NHRA News: Johnson hopes to get that winning feeling again (10/5/2004)

Johnson hopes to get that winning feeling again

By Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
10/5/2004

"I wanted to grab the trophy and do a burnout like the NASCAR guys do."
– Steve Johnson

It took Steve Johnson 18 years and 191 races to win his first national event on the NHRA circuit. Then, when it finally happened, the fun-loving rider whose mouth usually runs nearly as fast as his 190-mph K&N Filters/Snap-on Tools Suzuki, barely had a word to say as his special day was overshadowed by the sudden death of Darrell Russell.

Interestingly, Johnson says the unfortunate coincidence rests easy in his memory bank because it instantly put his accomplishment in the proper perspective. Johnson should know. His lost his best friend and fellow racer John Myers on a pleasure ride the two shared in Alabama in the summer of 1998. "There are many things in life that mean more than drag racing," Johnson said. "Losing Darrell and John reminds us of that."

Of course Johnson knows Myers and Russell would want the NHRA world to soldier on, which is exactly what he did after his big win in St. Louis, which came at the expense of Chip Hunter, Shawn Gann, Geno Scali, and Craig Treble.

Johnson is racing towards his 13th top-10 finish
in 18 professional NHRA campaigns.
Racers Edge Photography

"You find a way to stay busy and deal with it but the truth is that Darrell and John will always be in our memories, and I'm so happy about that," Johnson said. "Whenever I think of my first win I'll think of Darrell and the only thoughts I have of him are good, so it's all good.

"When John died it was very hard for all of us. When you lose a buddy it's not just being at the track that reminds you of him, it's everything. Halloween is coming up and I remember goofing around with John at Wal-Mart one time. Hotels, restaurants, certain fans, all kinds of things remind me of John. What can you do?

"If anything, John and Darrell's deaths remind me of why I'm out here. I know when John died we raised donations well into the six figures for his family and I would expect it's the same for Darrell. Both guys were a big part of the drag racing community and it means so much to me to see the drag racing community has given back to them."

Worth the wait
Johnson's St. Louis victory really proved he belonged among the elite of the sport. First of all, it solidified his place in the top 10 this season, which should result in his 13th ranked finish by year's end. It also brushed away a growing monkey on his back that had pushed his number of runner-up finishes without a win to six.

Johnson's trophy is the centerpiece of his shop.

In earning that coveted Wally, which now resides in the foyer of Steve Johnson Racing in Irondale, Ala., Johnson beat three of the toughest hombres in the class in Gann, Scali, and Treble, as well as up-and-comer Hunter. The final even featured some superb riding by Johnson as he posted a colossal tenth-of-a-second holeshot on Treble and held off his hard-charging rival to win by one-thousandths of a second, or about five inches.

"In the second round we were the quickest in the field with a 7.13," Johnson said. "Right then I was thinking we had a real strong bike. I didn't change a thing for the semis and I went 7.20 against Geno. I was bummed we didn't repeat the 7.13 but it made me realize that the tuning window and the driving window are so small these days. A single tiny mistake can cost half of a tenth easily.

"The final was incredible. I had my blinders on so I never see the other lane. I knew I had a good light and the bike ran strong all the way down. When I saw the win light come on I couldn't believe it. I wanted to grab the trophy and do a burnout like the NASCAR guys do."

Consumed by his crew chief duties, Johnson hadn't learned of Russell's death. He finally found out when the ESPN crew told him at the top end just after he accepted the Wally from a somber group of sponsors and race officials.

"I think I experienced the farthest emotional fall a person could have in a moment of time," Johnson said. "It just zapped me.

Johnson (right) shares a laugh with fellow
riders Karen Stoffer and Antron Brown.
Racers Edge Photography

"I've always had this winner's circle kit that I've carried around with me for 18 years. It has all the different sponsor hats I need to have for the pictures they take in the winner's circle. I even have a note in there to remind me of what photos to take so I don't forget anyone. But we didn't do it because of what had happened. We just did a few interviews with the press and that was it."

Over the years, Johnson has dipped into his winner's circle kit for several of his fellow racers, helping others celebrate with the champagne he carried around for his special day. Little did he know that his kindness would be returned in a celebration that was perhaps even more emotional than any winner's circle party he's contributed to in the past

"Shane [Maloney, crewman] gave me a ride back to the pits on the front of our four-wheeler," Johnson said. "We were just quiet riding along. I was on that rack in the front. Well, when we turned the corner into my pit row the entire Pro Stock Bike class was waiting for me and all I saw was a wave of beer and champagne being sprayed at me. It was probably the single coolest moment of my life."

Always a contender
Combined with his runner-up finish in Columbus earlier in the year, Johnson's St. Louis win makes him one of just a half-dozen riders with multiple final-round showings this year. It also makes him a threat to win this weekend's re-scheduled 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.

Clearly ahead at the launch, Johnson (far lane) tattooed Treble at the Christmas Tree in the St. Louis final.
Racers Edge Photography

However, as much as he'd like to win No. 2 in Pennsylvania's Dutch Country and really cut loose with a bottled-up, barn-dance victory celebration, Johnson actually has his eyes on a different prize – the sport's first six-second Pro Stock Bike run.

"In reality there are only two more barriers in all of drag racing that we'll see in our lifetimes," Johnson said, "and they both involve our class – the six-second E.T. and the 200-mph speed. It's a huge goal to achieve. Someone has to get there first. I hope it's me."

Although Johnson's career-best E.T. is a little more than a tenth off what he'd need to earn the $10,000 bonus from tire-maker Mickey Thompson, he knows that if things line up just right, anyone of the top teams can break through for a big piece of history.

"We just runner-upped at the AMA/ProStar race this past weekend and we tried some new carbs there so we like what's going on with our bike right now," Johnson said. "The win in St. Louis already made this the best year of my career. Can you imagine what it would be like to be the first to six seconds? Or even better, to win the race with the first six-second pass? Now that would be something."

Maybe Johnson will get to use his winner's circle kit after all.

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