| 2009 Press
Releases
Click here for the 2008 press releases |
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Dallas Pre race Report |
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Irondale, AL (9/25/09) - This weekend O’Reilly Jump Start Nationals will be the 14th race of the 17 race Full Throttle NHRA series. Racing will start as usual on Friday with the first of four qualifying attempts. Steve Johnson and his team will come into this race with a complete new package. “Winning is everything right now,” said Johnson. “Clearly we just have not put all the pieces together this year. So many think that drag racing is one person in a lane against the other person in the other lane. Oh my gosh, there is so much more too it than that. It’s a team and my guys and even the girls back in the offices are the best. Winning races last year proves that to me. This year just has a few kinks and when you win or loose by a thousandth of a second… well you just have to be perfect.” The veteran Suzuki team talked about a plan for the last three races and to re-look at everything they do from the jet choices and front tire pressure to the clutch spring pressure and the wheelie bar height. “We have kicked around some ideas on how to win before the year,” said Johnson. “In fact the plan is to toss out the old play book and charter some new ground. It’s the best way to learn and change your luck. I hate to do it but it’s my job to give supporters like Lightning Bay, Cengage Learning, Mickey Thompson, Simpson, Snap-on and WyoTech a win before the end of the season. I know we can do it.”
09/27/2009 Qualifying
12:15:00 AM - 2:15:00 AM ET (ESPN2) |
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Sonoma Post race Report |
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Sonoma, CA (7/28/09) - Steve Johnson
and his WyoTech/Snap-on Suzuki team left the NHRA Fram Autolite Nationals
in eighth place as the Countdown to the Full Throttle Championship heats
up after last weekend’s race. Johnson qualified number 12 with a 7.05 and
was defeated by Doug Horn in the first round by .03 of a second. The goal for the veteran racer and team owner is to be in the top ten by the end of the U.S. Nationals held in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. At that point the points are reformatted and there is a five race shoot out called, Countdown to the Championship that will decide the 2010 Full Throttle Championship. “Our goal at this very moment is to qualify better,” said Johnson. “If we can do that we would have a big advantage in the first round of racing on Sunday. So for me riding the bike is a bit of an art and if you miss a shift point on a Suzuki by 100 rpm that could be the difference between qualifying better or winning and losing on Sunday. It seems so simple but can be so frustrating at the same time. Trust me it eats away at me every race if I’m not perfect on the bike. We had a tough weekend, but I tell the team, ‘If it were really easy everyone would be doing it. The bottom line for our fans, sponsors, team members and supports is we can be in eighth place all year long and with a strong finish of the last Five races we could win the Full Throttle Championship. We are confident even in the economic times that with smart racing and lots of preventative maintenance we will compete for this Championship.” Johnson was on NBC news on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Sacramento market talking about racing and technical education. Johnson also hosted WyoTech enrollees and representatives in his pit area. |
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Denver Post race Report |
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Denver, CO (7/12/09) - The Mopar Parts Mile
High Nationals were filled with lots joy and a couple of seconds of
frustration for Steve Johnson and his WyoTech team. The race considered by
many the toughest on the Full Throttle Series because its elevation a mile
from sea level can sometimes demand an entirely different approach to
winning. In 2008, Johnson raced to the finals where he lost to the V-Twin of Matt Smith. In 2009, Johnson’s team qualified in the top half of the field with only one other Suzuki. From the number eight spot Johnson would race Geico sponsored Karen Stoffer who was in the bottom half of the ladder in the number nine position just a tick behind the WyoTech/Snap-on Suzuki’s 7.38 qualifying time. The team won the first round on a hole-shot (Johnson’s slower elapsed time had a quicker reaction time than the quicker bike with a slower reaction time). In the second round Johnson raced Hector “The Hammer” Arana who qualified number one on his Lucas Oil V-Twin Buell. Johnson again had the hole shot with a .009 of a second from perfect, but Hector close behind with a .013. At the finish line Hector passed Johnson in the last foot of the race sending Team WyoTech home for the day. “That was the worst loss I can ever remember,” said Johnson. “I knew I was ahead the whole way and as I saw the finish line stripe I knew we were going to beat the number one guy. Heck there was only one foot left. In that same thought at about 180mph Hector showed up and passed me like a freight train. I couldn’t believe it. It’s was just so frustrating to lead for 1319 feet and then by a hundredth of a second lose the race in the last 12 inches. I guess that’s why they call it drag racing.” The WyoTech/Snap-on Team did move up to the number eight position in Full Throttle points. The Top Ten after the U.S. Nationals in Indy on Labor Day will have a five race shoot out for the NHRA Full Throttle Championship. On Monday after the race the WyoTech Team set up the race bike and gave tours of their rolling race shop for a Student Appreciation Day at WyoTech in Laramie Wyoming. Johnson spoke about careers and how to market your self after graduation. “Sponsorships are not always about racing,” said Johnson. “Racing in general as well as winning races like the U.S. Nationals gives us some creditability when representing a sponsor. In this case with students, I spoke about careers, team work and workability skills to help the students when they go out to start their career. I’m an education guy as well as a racer and doing these kinds of events are a blast and very rewarding.” Full Throttle Points Standing: 8th |
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Norwalk Post race Report |
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Irondale, AL (6/29/09) - Steve Johnson gave the fans
a show this past weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals with
some of his best runs of the year—qualifying in the top half of the field
for Sunday. Johnson and his WyoTech team proved to have a quick and
consistent Suzuki for the first three rounds and tested their new spare
engine on the fourth. “Qualifying really well is a blast,” said Johnson.
