Elk River, Minn. ~ The AMSOIL Championship Off-Road season hit its midpoint in spectacular fashion on Saturday as Round 7 unfolded at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota. Known for its unique blend of split lanes, rolling elevation, sweeping corners, and tight technical turns, ERX delivered the kind of close-quarters racing that defines the series. With championship battles tightening across the board, drivers pushed the limits on a track that rewarded precision and punished mistakes.

From start to finish, the day was packed with intense door-to-door action and high-stakes passes as drivers fought for every inch of real estate. The challenging layout of ERX—equal parts speedway and technical playground—proved to be a perfect stage for championship contenders to make bold moves and for underdogs to break through.

Greaves Dominates ERX for Fifth Pro 4 Win of the Season

Jimmy Henderson, fresh off his first win of the year in Crandon, started Saturday’s Pro 4 race on pole as the fastest qualifier, with defending champion CJ Greaves lined up alongside. The two swapped positions on the opening lap, but once out front, Greaves was untouchable in round seven. He set a blistering pace and steadily pulled away to claim his fifth victory of the season, extending his championship lead to 72 points.

“Our Pro 4 has been really good all year, and it’s great to just keep the ball rolling,” said Greaves. “I just love coming here to ERX and getting out there in the Pro 4 and letting it eat.

Henderson faded in the second half, opening the door for Mickey Thomas to grab the runner-up spot with two laps remaining, marking his first podium since round one. Kyle Chaney, coming off his first podium of the year in Crandon, backed it up with another strong run to finish third.

Gutierrez Capitalizes in Pro 2

Keegan Kincaid appeared poised to continue his dominant stretch after a perfect weekend in Crandon, leading Saturday’s Pro 2 race at ERX comfortably through the mandatory caution. But the race flipped on its head when Kincaid’s truck stalled during the regroup lap, handing the lead to Ricky Gutierrez.

Gutierrez didn’t waste the opportunity, keeping the field at bay and pulling away for his first win of the 2025 season. 

“I’ve always wanted a win here at ERX,” said Gutierrez. “The track changes so much, it is the hardest track, and you need to run a perfect race to win. We’ve been there in the fight, and it feels good to get a win.”

Kyle Greaves stayed in contention throughout and secured his first podium of the year in second, while Jacob Rosales broke through to claim a well-earned third and his first podium in 2025.

Milhausen Holds Off Holtger in Pro Lite

Johnny Holtger has been the class of Pro Lite this season, racking up four wins and proving tough to beat. He looked unstoppable again early on Saturday, leading the field while fastest qualifier Travis Milhausen, Jr. stalked him from second. The mandatory caution tightened the pack, and Milhausen capitalized on the opportunity. After pressuring Holtger for a lap, Holtger put his truck up on two wheels, allowing Milhausen to slip underneath and take the lead.

The two drivers then staged a thrilling duel to the checkered flag, crossing the finish line nearly wheel-to-wheel as Milhausen held on for his first win—and first podium—of the season.

“That was crazy,” said Milhausen. “The track was really getting rough and the last few laps I was running out of fuel. I could feel it bogging down out there. That was a race.”

With Holtger in second, Connor Barry was close behind, grabbing his third straight podium in third.

Van Den Elzen Outduels Miller in Pro Spec

One of the most competitive races of the day saw momentum swinging in Chris Van Den Elzen’s favor as he battled fiercely with young standout Wyatt Miller. Van Den Elzen held the lead through the mandatory caution, but Miller got the jump on the restart and took control on lap nine. The pair traded the lead multiple times, with Van Den Elzen reclaiming the top spot for the third and final time with two laps to go. He held on to secure his second straight win and tighten the championship fight.

Miller crossed the line just a half-second back for his third consecutive podium finish, leaving only three points separating the two in the standings. Draxton Szymik kept pace with the leaders throughout and capitalized on late opportunities to claim third, his second podium in just his third race of the season.

