Janssen Wins Kyler Lenz Memorial Race, Essentially Clinching State Title
The ATV community was rocked last month by the passing of 14-year-old Kyler Lenz, a young budding star-to-be of sport. The racing community came together in countless ways, the most recent being a memorial race in Kyler’s honor. Round 2 and 3 of the Wisconsin ATV Championship Series would now be known as the Kyler Lenz Memorial Race at Sugar Maple Mx. One of Kyler’s favorite track, and a beloved hangout for him and his father, it was the perfect setting for an event honoring a perfect young man.
Kyler Lenz was a future star of ATVMX, current ATVMX Pro Cody Janssen came into the Kyler Lenz Memorial Race/middle leg of the Wisconsin ATV Championship double header coming off a dominant performance at round 1. Janssen grabbed both holeshots and won both Pro Am motos en route to a win at the series opener. This weekend, in memorial of Kyler, would be much of the same: 4 holeshots, 4 motos wins, and lead every lap in the process. Cody Janssen, running Kyler’s #13 in the background of his blue number plates, put on a show all weekend. Having won every moto headed into the championship’s season finale, Janssen has essentially already locked of the 2017 Wisconsin ATV Championship Pro Am State Title!
“Like I’ve told you guys before, grabbing holeshots and winning races is always a great feeling. The only thing better than doing it for Kyler, is if I could have him standing here next to me.” Janssen proclaimed after his victorious weekend. “I know he’s forever riding with me now…I’m feeling good going into Loretta [Lynn’s Dude Ranch], and I’m ready to put it back on the box down at the ranch!”
The weekend prior to Kyler’s memorial race was the famous Red Bud ATVMX National. Red Bud is a favorite of Cody’s, but in the Pro Class mechanical problems throughout the duration of his Saturday made it hard on the #25. In Sunday’s Pro Am racing, Janssen was putting on a top 5 ride in Moto 1 but got in a late race tangle trying to make a pass. In Moto 2, Janssen clawed his way up to 6th and earned himself a 6th overall. Some of you will remember a few years back when a mechanical failure ripped a Pro Am Overall win away from Cody at Loretta Lynn’s, well he showed a glimpse of what he’s capable of at Red Bud and heads to Tennessee looking to avenge that loss from a few years ago.
These next two weeks will be exciting for Cody! It starts with the Loretta Lynn’s ATVMX National finale, then he will look to defend his title at Doug Gust’s ATV/UTV Showdown, reclaim his title from two years ago at the ATV World Championship Derby, and then finally the finale of the Wisconsin ATV Championship series where he will officially be named champion (he will also be featured on the event awards). The stretch run of the season is here!
So many great people make all this possible, Cody must thank all the incredible individuals who show their support and make competing at the highest level possible. He must thank the Londerville family and Londerville Steel for coming on as the title sponsor for this season, without Jereme and his family none of this would be possible. Thank you to Heartland Building Co., Elka Suspension, Maxxis Tires, Jay at Impact Solutions, SSI Decals, Walsh Racecraft, Valvoline, FMF, Pivot Works [Vertex, Hot Cams, Hotrods], Koster Racing, Hinson Clutch Components, DP Brakes, Thor MX, 100%, E-Z UP, Midwest Restoration, Cliff Cox at Oshkosh Tattoo and Good Girl Piercing, Risk Racing, the Stanfield family at Napa of Peru, Indiana; Pafford EMS, Reynolds Body Shop, Outlaw Mx LLC, FourWerx Carbon, 1st Endurance, DT-1 Filters, Sunstar Sprockets, D.I.D Chains, Nova Racing Gears, Galfer USA, Rath Racing, Renthal, Works Connection, 4Arm Strong, Don Straus, Pro-Tec, Energy Release, Precision PowderCoat, Goldspeed, Jeremy Edwards at Edwards Auctioneering, Corey Garrison at Parts Unlimited, Kay Gunn PT, Frank Vallone/Vallone Racing and family, Dream Chaser Designs, CV4, Xceldyne, Amped Apparel, Dominic Sumpolec’s The Program, CP-Carrillo, Motion Pro, Pro Moto Billet, Dynamite ATV, his phenomenal mechanics (Joel Janssen, Haley Davis, Dan Binder, and Tom Culshaw), Ken Hill and Justin K. for the photos, and everyone else that supports him. See you at the ranch!