“We have some selected WyoTech enrollees and reps come with us to the
starting line for an extra special view of the races and when we do really
well it’s just that much more exciting for them.” The consistency left however in the first round on race day, as the bike puzzled the entire team when it took Johnson for a sideways wild ride nearly crossing the center line. “I can’t remember the last time when the bike threw me a huge curve and took me on a ride to nearly t-bone the competitor,” said Johnson. “It’s all I could do not to crash into the timing blocks.” This is the team’s second consecutive first round loss but because of a few past great races the team still stays in the top 10 in Full Throttle points. “There are a lot of things in life worse than not winning first round at the drag races,” said Johnson. “It’s just that this is what we do and it burns really bad. Tim and the guys did a great job this weekend. When we figure out what happened we’ll make sure that we add that to our notes on how to lose in the first round. Those notes get to be very long but as long as it doesn’t happen again we learn and move on” Johnson spent Tuesday through Thursday night prior to the race in Kansas City at the SkillsUSA National Conference. Speaking to students at the Automotive Service Technology Championship Appreciation for Snap-on as well as judging the first ever Sustainability (green) contest for Cengage Learning was just a part of the 59,000 hours of volunteerism donated to Skills USA. “In short, it’s a national competition for students to compete in over 60 different trades. Seeing all of the different trades was something in itself, but those students are all so motivated. I always talk about goal setting and all the different careers you can have.” On Saturday night after qualifying, Johnson was the auctioneer for the Locks of Love charity auction raising over $15,000 with 40 participants donating hair. The team now heads back to their shop in Irondale, Ala. where they will certainly be looking over every aspect of the bike before heading to the next race in Denver. Results:
Next: Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals, Bandimere Speedway, Morrison, CO July 10-12 |
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Englishtown Post race Report |
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Irondale, AL (6/14/09) - Steve Johnson Racing’s WyoTech Snap-on
Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle team had two goals this weekend: building a
new engine in time to race and bringing home a Wally to Irondale, AL.