Buth Breaks Through in Pro Buggy Thriller

It was a two-man showdown for Pro Buggy supremacy on Saturday as Billy Buth and Chaden Minder battled nose-to-tail from start to finish. Minder repeatedly looked for an opening but never managed to get more than a wheel alongside Buth, who held his line with precision to claim his first win of the season. The victory also tightened the points race, with Buth now just four points behind leader Michael Meister.

Minder crossed the line a mere 0.339 seconds behind and sits nine points back of Meister in third overall. Jordan Bernloehr, who dropped to last at mid-race, mounted an impressive late charge and made a decisive pass with two laps to go to secure the final podium spot.

VanEperen Fends Off Carlson for Third Straight Pro SXS Win

Momentum is firmly in Owen VanEperen’s corner as he continues his summer surge in Pro SXS. After sweeping the weekend in Crandon, VanEperen was dominant through the first half of Saturday’s race at ERX. The second half, however, saw heavy pressure from hometown favorite Andrew Carlson, who showed a wheel to the leader several times in a bid for the top spot.

A late red flag set up a two-lap sprint to the finish, but VanEperen stayed composed under fire. Carlson threw everything he had at the points leader but came up just 0.4 seconds short at the line. CJ Greaves, meanwhile, worked his way through traffic to claim third, his first podium since Antigo.

VanEperen Earns Third Straight Pro Stock SXS Win

Nobody is wheeling a side-by-side like Owen VanEperen this summer. The points leader took command from CJ Greaves on lap three and never looked back, staying flawless for a third straight race. VanEperen held off a deep, talented field to secure his third consecutive victory and extend his points lead to 49 heading into Sunday’s action.

Greaves stayed within striking distance until mechanical issues forced him to pull off on lap ten. That opened the door for Cross Kirchmeier to claim his second straight podium with a hard-fought runner-up finish, edging out Jeb Bootle at the line by just one-tenth of a second.

FREEDOM RACE LIFTS PRO AM TURBO SXS: Points leader Rick Schroeder continued to set the pace in Pro AM Turbo SXS, grabbing his fourth win of the season on Saturday at ERX. Schroeder took over the lead on lap three and never gave it up, running clean and controlled out front to further solidify his championship lead.

Rory Navin bounced back after missing the podium in Crandon, charging through the field to finish second and return to form after opening the year with four straight podiums. Benjamin Heiting, coming off a win in Crandon, stayed strong with a third-place finish to keep his momentum going.

PRO AM SXS: Matthew Boerschinger looked poised to capture his first Pro AM SXS win of the season, but a loss of power following a mid-race restart derailed his efforts and allowed much of the field to get by. Leading that charge were Jared Jadin and points leader Lucas Houle, who locked into a tight battle over the final six laps.

Jadin held a slim advantage and crossed the finish line just a car length ahead of Houle to secure the victory. Cody Jones was also in the mix, fending off rounds five and six winner Benjamin Heiting by a mere 0.1 seconds to claim his first podium of the year.

PIRTEK SUPER STOCK TRUCK: Nick Byng is following the championship playbook to perfection in Super Stock Truck this season. The former class champion came into ERX with two wins and a perfect podium streak, and he extended both on Saturday with a convincing performance. Byng tracked down early leader Cory Holtger and made the pass on lap seven to take control of the race.

Holtger stayed within striking distance but ultimately settled for second after fending off a hard-charging Braden Beauchamp at the line by just half a second. The result marked Byng’s third win of the season and his seventh consecutive podium finish.

STOCK TRUCK: Brian Peot continued his dominant run in Stock Truck on Saturday, adding another victory to his impressive first half of the season. Peot worked through early traffic and took control on lap five, holding the lead to the checkered flag for his fourth win of the year.

Malakai Yakel was strong all race, running inside the top three from the start and fending off a late charge from Dustin Rogaczewski to secure second. Rogaczewski settled for third after pushing hard in the closing laps.

RACE-DRIVEN SPORTSMAN SXS: Points leader Code St. Peter stayed red hot in Sportsman SXS, earning his third win of the season with a dominant late-race run. After climbing from sixth to first in just two laps, he took over the lead with five to go and never looked back.

