AMSOIL Championship Off-Road celebrated 50 years of racing at Bark River International Raceway with a weekend of high-speed action and championship implications as the 2026 season entered its final stretch. With only the Crandon and Glen Helen rounds remaining for the Pro divisions, every position became increasingly important in the championship chase.
Johnny Greaves was one of the biggest winners on Saturday, capturing the PRO4 victory in a thrilling race that saw him battle Mickey Thomas for the lead. Greaves grabbed the holeshot and ran near the front throughout the race before Thomas moved into first on Lap 9. One lap later, however, Thomas slowed, allowing Greaves to regain the lead. Greaves held off a late charge from Cole Mamer to secure his second win of the season by just eight-tenths of a second. Mamer finished second, while Thomas recovered to complete the podium. Sunday brought more of the same high-level competition, with Mickey Thomas rebounding to win the PRO4 race while Johnny Holtger claimed the PRO2 victory. Thomas had been one of the most consistent drivers in the class entering the weekend, and his Bark River win added another important result to the late-season championship battle.
Ryan Beat also returned to the top step in PRO2. After Kyle Greaves briefly led the opening lap, Beat took advantage of a mistake by Greaves and moved into first. Beat then steadily built his advantage while a battle developed behind him between Johnny Holtger, Greaves and Ricky Gutierrez. A late incident involving Greaves and Gutierrez shuffled the order, but Beat remained comfortably out front to earn his first victory since Crandon earlier in the season. Holtger finished second, with Gutierrez recovering to take third. Connor Barry strengthened his position in the PRO Lite championship with a victory of his own. After Matt Wood controlled the early laps, Barry made his move on Lap 4 and took command. Wood settled for second, while Joey Maciosek completed the podium. Chris Van Den Elzen’s championship lead in PRO Spec came under pressure when Avery Hemmer’s early lead disappeared after a flat rear tire. Van Den Elzen inherited the top spot, but Nick Visser eventually worked his way past and went on to claim his second consecutive victory. Dylan Parsons and Braden Beauchamp battled for the remaining podium spots, with Beauchamp taking second at the finish and Parsons third. Mark Steinhardt also returned to Victory Lane in PRO Buggy, earning his first win of the season. Steinhardt led from start to finish while Cole Bernloehr mounted a late charge, finishing just a half-second behind. Beau Ambrose completed the podium in third.
In PRO SxS, Jeb Bootle continued his impressive run down the stretch. Bootle and CJ Greaves ran first and second throughout the race, with Bootle holding off Greaves by only 0.333 seconds. The victory marked Bootle’s third win during a six-race podium streak and further extended his championship advantage. Bootle was equally dominant in PRO Stock SxS, charging past early leader Brody Sands on Lap 4 before pulling away from the field for his fourth victory of the season. Sands finished second, while Collin Truett rounded out the podium.Holtger’s PRO2 victory on Sunday came as he moved through a late-race battle and secured another important win, while the SxS divisions continued to be dominated by Bootle. The Pro SxS driver completed a weekend sweep, adding another victory to his championship-leading season. Several Sportsman competitors also produced standout performances. Gaborik Geyen swept the 200 SxS races and extended his winning streak to five, while William Holtger captured the 570 SxS victory and locked up the class championship. Jersey Kleikamp also completed a weekend sweep in the 170 SxS division.