While they did not make it to winner’s circle in Englishtown, they did
manage to successfully race this weekend as they were able to build a new
engine at the track in time to get it qualify in the top half. Qualifying
was shortened due to rain, but the crew forged ahead determined to do
their best on race day. Johnson’s first round race against Douglas Horne
was a close one, with Horne grabbing just 3 hundredths of a second more to
take him to the finish line first. “I really wanted a trip to the winner’s circle this weekend,” said Johnson. “After making it to the semi’s in Chicago, I wanted it more than ever and I know my crew did too. We had a lot of work to do on the bike before this race—we had to basically rebuild our number 1 engine here at the track, but the guys got it together and did it in time to get a fast and consistent bike to race. We’re definitely looking forward to having some time in-between now and Norwalk though, because we’ll have some quality time in the shop and on the dyno to make sure we’ve got all the power we can to bring a race winning bike to Ohio.” The team will be taking advantage of the opportunity of every moment available in the shop to break in the new engine. The Irondale, AL shop is complete with a full dyno facility, which will certainly be of use considering Johnson did not have as much of a chance to give the engine the work out he wished. “In my experience you just can’t take a brand new crank and put it in an engine and send it down the track at 14,500 RPM’s. It needs to be broken in a low and more respectable RPM before we send it into battle. The only problem was that Tim and the guys finished building the engine on Thursday night and riding it on the New Jersey turn pike was a bit out of the question for a break-in period. So we threw it into battle anyway and luckily got some favorable results. “The fact that the weather went from nice to raining to super fast was a tuner’s dream, but not for one that’s trying to take a brand new crank shaft and turn it 14,500 RPM’s. We’re committed to working and finding out what it takes to adjust to the conditions as fast as everyone else does.” While Johnson and team are certainly looking to win rounds and races, the Countdown to 10 is closing in, and the team is well aware of the need to keep moving upwards. The Pro Stock Motorcycle class as a whole has created a tight race and the players continue to battle to move up in the class. “This points deal sure makes things interesting. We want to win every race. The satisfaction for the team is just so tremendous. End of the day we want to win as a team and for our fans and sponsors. Let’s face it, when you bring home a win, not only is it gratifying, but it says that you’re work hard at your business of racing.” Results:
Next: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH June 25 - 28. |
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Englishtown Pre race Report |
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Irondale, AL (6/12/09) -
Steve Johnson and his Pro Stock Motorcycle team are
rolling into Englishtown with the adrenaline of their Joliet semi-final
appearance still pumping high. The round winning weekend and Johnson’s new
career best speed have only fueled the team’s fire for a win at Old Bridge
Township Raceway Park and to position themselves higher in the point
standings. “I’m still feeling the rush of it all.” said Johnson. “Looking back at what we’ve accomplished this weekend and where we are now—we’ve done well and I couldn’t be more proud of how the guys have come together on this bike. I’d be lying though if I said that each one of us wasn’t thinking of what we could have done to make that bike go another round, a little bit faster, push a bit harder. You look back and you go ‘maybe I should have done that engine change or added more weight or switched back to that first clutch combination’, but that’s the whole science of the sport.” Science it is indeed. While posting the top speed of the weekend, the team still had to diagnose what seemed to be causing slowing speeds from their 194.07 performance. The WyoTech team took apart the suspected injured engine to find a broken crank shaft. A new crank shaft has been ordered, but the team will have to rebuild the engine at the track in Englishtown. “These engines don’t just grow on trees and we need an arsenal for this race. But replacing a crank at the track is not what we wanted to do. However that is one of many advantages of having Tim Kulungian and the WyoTech guys at the track with a trailer full of the Snap-on tools to fix our engine. Of course I’d rather they were at the shop and testing it on the dyno. I thought about our hectic week and you know, all of the action of Full Throttle NHRA drag racing doesn’t just take place on the track. Part of me feels like I did when I was racing back in the day before 400,000 dollar tractor trailers hauling around a mini race shop. If you had something break down on the road, that was just part of the trip. You fix it and keep going—and that’s all part of the sport and the excitement.” Johnson is currently tied with Shawn Gann for 8th in the point standings, just 39 points behind Matt Guidera. The team is as aware of the points chase as ever as the Countdown to 10 nears at the Nationals in Indianapolis, where Johnson is the reigning champion. “So far this year, we’ve gone out and shown what we are capable of, but that is by no means what we will settle for,” said Johnson. “We’ve gone out and gone faster than ever, we’re in a better position than we were last year and I know we have the team, the tools and the determination to continue winning rounds. I feel that this is what this sport is all about— getting your hands dirty, building the best bike out there, and putting it all out there on the race day.” United Association NHRA SuperNationals Nationals Television Coverage: All telecasts on ESPN2 and ESPN HD, all times Eastern 6/13/09 Qualifying 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM 6/13/09 Qualifying 11:30 PM – 12:30 AM 6/14/09 Eliminations 10:00 PM –1:00 AM |
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Chicago Post race Report |
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Irondale, AL (6/08/09) - The Steve Johnson Racing
team may not have a race win to celebrate this weekend, but Steve Johnson
and the WyoTech Snap-on Suzuki team certainly made their mark on Route 66.
The team won two rounds and fought their way into the semi-finals and made
a pass that proved to be the top speed of the weekend with 194.07mph. That
194.07mph also rocketed Johnson to a new career best speed at an official
event; going 13 hundredths of a second faster than his previous record.
