This time of year is generally a relaxed stint for ATV Motocross pro Cody Janssen as he focusses on his studies and offseason preparation for the following race season. This year, however, things have been a bit more hectic for the 25-year-old World Champion and National Champion racer. His main focus at this time continues to be on his education, but the weekend before finals week Cody took a break from the books and made the 20 hour round trip journey to Kentucky to compete in Rd. 2 of the Southern Kentucky Arenacross series in Russellville, Ky. It would end up being well worth the trip.
Janssen, aboard his #25 Cody Janssen Riding School machine, put on a show in that arena Saturday night and left no doubt who the man to beat was. He started by making a couple quick passes en route to a heat race win, starting the night show off on the right foot; the main event would end up being much more exciting. Janssen controlled the lead going into the first corner, but got ran up on from behind. Luckily, he untangled himself quickly, but still had went from the lead to the back of the pack. More first lap chaos by other riders helped Janssen make some quick moves again and it didn’t take long before he was in 2nd with his eye on the leader. He stalked the leader, indoor legend Dewayne Newton, for a good share of the race waiting for a mistake – Newton never made one. With a few laps remaining Janssen sensed it was time to make a move and made a beautiful pass, going around the well-respected Newton and grabbing the victory on the night.
“What a fun night!” Cody told us post-race. “Glad to get the win tonight, [Dewayne Newton] made me work for it! (laughs) But what a great crowd, a great atmosphere, and a great event put on by some great people! Nights like tonight are memories I’ll cherish forever. I just want to thank the people who support me!”
It’s uncertain if we’ll see Cody Janssen competing on a race track prior to the 2018 season opener at Daytona International Speedway. One thing that’s for certain is that Cody and the #25 will be locked in and ready to go, representing some new sponsors and many that have supported him for years!