While many of the biggest names in dirt track racing were rolling into southern Iowa, a pair of brothers from Pella were wrapping up their own dirt track showcase in South Dakota.  The Janssen brothers – 15-year-old Cole and 13-year-old Drew – claimed an incredible four combined championships at this year’s International Kart Federation Grand Nationals; which took place from the end of July through the first week of this month in Brookings, South Dakota.  

The two have been racing go-karts on indoor and outdoor tracks for eight years now, and were competing against each other in the Junior II division – which features drivers between 13 and 15 years of age – racing two and four-cycle engine karts.  Their mother, Sue Janssen, says capturing just one Grand Nationals title would have been thrilling for her family, but Cole took the checkered flag in the finals of the Briggs Animal Heavy, and Heavy Two-Cycle classes; and Drew came away victorious in the Light Two-Cycle and Light Four-Cycle finals.  

It was a remarkable feat, considering that the Janssen brothers were only entered in a combined six different events, and that track officials weren’t sure if the feat had ever been accomplished before by two brothers racing against each other.  Their success and dedication in karting could be laying the foundation for Cole and Drew to be racing under the bright lights of the Knoxville Raceway or on the NASCAR circuit someday.  Many of the brightest stars in motorsports got their start – or still compete – in karting.