“This weekend had some great high points,” said Johnson. “We had a really fast motorcycle in qualifying. Our number six qualifying position was a combination of hard work and testing in St. Louis a few weeks back and figured out some jetting issues.” On race day, Tim Kulungian with WyoTech graduates Sam Perry and Mike Walding had their hands full with rain changing all the weather conditions. All the teams were scrambling to make the proper adjustments because the engine combination that the team had made for the qualifying runs on Friday and Saturday were what worked on Friday and Saturday to make the teams fast was not going to be fast on Sunday. “We knew the rain might mess us up,” said Johnson. “You see one of the many things that changes after a rain is that there is still water in the air—humidity-- and it almost doubled from qualifying to eliminations. That might sound strange, but it’s weather talk and the bottom line is you just don’t make the same power when you mix water in the air and try to burn it with gas.” After the first round win the team needed to do an engine swap in record time. The day was already shortened due to rain, but the ESPN2 show still had to go on and stormy skies were rolling in again, so the teams were pressed for shorten times in the pits. “The guys really did an awesome job. You always hear about NASCAR teams practicing their pit stops, well our guys do too. I would put them up against any other team out there. I’ve really got to give it to the team—they’ve got some major hustle to swap the engines, get us ready for the next round and doing all the on track jobs to give us another round win and getting us to the semis. That is a great accomplishment and I have got to thank WyoTech for training such great graduates.” The Steve Johnson Racing team is already on their way to Englishtown, NJ for the United Association SuperNationals. With only days on the road for driver and crew, it’s to be sure that the elusive win will be on the mind. Now holding a new career best speed, Team WyoTech entered the Chicago race 10th in the points standing. Headed to Englishtown and the Full Throttle Series’ fifth race for the Pro Stock Motorcycle Class they are now tied for eighth in the points as they close in on the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. Results:
Next: United Association NHRA SuperNationals, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ June 11 - 14 |
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Chicago Pre race Report |
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Irondale, AL (6/04/09) - Steve Johnson
is bringing his Pro Stock Suzuki Motorcycle and team to the Route 66
raceway with a new found sense of determination. Ever known as the jovial
and laidback comic at the track; Johnson’s other side—the competitive
rider and team owner—has only been growing stronger. For Johnson, it’s a
matter of balancing the two. “Racing is my life”, said Johnson. “But I’m a huge late night fan and I had to get my fix of Leno passing the Tonight show to Conan. I get a chance to relax and laugh a bit. Then when its over and its still late, I can think about what we need to do better as a team to win. Snap-on is right up the road from Joliet and winning this race would mean so much to our team”. In addition to being the driver, Johnson is also the team owner and spends much of his time crunching the numbers, scheduling his personal appearances as well as running what he calls his “in house marketing agency”. For him, he’s looking to balance the books to run the team, entertain the fans, keep value in his sponsorships and also to make sure he’s training to be quick and safe on the bike. “Drag racing is so exciting right now,” said Johnson. “I just love it for the fans. So many of us are trying to see how far we can stretch the dollar to put on the best and fastest show and bring home a big payday and trophy. If you skimp on the parts…you will know it at 14,000 RPM’s. If you buy everything possible and test every off weekend you will run out of money pretty early in the year. It’s a balancing act. For me, I try to watch every dollar at the shop, but when we get to the track and we are between rounds, I’m like throw everything we got at it”. The crew at Steve Johnson Racing has done just that. Lead by Tim Kulungian, WyoTech graduates Sam Perry and Mike Walding have torn the entire Suzuki to the shop floor. Using the data from previous races and testing, the team has worked to make changes to the motorcycle, and with help from Vance and Hines, the engines and bike are now ready for Chicago. All of that work though will hopefully prove to give Johnson the competitive edge. “Our goal is to qualify in the top half of the ladder. Being number one is still a possibility, but that will just be icing on the cake. If we can get qualify well and go some rounds on Sunday, we will have a great chance to move up on the Full Throttle points list”. While looking to win his first race of the 2009 season, Johnson also hopes to improve his position in the point standings. He currently is 10th in the standings, just 1 point behind Matt Guidera. “You have to be in the top ten after Indy because the points are reset for the top 10 and we have a run off to the last race of the year. Keep an eye on us online at www.NHRA.com or better yet come see us at the races. But what ever you do you can bet we will be there fighting as hard as we can to win”. United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals Television Coverage: All telecasts on ESPN2 and ESPN HD, all times Eastern 6/6/09 Qualifying 10:30 PM – 12:30 PM 6/7/09 Eliminations 4:00 PM –6:00 PM |
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St Louis Post race Report |
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Irondale, AL (5/03/09) - Steve Johnson will be
loading up his Pro Stock Motorcycle and heading home to Irondale, Ala.
