ashton Dreher third.
Deininger would secure enough points to secure the 200 SXS title, and Ashton Dreher was crowned the 170 SXS class champion.
Youth SXS: Hudson Houle has been a tough beat in this season’s Youth SXS class, and that continued again on Saturday. Houle moved into the lead on lap two and drove to his tenth win of the year to lock down the championship.
Emma Lytle was Saturday’s runner-up, and Ryker Remington rounded out the podium in third.
Up next for AMSOIL Championship Off-Road: Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, Wis. will host the Red Bull Crandon World Championships featuring non-points Pro race on Sunday, September 1st.
With a subscription, you can watch every round of the AMSOIL Championship Off-Road season live on www.FloRacing.com and the series television partner Fox Sports. For more information on how you can follow along this season, click here.
