Wheatland, Mo.~ The 2025 AMSOIL Championship Off-Road season launched in spectacular fashion at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, kicking off an expanded and high-horsepower schedule. A packed lineup of off-road trucks and the debut of new Side-by-Side (SxS) classes, including the Pro AM Turbo SxS division, energized the season-opening Show-Me Off-Road Shootout. The return to Wheatland after a five-year hiatus saw record participation, with 19 classes on the venue’s challenging 1.2-mile course.

Defending champions and fresh faces wasted no time igniting rivalries. PRO4 standout CJ Greaves opened his title defense against a hungry field, including former PRO2 champion Mickey Thomas. Meanwhile, the new SxS divisions offered a proving ground for rising stars eager to make their mark. With intense battles and a national expansion on deck, including a return to the West Coast later this year, the 2025 campaign is already promising to be one of the most dynamic in series history.

Mamer Outduels Anderson in Pro 4 Showdown

A rookie, a legend, a Wildman, and a nine-time champion lined up for what promised to be an electric Pro 4 opener in Wheatland. With the Greaves duo, Adrian “The Wildman” Cenni, and defending Pro 2 champ Mickey Thomas filling out a stacked field, the stage was set for fireworks. But when the racing got underway, it quickly became a two-man show between RJ Anderson and Cole Mamer that stole the spotlight. Anderson grabbed the holeshot off the start, but Mamer matched his pace perfectly, and the two immediately distanced themselves from the field. Even with brief pressure from Thomas in the early going, it was clear the battle for the win would come down to Anderson and Mamer.

Anderson controlled the race through the mid-race caution, but the reset gave Mamer the opening he needed. On the restart, Mamer attacked, slipping past Anderson to take over the lead. From there, Mamer was relentless, holding off every challenge as Anderson searched for a way back to the front. Despite staying glued to Mamer’s rear bumper and crossing the line less than a second behind, Anderson couldn’t reclaim the top spot. Mamer’s victory marked his second straight Pro 4 win dating back to last year’s Crandon finale.

“It took two to three years to figure out the Pro Lite,” said Mamer. “Same thing here, it really took us three years to figure out this Pro 4 platform. We figured it out late last year and it was really fun to go into the off-season and fine-tune it.”

With Anderson finishing in the second spot, the dust cleared on the rest of the podium as defending champion CJ Greaves quietly worked into third at the midpoint and stayed there, rounding out a loaded and competitive Pro 4 podium.

Beat Blasts to Pro 2 Win

With defending champion Mickey Thomas moving up to Pro 4, the door was wide open for a new star to emerge in Pro 2 — and several contenders came ready to stake their claim in Wheatland. Ryan Beat, Johnny Holtger, Rickey Gutierrez, Kyle Greaves, and the returning Keegan Kincaid were all poised to battle, while Ronnie Anderson made his presence felt with a surprise entry that added even more firepower to the field. But while the pack promised plenty of chaos, Beat took the cleanest and fastest route to victory. He grabbed the lead early and never looked back, setting a blistering pace and pulling away from the field to secure a dominant season-opening win.

“We made a lot of changes this offseason, really took some gambles,” said Beat. “It really paid off. Not just the truck, but personnel -wise. We put in the work in the offseason, and I think it really shows.”

While Beat checked out up front, the battle behind him simmered before erupting in the closing laps. Ronnie Anderson appeared to have second place under control, running steady while Johnny Holtger gave chase—until Holtger spun late, opening the door for Kincaid to jump into podium contention. That ignited a wild sequence as Rickey Gutierrez made an aggressive move past Kincaid, sparking a flurry of contact and chaos among the tightly packed group running from second through seventh. When the dust finally settled, Anderson held onto second and Gutierrez emerged from the scramble to claim third, capping a physical and unpredictable Pro 2 opener.