without a Wally, but he and the team are no less determined to continue
their fight for the championship. The WyoTech team worked diligently
throughout the weekend in hopes of scoring another win at Gateway Int’l
Raceway—the home of Steve Johnson’s first win. Despite the rain claiming
one session of qualifying on Friday, the team was able to make consistent
runs on Saturday and made it safely into the field. The team had its
fastest run of the weekend on Sunday, but it was just not fast enough to
catch Matt Smith. “We had a good run, but it was classic drag racing”, said Johnson. “I just had to go faster. I say that like it’s just as easy as pushing my foot down a bit more on the accelerator on my old Camaro, but there’s so much we want to do. This isn’t just a job; it’s an addiction, a passion and this team wants and has the capability to win. There’s so much technology we’re working with—from jetting to gear combinations to our clutch. It’s all been running differently on the dyno than it does on the track and it’s just a matter of getting the perfect combination. Depending on the weather, we really want to stay and test and see what we can do with this clutch”. When not racing down the track, Johnson was racing around it. On Friday, Johnson again worked with the NHRA’s Youth and Educational Services (Y.E.S.) Program and had the opportunity to talk with local area high school and vocational students with Tony Schumacher. While the rain clouds continued to plague the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals, Johnson hosted participants from the Y.E.S. Program to pit tours and then spoke and signed autographs for Gateway’s fans. “Rainy days are always a bummer, but this one was kind of rocking in that we were so busy this time that I didn’t have time to really notice the delay. We just had people coming to learn about our pit and rap with the team. Then it seems like all the fans at the track were in that autograph tent. All the drivers and all the fans were chilling together waiting for the rain to stop— at least if we had to be waiting, I’m glad that we could kind of make a party out of it”. Saturday brought sunny skies for racing and Johnson’s full schedule. The team hosted WyoTech enrollees for a full VIP tour of the racing tractor trailer and reaction timer seminar with race for prizes. Johnson then visited Snap-on’s VIP hospitality area to take pictures, sign autographs and of course join them for lunch. “What an awesome day. Of course I love the racing, but it’s great to get to do the program with the students and give them the chance to see what we do here. I keep saying it’s like they get a ‘crystal ball’ into their future, because we’ve got two grads on the team and this is what they can be doing once they graduate! Then I get to go over to Snap-on, chow down and talk tools. Then I had to run back to my pits because I stayed too long talking about motorcycles and tool boxes and I also had to work off the three chocolate chip cookies I ate”. The Full Throttle Series will bring the Pro Stock Motorcycles next to Joliet, IL in June, but there will be little rest for Steve Johnson Racing. While not yielding a Wally, their time in St. Louis has provided valuable information. Johnson and team will be heading to Route 66 Raceway ever hungry for a win, determined and focused on rising in the points standings. Results:
Next: United Associated Route 66 NHRA Nationals, Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL June 4 - 6. |
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St Louis Pre race Report |
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Irondale, AL (4/20/09) - From the
outside, Steve Johnson’s Pro Stock Motorcycle shop looks like a
professional haven for any motorsports enthusiast. The past few weeks
however, one might compare it to a mad scientist’s laboratory as Johnson
and the crew have been working non-stop with the season’s race and testing
data to make a winning bike for the Midwest Nationals. While he has yet to
don a white lab coat or attempt to harness lightening; Johnson and the
team have spent countless hours toiling over the computers and a steady
hum of machinery can be heard from the front office late into the evening.