Hudson Houle, the Round 3 winner, kept his podium streak alive with a strong second-place finish, while Bryce Powers shadowed the front runners all race to secure third and his first podium of the year.

1600 SINGLE BUGGY: Connor Schulz made a big statement in the 1600 Single Buggy class on Saturday at ERX Motor Park. Despite missing out on valuable points earlier this season, Schulz quickly worked into the lead pack and grabbed the top spot on lap four. From there, he faced relentless pressure from Taylor Roloff, who came into the weekend just five points behind Michael Seefeldt in the championship hunt.

Schulz held his composure under fire and found extra pace on the final lap to secure his third win of the season. Roloff settled for second, keeping his title hopes alive, while Colin Schulz fended off a late charge from Seefeldt to lock down the final podium position.

1600 LIGHT BUGGY: Dylan Rohloff broke through for his first career win in 1600 Light Buggy with an impressive drive from deep in the field. Starting ninth, Rohloff was quick off the line and moved into a podium position within two laps. He grabbed the lead on lap five and stayed smooth out front, holding on for the milestone victory.

Veteran Greg Stingle avoided trouble and ran a consistent race to notch his third podium of the season in second. Evan Hockers worked his way into third with three laps to go, securing the final spot on the box.

MOD KART: The Mod Kart race at ERX saw early chaos when a big rollover on lap three brought out a red flag and left drivers waiting in their machines as crews cleared the track.

On the restart, Race Visser, who had charged to the lead, never looked back. He held off late pressure from Ellah Holtger before pulling away in the final turns for his second win of the season. Holtger secured her first podium of 2025 in second, with Finley Holtger finishing third for his first podium of the year.

SHORT COURSE KARTS: Gabe Holtger returned to the top step of the podium in Short Course Kart with a thrilling come-from-behind win on Saturday. The Missouri opener winner started tenth and was still running fourth heading into the final lap. With a determined final push, Holtger made his move and grabbed the lead with just half a lap remaining, charging to his second victory of the season.

Ava Plummer led with three laps to go and held strong until Holtger’s late pass, tying her career-best finish in second. She held off a hard-charging Jax Romenesko at the line, edging him by just a tenth of a second to secure the runner-up spot.

YOUTH SXS: Round seven of Youth SXS delivered a fast-paced sprint to the finish, with points leader Logan Fritzinger once again showing his consistency. After taking the lead on lap four, Fritzinger stayed smooth and steady out front to secure the win and maintain his grip on the championship.

Emma Lytle charged from eighth on the starting grid, working her way through the field and closing the gap late. She crossed the line just half a second behind Fritzinger to finish second. Kody Krantz ran a clean, consistent race to claim the final podium spot in third.

570 SXS: The 570 SXS race came down to a wild finish as the leaders battled nose-to-tail with half a lap remaining. Peyton Weisbrod and Raymond Deininger were fighting for the top spot when Deininger caught an edge and rolled, shaking up the running order.

William Holtger took full advantage of the chaos, jumping from fourth to first to secure his first career win in the class. Weisbrod recovered from the incident to finish second, while the reshuffling allowed Jack Betts to slide into third and claim the final podium spot.

170/200 SXS: The combined 170/200 SXS race saw the 200 class sweep the overall podium, led by Grayson Forseth. Forseth earned his second win of the season, finishing ahead of Gaborik Geyen in second and Dallas Carlson in third. Carlson carried momentum into Saturday after claiming his first win of the year in Friday’s Crandon makeup race.

In the 170 division, Jersey Kleikamp made a dramatic last-lap pass to secure her second win of the season. She was followed by Tucker Packenham in second and Mason Biesterveld in third.

---

UP NEXT FOR CHAMPIONSHIP OFF-ROAD: ERX Off-Road National on July 13 in Elk River, Minn.

About AMSOIL Championship Off-Road

AMSOIL 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 offroad.lab.b2tech.us and follow @ChampOffRoad on social media.