Holtger Goes Wire-to-Wire as Late Moves Shake Up Pro Lite Podium

Johnny Holtger wasted no time showing he’s serious about reclaiming Pro Lite glory in 2025. A former class champion, Holtger streamlined his program this season, dropping Pro 4 to concentrate on Pro Lite and Pro 2 in a focused effort to return to title-winning form. That new approach paid immediate dividends at Wheatland, where Holtger delivered one of the cleanest and most controlled drives of the day. Grabbing the lead from the start, he never put a wheel wrong, calmly navigating the technical track and leading every lap on his way to a flag-to-flag victory to kick off his season in style.

“That truck was awesome,” said Holtger. “We made some last minute adjustments with our Yokohama tires, and that made the difference.”

While Holtger dominated out front, the battle behind him was anything but settled. Throughout the race, up to five different drivers traded spots inside the top three in a fast-paced and aggressive fight for podium positions. It all came to a head on the final lap, when Matt Wood—who started back in seventh—made a big move to jump from fourth into second. Connor Barry, who had clawed his way up from eighth and held second for much of the closing laps, slipped back to third just before the checkers but still secured a hard-fought podium finish to open his title bid.

Miller Outduels Field in Thriller to Open Pro Spec

Wyatt Miller’s off-road learning curve proved short and successful as the teenage sprint car driver-turned-dirt specialist broke through for his first Pro Spec win in Saturday’s opener at Wheatland. After impressing with several podium finishes over the final stretch of 2024, Miller looked right at home in the season debut, methodically working his way through the field. His momentum was briefly stalled after getting caught behind a flipped Avery Hemmer, but once the track cleared, Miller wasted no time regaining ground. He latched onto the rear bumper of early leader Chris Van Den Elzen and kept the pressure on, setting the stage for a race-changing pair of restarts.

When the green flag flew again, Miller seized his opportunity. He powered past Van Den Elzen to take control and showed poise beyond his years as he held the top spot through the closing laps. Van Den Elzen stayed within striking distance, keeping Miller honest while fending off a hard-charging Ronald Kosciesza. Kosciesza had been in and out of the top three throughout the contest but settled into third late, unable to mount a final push as Miller crossed the line to secure the win.

Minder Holds Off Bernloehr in Intense Pro Buggy Battle

Chadin Minder wasted no time breaking through in 2025, turning last season’s handful of podium finishes into his first career Pro Buggy win in the season opener at Wheatland. Minder found himself in a race-long chess match with defending champion Jordan Bernloehr, with the two separated by little more than a car length from start to finish. Despite relentless pressure from Bernloehr, Minder stayed composed and precise, holding his lines and fending off every challenge. The duel came down to the wire, with Minder keeping his rival at bay and edging Bernloehr at the stripe by just three-tenths of a second to kick off the year in style.

While Minder and Bernloehr controlled the spotlight up front, Zachary Drapkin quietly delivered a standout drive of his own. After joining Champ Off-Road for select rounds last season, including a podium showing at Dirt City, Drapkin returned determined and focused. He methodically worked his way through the field from sixth, finding clean air and fast lines in the second half of the race to secure a strong third-place finish and start his 2025 season on the podium.

Greaves Capitalizes Late in Pro SxS

Owen VanEperen appeared poised to pull off a rare sweep in Champ Off-Road’s Pro SxS classes on Saturday, but late heartbreak kept him from sealing the deal. After putting himself in position with a strong drive and taking control with just three laps remaining, VanEperen’s hopes unraveled when mechanical trouble struck, breaking something in the front wheel and severely hampering his steering. That opened the door for defending champion CJ Greaves, who wasted no time taking advantage. Greaves slipped into the lead and expertly controlled the final laps, cruising to victory and grabbing the early upper hand in the 2025 Pro SxS title race.