Gateway Int’l Raceway was home to Johnson’s first career NHRA win in 2004 and he is hoping that it will also be the home to his first win of the 2009 season. “I know we have a race winning bike and a race winning team, but we’ve just been one note short of the perfect tune. We’ve been testing and racing, and we’ve had good solid numbers. That being said, they haven’t been good enough to win and I know we can do better. I just can’t quit—I know we’ve got a winning solution to get it right. “Some people may say that I’m a ‘workaholic’, but I’ve always said I will not settle for anything less than associating our team with number one brands like my sponsors and I want to provide them with a number one winning race team. If that means extra hours with racepak data, more sessions on the dyno and triple checking every part on that bike, then we’re going to do it. If we see anything that isn’t perfect, we’re not going to use it”. The team continues to expand their own knowledge base, working on every little detail of the carburetors, clutch and electronics. Jeff Prock a clutch specialist will again be joining the Steve Johnson Racing crew for the St. Louis race to hopefully bring another St. Louis win to the team. “I talk constantly about how I want to win this year, but as much as it on my mind, it’s on the minds of my crew—Tim Kulungian, Sam Perry and Mike Walding too. Not one of us could do it alone. We win as a team and we lose as a team. We’ve been working this season to take our performance to a higher level and to take this brand new Suzuki and get it in to the Countdown to the Championship. With all that though comes taking on new technology and learning new skills. We have WyoTech technical schools as a partner in our racing, but education is really where they help us learn more about what we do. You have to be able to keep learning to keep up with racing these days. As a team, we have to be able to learn the latest technologies, programs and work with new tools. The Southern Nationals in Atlanta was a perfect example—the class keeps getting quicker and that means we have to find new ways to get faster”. While Johnson has been looking for speed, technology and higher learning, he is ultimately looking for his team’s first 2009 win and to move up from his current standing of 9th in the points. Johnson currently holds the U.S. Nationals and the Carolina Nationals title, but is eager to bring a 2009 Full Throttle Wally (trophy) back to the shop to show for his hard work. O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals Television Coverage: All telecasts on ESPN2 and ESPN HD, all times Eastern 5/2/09 Qualifying 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 5/3/09 Eliminations 7:00 PM –10:00 PM |
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Atlanta Post race Report |
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Irondale, AL (4/20/09) - Pro Stock
Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson may be back at home in Irondale, Ala. after
a first round loss at the Summit Southern Nationals, but the team is happy
to have qualified and raced Sunday after a strenuous weekend in Atlanta.
Pro Stock Motorcycles as a class proved competitive as ever, setting new
records and many teams posting career best times. “We struggle here as a team”, said Johnson. “In fact come to think of it, we have always struggled in Atlanta. Of all the places to race, I would love to win at a home town race. Heck the fun in winners circle would be a life time memory. We come here with all of our friends and family and we want knock it out of the park. Unfortunately with tradition repeating itself, we went into last round of qualifying not qualified”. In 2008, NHRA added a new twist to qualifying that locked in the top 12 times after the second round of qualifying. That rule caught the WyoTech team as the 6.99 run on Friday night was only good enough for number 13. So Saturday the team started from scratch again racing against the other 12 teams in the bottom half of the field to get in with just 2 two sessions left. “The same thing happened last year and I can honestly tell you I hate the stress of having just one last shot at getting in the field. We got in and qualified, but only because the guys found a huge problem and fixed it before the last session. This problem has been popping its head up for the first three races so in a way I’m glad they learned a ton from the fix. “As for the actual pass, I always talk about Pro Stock Motorcycles not needing the macho component to ride them, but rather needing finesse. I was so frustrated for the last round of qualifying, that there was no part of finesse that got me to ride the bike—it was strictly a reflex that got us in”. The WyoTech/Snap-on team qualified in the number 14th position setting up Sunday’s first round match up against number four qualifier Matt Smith’s Nitro Fish Suzuki. The near record breaking run of Smith was too much for Johnson as Smith’s Suzuki drove away from the very start in round number one. The team has been working to take the performance of the bike to a newer, higher level for 2009. From testing, in-shop custom fabrication and endless hours— Johnson is dedicated to creating a race winning motorcycle. For the team, it goes beyond late night engine changes, weeks on the road and weekends in the shop. “I always say whenever you think you know everything you find a whole new world of things you don’t know. We are learning about new technology and trying to master it. There is just so much cool stuff that is developing everyday. This past weekend was a lot about learning. “We are trying so hard to take everything we learn in testing and on the shop dyno to be better. Last years program is just not going to work with all the changes. We know we have what it takes to make a winning bike. I always talk about how much I love food and it’s like I’ve got the ingredients to the special sauce… I’m just trying to figure out how to perfect it”. Johnson did a lot of learning indeed. In addition to his crew, the team also has Jeff Prock, another well respected tuner. The entire team is currently in the shop working to digest all of last weekend’s race data in preparations for the St. Louis race at Gateway Int’l Raceway. Johnson scored his first national event win at the NHRA Midwest Nationals there in 2004. Results:
