ATV Ambassador and ATV Pro Cody Janssen Team Up
- Updated: August 3, 2014
How did the idea of Todd racing a Pro quad get started?
Todd: Joel Janssen found me on Facebook; he remembered me from racing the national series back in the early 1990’s. He posted a picture of 3 Kawasaki 450 quads in January and I mentioned how I would like to race one at a national. That led me to approach Cody and ask if I could race his practice quad at a national, and how it’s been a dream of mine. I missed an opportunity to race Kory Ellis’s ALBA YFZ at Glen Helen back in 2006. I had Doug Gust factory Suzuki quad lined up to race a 12 hour event but Suzuki pulled the plug. I have always wanted to race a Pro level quad to see how the motor pulled and how the suspension soaked up larger jumps.
Cody Janssen & Joel Janssen: “Todd, who was always a hero of mine, contacted me months earlier and questioned me about riding one of my bikes and it was a no-brainer. I’ve loved Todd since the days of watching him on the old ATV movies, so the idea of having him ride one of my #1 machines was awesome! And in the end it couldn’t have worked out any better!” -Cody
“From meeting him back in 1989 at Loretta Lynn’s, to being in contact with him last year, I thought it’d be a great opportunity for the Janssen and Macke families to come together. For more people to see what Todd has to endure, and does it with a smile on his face, it’s great to have him on our quad. I wish everyone could see this story.” -Joel
How did your weekend go racing a Pro quad?
Todd: Perfect weather, zero pressure, simply go out and race for fun! Rode all 3 practices on Friday and getting used to the motor, suspension and handling. The engine was definitely faster than my ALBA Yamaha. The Janssen Honda motor pulled as hard as my CR500 quad back in the day. The WALSH front end and ELKA suspension handled the breaking bumps and kept a solid footprint enabling me to build confidence. I had my fastest laps in the 3rd practice session when the track was the roughest.
I raced the 30+C and 40+ classes, and Amy Ritchie made sign up easy for me. My wife Nikki and son Max were watching the start of my first race on Saturday. Cody Janssen was with me at the gate to pack the dirt and kick start the engine for me. We did a fist bump and said “Shake n Bake”. The gate dropped and I rode off the gate in a wheelie all the way down the straight into 3rd gear to a top 5 place in the first corner. I settled in during the first lap and had Stan Digby in my sights. My second race of Saturday was 40+ and I had a far outside gate pick. I duplicated my great start again with less wheelie and more power to the ground holding my line for a top 10 first corner place. I settled into my own pace and rode my own race, didn’t crash, and didn’t break anything and finished with a smile on my face.
Sunday, my start in the 30+C didn’t go as well, I missed a shift off the start but battled back to stay with the pack. I redeemed myself in the 40+ class with a launch off the gate from the far outside and held my line into the first turn around the 10 spot. Launched off jumps, railed the turns, put the throttle to stops coming up the Monza wall, blitzed the sand whoops, jumped LaRocco’s leap, and most of all I railed the outside berm of turn 2 all by myself slinging dirt for the fun of it. Cody’s family was going nuts in the mechanics area. My wife and son Max and Cody were in the infield keeping a close on me going back & forth. My overall finishes weren’t where I wanted to be, but it didn’t matter, win or lose I got to race a Pro quad and feel like a Pro for a weekend.
Cody Janssen & Joel Janssen: “I thought it went amazing for Todd! He ripped some pretty phenomenal holeshots, he was jumping some of the good sized doubles, but more than anything I know that he was having the time of his life. To watch the excitement of his son as he watched on, to see Todd’s gleaming face after a moto, there’s nothing better than that. I’m just grateful to be a part of it!” -Cody
“I think the weekend went great! Every time I saw Todd he had a smile from ear to ear. He also told me the quad had more power than he expected, that means I’m doing my job well. (laughs)” -Joel
We heard you had a battle with “Big Daddy” Stan Digby, tell us about it?
Todd: I battled with Stan in 30+C on Saturday and he experienced a personal issue on the first lap and had to pull off. Sunday’s race he rode in front of me for 3 laps and I made the pass on the corner before the white flag. Thinking I could pull away from Stan on the last lap, he dug deep and came back and passed me in the corner at the bottom of the ski jump. I gave chase and couldn’t pass him before the checkered flag. I know Big Daddy can ride and proud of him for riding his hardest until the very end. Stan asked to race me again in 2015 at Red Bud.
Cody Janssen & Joel Janssen: “They did have a battle! (laughs) But for the record, Todd won the battle. He creamed him in the first moto, and he beat Stan in the overall. I would say that our guy clearly won the war.” -Cody
“Stan and Todd are both friends of mine, so that was fun to see. But if I were Stan, I’d come more prepared next year because Todd is going to be ready! He’s going to have more time on our bikes, he’ll be ready.” -Joel
We heard you had a wild “save” in the 40+ class, what happened?
Todd: I rode a great race in the 40+ on Sunday. On the 3rd lap I battled with another rider corner to corner. Coming into the left hand turn before the Red Bud table top that had a double in the middle, the other rider took the inside turn and I railed the outside turn leaving the throttle on in 3rd gear to make the double. We jumped the double side by side and I held my line and in the air I looked over and saw the other quad coming towards me. I landed first and the other quad landed on the left side of my quad throwing the other rider off the side of the table top and quad tumbling. This turned my left front tire causing me to do a complete 360 spin and stalled the engine. I held on to the quad, completed the 360 and down sided the table top to jump start the engine and take off again racing all in one motion. When I came up the Monza wall I saw my wife & son Max and Cody Janssen waving their hands and smiling, gave them a fist pump and kept going. The ELKA steering stabilizer saved me from flipping the quad! When I got back to the trailer, the rider that hit me came over to make sure I was alright. Cody autographed one his Honda hood scoops; this will be up on my office wall as a prized possession. Having my wife and son there cheering me own every lap meant a lot to me.
Cody Janssen & Joel Janssen: “Oh my God, I’m sure that my heart stopped beating when that happened. I still have no idea how Todd held onto that thing! He basically got landed on and it hardly even slowed him down! He’s a true pro, nothing can stop him. NOTHING! (laughs)” -Cody
“I didn’t see it, but I sure heard about it. I’m just glad Todd wasn’t affected by it and was able to keep going. Someone had to be looking over him.” -Joel
What’s the plan for 2015?
Todd: This was a very successful weekend, simple and fun. The Janssen team has offered me a chance to race their Pro quad again in 2015 at any or all rounds of the series. This was the first time I didn’t have to pull a trailer, do wrenching, wash the quad, or get a transponder. I got the full Pro treatment and meant a great deal to me. Getting a chance to talk to Cody about race lines, and different aspects of the track was a great experience. Even though I had a Pro quad under me, I raced to my own capabilities and not above my head. I’m proud of Cody for winning Pro Rookie of the year! Look for Cody to be in the top 5 mix in 2015! I want to thank Amy Ritchie and the Red Bud crew for their hospitality, and all of Cody’s sponsors for putting great products on his quad to make it fast and safe for me to race.
Cody Janssen & Joel Janssen: “Todd is forever welcome to ride my bike. I’m sure he’ll be out there doing it again in 2015 and I cannot wait! It’s truly an honor to be able to watch him ride, call him a friend, and have him as a mentor. The #40 is always his. Todd is my hero, love him like a brother.” -Cody
“We already have our plans made for 2015. We’ll have two practice bikes for Cody, enabling us to let Todd ride even more. Even if we need to let him use it for a few weekend to get comfortable, he’ll be out there in 2015. This is just the start!” -Joel