While VanEperen fought to simply hold position, the battle behind him intensified. Rodney VanEperen, quietly steady through the middle of the race, capitalized on the chaos and advanced into second with two laps to go, setting up a family 2-3 running order for a brief stretch. However, Andrew Carlson was on the move in the closing stages after dropping out of the top five off a restart. Carlson mounted a determined second-half comeback, making a decisive last-lap pass to snatch the final podium spot, rounding out an eventful and dramatic Pro SxS opener.

VanEperen Controls Pro Stock SxS Opener 

Talent runs deep in Champ Off-Road’s SxS classes, and Pro Stock continues to showcase some of the best in the business. That was on full display during Saturday’s opener, as heavy hitters like CJ Greaves, Jeb Bootle and Owen VanEperen all factored into the action. VanEperen, who ended 2024 on a winning note, wasted no time picking up where he left off. After starting on the second row, he quickly carved his way to the front and took control, setting the pace and holding steady under pressure to claim a flag-to-flag victory to open 2025.

While VanEperen stayed out front, the battle for second tightened as the laps wound down. CJ Greaves, renowned for his late-race charges, lived up to his reputation once again. On the final lap, he executed a decisive pass on Cross Kirchmeier, making a slick move to the inside and edging ahead by just two-tenths of a second at the line to secure the runner-up spot. Kirchmeier settled for third after a strong performance, capping a competitive and tightly contested Pro Stock SxS opener.

FREEDOM RACE LIFTS PRO AM TURBO SXS: The newly introduced Pro AM Turbo SxS class, created to expand opportunities for turbo production vehicles, made its debut in Wheatland with a historic first winner. Rick Schroeder led wire-to-wire through the early morning mud to secure the inaugural victory, while Rory Navin held steady in second throughout the race. Ben Heiting found speed at the halfway mark, setting the race’s fastest lap as he charged into third and locked down the final podium spot.

PRO AM SXS: Jared Jadin showed once again why he’s a force in Pro AM SxS, repeating his season-opening victory from a year ago with an impressive drive at Wheatland. Jadin stayed patient through the early laps, shadowing Lucas Houle as the two set the pace up front. His persistence paid off with four laps to go, when he capitalized on an opening and made a clean, decisive pass to take over the lead. Once out front, he kept his momentum rolling and never looked back, securing a statement win to begin his 2025 campaign.

Houle, who continues to establish himself as a consistent frontrunner, held firm after surrendering the lead and crossed the line in a solid second place. The battle for third intensified late, with Jacob Blemke dialing in his lines and finding speed as the race wore on. With three laps remaining, Blemke made his move into the final podium position and held strong to cap off an exciting and tightly contested Pro AM SXS opener.

PIRTEK SUPER STOCK TRUCK: Year after year, Super Stock Truck proves to be one of the tightest and most competitive classes in Champ Off-Road, and Wheatland’s season opener stayed true to form. Scott Boulanger entered 2025 with renewed focus after a winter spent reworking his truck, and he spent the first half of the race methodically picking his way through the pack and searching for clean lines. That patience paid off after the midpoint, as Boulanger found his groove, took command of the race, and pulled away to secure his first win of the new season in dominant fashion.

While Boulanger checked out up front, the fight for the podium intensified behind him. Braden Beauchamp and Nick Byng were locked in a fierce late-race showdown for second, swapping positions as the laps wound down. In the end, Beauchamp executed a decisive move in the final laps to retake the runner-up spot, edging Byng at the line and capping off another thrilling chapter in the class known for its door-to-door battles.

STOCK TRUCK: After a season of parity in 2024, Brian Peot wasted no time establishing himself in 2025, grabbing the Stock Truck lead on lap two and never looking back for a commanding opening-round win. Rookie Dustin Rogaczewski impressed with a late charge, moving into second on the final lap, while Malakai Yakel, who started seventh, capped his run with an aggressive yet clean move in the last corner to steal third.