Next: O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals, Gateway Int’l, Madison, IL May 1 - 3 |
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Atlanta Pre race Report |
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Irondale, AL (4/16/09) - Pro Stock
Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson of Irondale, Ala., is heading into the
Southern Nationals in Commerce, GA with a rejuvenated and ever determined
hunger for the win. While Atlanta Dragway may be considered “home track”
for Johnson on the Full Throttle Series (being just a few hours’ drive
from his own shop’s sweet home of Alabama)—it’s also the home to Johnson’s
1995 number one qualification. Johnson will certainly be looking to repeat
that feat, but the team will be more steadfastly focused on Sunday where
they will be hoping to make multiple passes for all their friends in
attendance. “Of course I love racing at a hometown track. We’ve got our shop setup next door in Irondale, Alabama so this is a great chance for all our hometown friends and family to come out and see what we do. Also, I’ve got a handful of dirt bike buddies who will finally get to see my other bike. That being said, we are here to race and we’ve been working hard since Houston. It’s going to be a great weekend, with some serious racing”. The team has worked relentlessly both in the shop and out on the track in testing in preparations for the Atlanta race this weekend. This included five test runs in Valdosta. “I know I keep saying that testing is expensive. I talk about the cost of everything, but I’m not just a rider, I’m a team owner and I’m focused not just on winning, but also making sure that we get to race this whole season and the seasons yet to come. So far this season, we’ve been able to make consistent runs at each race, and I want to keep that going, but I know we can go faster and testing has proved that.” For Johnson, this race has been like many others, with pre-race activities, appearances and show bike visits scheduled thick. On Wednesday, April 15th, Johnson went Full Throttle in downtown Atlanta. “This race was special though, we got to visit the series sponsor Full Throttle at the Coca-Cola headquarters. I had the opportunity to take our show bike and reaction timer over there for the day and show them a bit of what we do. There was every Coca-Cola product you could ever imagine—it was like being in wonderland”. Johnson then headed northwest to Canton, GA with Josh Stark of WyoTech to visit students at Sequoya High School where he talked with local automotive and career students opportunities in motorsports and goal setting. “These students know the program. I mean one look at the economy and you know the competition is as tough as ever to get a job out there. Any leg up you can give yourself to give you a bit of an edge in this market will help. Having a post secondary school education with training in your field will give you an advantage. Having two WyoTech graduates on my crew is a perfect example of that.” Johnson enters this race 7th in the points standing, just two points behind Ed Krawiec in the sixth spot. Johnson will be looking for his first win of the season. Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals Television Coverage: All telecasts on ESPN2 and ESPN HD, all times Eastern 4/18/09 Qualifying 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 4/19/09 Eliminations 7:00 PM –10:00 PM |
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Houston Post race Report |
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Houston. TX (3/29/2009) - Pro Stock
Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson of Irondale, Ala. may have only had three
qualifying runs at the rain shortened O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in
Houston, but that was enough for him qualify number nine and pick up
another round win to take home. “Qualifying was so crazy,” said Johnson. “The weather conditions on Saturday morning were super cool and dry. It’s what some of us call racing in a mind shaft. The problem was there were gusts of 15mph that blew across the cold track that made riding a real handful. In fact it’s like putting your hand out the window and then turning it up to catch the wind. When the gust hits at 160mph and the front wheel is just touching the track, its all you can do to keep the bike in the lane much less the groove. Training on my dirt bike gives me a ton of confidence and our pretty good 7.03 pass was good enough to lock us in the field.” Sunday brought Johnson’s quickest times of the weekend, with a 6.987 to best Wesley Wells in the first round and a 7.011, which was just short to catch Andrew Hines. “Houston is something else! I mean we had rain, sun and wow was it cold. This track is like no where else for making for interesting drag racing. The weather ended up making for some great and wild racing conditions for us. This bike is definitely one that’s made for getting in the sixes and Tim, Sam and Mike (our crew) just keep finding more little things.” In-between rounds of racing on Saturday, Johnson again hosted WyoTech Technical School enrollees and their guests to a tour of Steve Johnson Racing pit area. Students were able to get an up close and personal look at the bike, the workings of the trailer and a few even challenged Steve to a round of racing—on X-Box of course. “We have two WyoTech grads on our team. Sam [Perry] and Mike [Walden] have been huge assets to this team, and it’s great for the students to be able to rap with someone who’s been where they have and then is where they want to be. We had one student who drove over 8 hours to be here and he digs bikes! I just can’t say enough how great it is to be able to show these guys and gals what they can do with a WyoTech education.” Johnson has powered into the season with first round wins in both races of the Pro Stock Motorcycle season. Completing his 265th race and bringing home his 240th round win, Johnson returns to his shop with new career markers, but an ever increasing desire for a win. “Looking back, we’ve certainly started out this season stronger than last year. The trick is going to be able to keep this learning curve going. We’ve been able to get through first round twice in a row now and I know we have a winning bike. I definitely want to see a longer Sunday in Atlanta.”