RACE-DRIVEN SPORTSMAN SXS: With the top three from 2024 moving on, the door was wide open in Sportsman SXS as the new season kicked off on a muddy Wheatland track. Troy Anderson set the early pace but drifted high into the slop late, allowing Code St. Peter to slip by with three laps to go and grab his first career win. Anderson settled comfortably into second, while Ben Berger made a last-lap charge from fifth, edging past Brody Duescher at the line to secure a hard-fought third.

1600 SINGLE BUGGY: Beau Ambrose looked poised to back up his Crandon triumph with a wire-to-wire win, but late-race suspension issues caused him to spin off track and hand the lead to Michael Seefeldt, who capitalized and held on for the victory. The chaos continued behind him as Travis Trelstad, running second, spun with three laps to go, allowing Connor Schulz to charge into podium contention. Schulz moved into second after Ambrose’s misfortune, but he too spun in the closing laps, handing the spot back to Ambrose. In a wild finish, Seefeldt took the win ahead of Ambrose, with Schulz regrouping to complete the podium in third.

1600 LIGHT BUGGY: Dylan Rohloff was on the verge of his first career win in the 1600 Light Buggy class at Wheatland, but reigning champion Connor Schulz, who dominated 2024 with 12 wins in 14 rounds, capitalized when Rohloff got hung up in the mud during the final laps. Schulz seized the opportunity to take the lead and open his 2025 title defense with a victory. Rohloff was forced to retire, paving the way for veteran Greg Stingle to move into second on the last lap, while Ed Holtger navigated the challenging conditions and traffic to secure third.

MOD KART: Dakota Akins overcame a tough start and early trouble in the mud to charge from eighth and take the lead in the second half of the Mod Kart race, securing his first career win. Lincoln Mandsager also surged late, climbing into second on the final lap, while Caleb Bell capped off the race with a strong push of his own to claim his first career Mod Kart podium in third.

SHORT COURSE KARTS: Gabe Holtger secured his first career Short Course Kart win at Wheatland, taking control on lap six and holding the lead through the finish. Jacobi Tullberg ran near the front throughout the race and fended off a late charge from Caden Wassenberg, who worked through traffic to finish just half a second behind Tullberg in third.

YOUTH SXS: Logan Fritzinger made a statement in his Youth SxS debut, grabbing the early lead and pulling away with confidence to secure a dominant first career victory. Behind him, 2024 class runner-up Bryce Powers kept the pressure on, charging through the field to claim a solid runner-up finish. The battle for third came down to the wire as Kody Krantz fended off a determined Isaac Otto in the closing laps to round out the podium.

570 SXS: With a new champion set to emerge in 570 SXS this season, Peyton Weisbrod wasted no time making a statement in Wheatland. Weisbrod took control from the start and never wavered, fending off intense last-lap pressure from Greyson Arneson and Madisyn Winistorfer to secure her first career victory. Arneson finished just three-tenths of a second behind in a tight dash to the line, while Winistorfer was right in the mix as well, crossing a half second back to round out a thrilling podium.

170/200 SXS: Ashton Dreher appeared poised to claim victory in the combined 170/200 SxS race until front-end damage dashed those hopes in the final turn opened the door for Drew Gerber to capture his first career win and finish as the top 170 driver. Grayson Forseth followed closely, taking second overall and top honors in the 200 class, while Miles Pakenham powered through the field from seventh to secure third overall and complete the podium.

---

About AMSOIL Championship Off-RoadAMSOIL Championship Off-Road is the premier short-course off-road racing series in North America. Showcasing the sport’s top drivers, teams, and race machines, this elite national championship brings high-octane, door-to-door racing to legendary venues spanning from Michigan to southern California. From PRO4 and PRO2 trucks to high-flying buggies, SxS, youth divisions and more, AMSOIL Championship Off-Road delivers non-stop action, fan-focused events, and a national platform for racers and partners. With live broadcasts and television coverage, a passionate fanbase, and support from industry-leading sponsors, AMSOIL Championship Off-Road continues to push the limits of off-road motorsports. Learn more at champoffroad.com and follow @ChampOffRoad on social media.