Results:
Next: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, GA April 16 - 19. |
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Gainesville Post race Report |
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Gainesville, FL (3/15/09) - Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson of Irondale, Ala. is leaving the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals with a one round win to take with him on his way to the second race in Houston. “We had a good day. Our testing went great and that gave us a strong platform for our first round win and setting the tone for this season. We would have loved to have won the race, but loosing by .03 in the quarter finals is drag racing!” While Johnson was certainly looking to repeat his 2005 Gatornationals’ win, it was a weekend of momentum and foundation building. Johnson posted four solid qualifying rounds throughout Friday and Saturday. With speeds reaching up to 190mph, Johnson’s WyoTech Suzuki qualified in the 8th spot, joining the top half of the field for Sunday morning. “We’ve got a brand new bike with new guys in new positions and we made four perfect qualifying runs, which is great! Tim [Kulungian], Sam [Perry] and Mike [Walden] had that bike prepared to go. Testing is so expensive, but it really helped the team jell. Now, we have even more confidence to make the best tuning calls to get the results we want.” Fans at the Gatornationals saw more of Johnson than just speeding on the track this weekend. Johnson spoke to over 650 students at Nature Coast Technical High School in Brooksville, Fla. on Thursday, a 6:00 am appearance with bike on ABC’s local morning news, and then trackside at the U.S. Army’s Youth and Educational Services Program on Friday morning with students from many schools around north Florida. For the first time, the Snap-on “No Compromise” tour came to the NHRA races and Johnson visited with customers and franchisees as technology moved from motorcycles to tools. WyoTech Enrollees and their guests were treated to a full tour of the Steve Johnson Racing pit and had a chance to see the workings of both the team and the trailer. “Typically, we’d stay and test, but so far this hasn’t been a typical season, and I don’t think it’s going to be. We’re going to go home, service the engines and get out there to race again.” Johnson won the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in 2005. Though they leave this year without a title, the team goes forward resolute with gained momentum towards the Spring Nationals in Houston.
Results:
Next: O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX March 27 - 29. |
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Gainesville Pre race Report |
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Irondale, AL (3/11/09) - Amidst the fever of preparing for a new
year of racing, Steve Johnson of Irondale, Ala. looks to the beginning of
his 23rd season with an optimistic, yet seasoned eye. “I’ve never felt better about our chances to win,” Johnson says with a smile as he looks over his desk at a couple of the teams NHRA Wallys (trophies). “Looking at the trophies motivates me and the team- Tim Kulungian, Sam Perry and Mike Walden to do just a bit better this year. I’m learning about how my brain processes information, and training to be in the best physical condition possible. Together those issues will give me the confidence to make the right decisions on the starting line as well as about 200mph.” Johnson enters the season primed to compete at every race on the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series with his team: “I know it’s not gonna be easy, but after winning Indy and Charlotte last year and getting the taste of chasing for the championship, I’ve never wanted to go out and race more than I do now.” While Johnson is going to try to lead his team to a much coveted Full Throttle championship, he’s also the team owner and has put himself on the line this season- entering the season without a major sponsor. “We’ve got a great program with WyoTech again this year,” said Johnson. “It’s a partnership that is as exciting for the students as it is for our entire race team. We are also very proud to enter our 18th year working with Snap-on Tools. For me, they are the undisputed leader and being involved with number one brands is what we strive for.” Johnson has one clear answer as to why he’s still running while on the sponsorship hunt: “One reason we’ve been in the sport this long, year after year is because this is all we do- my entire career is being a Professional Drag Racing team owner and rider. I wake up every day with fire and passion to win races, like the U.S. Nationals, as well as knowing I have to provide value to sponsors to keep doing it. In short, I’m having a blast and will never give-up.” Bottom line though, it comes down to one thing for Johnson: “There just isn’t anything better than winning and having a top notch team. We are going out there knowing that our Suzuki won the two biggest races on the tour last year and even with all the off season changes to our team, we are capable of having a better year in 2009.” Johnson won the AC/Delco NHRA Gatornationals 2005 NHRA AC/Delco NHRA Gatornationals Television Coverage: All telecasts on ESPN2 and ESPN HD, all times Eastern
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