| 2008 Press
Releases
Click here for the 2007 press releases |
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Indianapolis Pre race Report |
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IRONDALE, AL 8/23/08 - Six days from today – at just about this
precise hour – qualifying will begin for the largest and most prestigious
drag race of this or any other year. A few short days from now dozens of
Pro Stock Motorcycle racers will begin their quests for glory at the NHRA
U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park in the Indianapolis suburb of
Claremont. It’s a quest that Steve Johnson of Irondale, AL knows all
about, for just a few short years ago, after four grueling days of
competition he stood atop the heap – well, almost! An electronic error first gave the victory to his opponent in a race so close that Johnson himself was stunned at the outcome. As he turned off the track aboard his Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki, he turned to the assembled media and plaintively asked, “I lost?” It was a bitter pill to swallow, but less than 24 hours later, after careful examination of the race video it was apparent to all that Johnson had won by almost a wheel width. “Yeah, I was crushed when I thought I lost,” Johnson said from his shop in Irondale as his team prepared for the trip to Indiana. “Getting that close to winning the most important race of the year only to come up short is incredibly depressing. I had a real tough night that Labor Day Monday, but the next morning everything changed.” While Johnson may have been forced by circumstances to enjoy his U.S. Nationals winners circle celebration at a race in the Keystone State a week after the fact, he didn’t mind. “When all was said and done, our team had won the NHRA U.S. Nationals,” he recalls. “No one can ever take that away from us, but right now I’m packing that away in my memory banks. Right now, here in 2008, the object is to win it all again, and believe me, there’s a lot at stake here.” Johnson isn’t exaggerating. At the conclusion of the U.S. Nationals the Countdown to 1 program begins, with only the Top 10 points earners remaining eligible for this year’s NHRA POWERade championship. Going into the race he’s in 9th place in the standings, and while it appears unlikely that he’ll be knocked out of the Top 10 by the time it’s over, he knows that in racing, anything can happen. “We’re pretty confident right now,” he says, “but we can’t let up, not for a single second. The U.S. Nationals is the only race in which we get five rather than four qualifying attempts. We can’t afford to blow a single opportunity. There are two evening sessions -- Friday and Saturday. We need to make good – no, make that great runs in both of those, and then we’ve got to make competitive runs during the heat of the day, because that’s the kind of conditions we’re going to face on race day, which is Labor Day Monday. “Man, it’s still seven days from now, and I’m already feeling the pressure!” Johnson’s crew chief, Mark Peiser, feels the team has shown tremendous promise in the last few weeks, but he knows Indy isn’t “just another race.” “If we’re going to be lucky enough to roll our Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Suzuki into the winners circle on Monday, we darn sure better make good runs Friday, Saturday, Sunday and then again during eliminations on Monday,” he said. “This is a real challenge, but I think we’re up to it.” Nicknamed “The Big Go” eons ago by drag racing fans, the U.S. Nationals offers competitors the largest purse of the season, but in actuality, for racers like Steve Johnson it’s more about the points than it is the money. “If we come out of Indy in the Top 10 and qualify for the Countdown,” he said, “we’ll consider it a victory, of course. “But coming out of Indy with another win? That’s the stuff dreams are
made of!” |
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Reading Post race Report |
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MOHNTON, PA 8/17/08 - Steve Johnson of Irondale, Al
rode his Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki to a semifinal
round finish at the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in
the Reading suburb of Mohnton, Penn. on Sunday afternoon, a finish that
will help cement Johnson’s place in the NHRA Countdown to 1 championship
program. Only the Top 10 points earners will be eligible for the POWERade
championship following the next race, the prestigious U.S. Nationals over
Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis. The 22-year veteran of Pro Stock
Motorcycle drag racing is currently 9th in the standings, and is unlikely
to be bumped out of the Top 10 at the race everyone calls simply “The
Nationals.” Johnson was victorious in drag racing’s most important race in 2005, and would like nothing better than to repeat that accomplishment. “Winning Indy was nothing short of fantastic,” he said from Maple Grove Raceway. “But that seems like a long time ago now. Our goal is certainly to repeat at Indy, but the big picture is making sure we’re in that Countdown to 1, and going rounds in the Nationals will certainly help make that dream come true.” Johnson recorded his quickest elapsed time of the season with a 6.955 second effort that qualified him Number 5 (his speed of 193.88 mph was good enough for Top Speed of the Meet), assuring him lane choice in the first round against former AHDRA World Champion Jr. Pippin, but Pippin negated his chances with a redlight start. Johnson had a superior elapsed time against second round opponent Eddie Krawiec, who also redlighted, and then had an exceptional Reaction Time of 0.007 seconds against Matt Smith, but his 7.019 second elapsed time couldn’t match Smith’s 6.983 second run. “I think we’re headed in the right direction,” said Johnson’s crew chief, Mark Peiser, at the end of the day. “Steve did a great job at the controls, and everyone on the team did an exceptional job all weekend. Now, if we can catch a break or two in the upcoming races I think we can be a real championship contender.” Johnson agreed, adding “The pressure is really going to escalate from here on out. Our Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools team is really focused on what’s ahead. If we can keep going rounds like we did here today I think we have an excellent shot at moving up in the standings. “Man, that would really be something, wouldn’t it?” Prior to arriving at Maple Grove Raceway Johnson’s entire team made a special appearance at the WyoTech Technical School in Blairsville, Penn. where they gave more than 1,000 students a tour of the entire race team operation. “We love doing that stuff,” Johnson said. “For a lot of those young people it’s an eye-opener because prior to seeing our operation some of them think that racing is pretty simple, but once they see the steps we go through to prepare our Suzuki, and what we go through after every run, they get a better idea of how important a technical education is going to be for their futures. The ‘real world’ is probably tougher to conquer than the world of drag racing, so we know that what we show them can have lasting results.” On Saturday Johnson’s team hosted more than 100 new student enrollees in the WyoTech Technical Schools program at the track, which made for a hectic day. “We’re used to it, and it’s all worth it,” Johnson said. “Believe me, it not only fires them up when they see how hard we work, their enthusiasm fires us up, too!” Results:
Next: NHRA U.S. Nationals, O’Reilly Raceway Park. Claremont (Indianapolis), Ind. August 29 – September 1 |
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Brainerd Pre race Report |
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IRONDALE, AL 8/4/08 - Despite a 9th place finish in
the 2007 NHRA POWERade points standings, Steve Johnson of Irondale, Ala.
acknowledges that last year was a disappointment. “We didn’t qualify for
the Countdown to the Championship,” he said. “Nothing else mattered. We’ve
worked all season to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Right now we’re
okay. We’re not a lock to make the Countdown, so every qualifying run we
make this coming weekend at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Min.
is critically important, and every round of racing on Sunday is even more
so. “There are just three races remaining until the Top 10 riders in Pro Stock Motorcycle are locked in for the Countdown to the Championship, and every member of our Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki team is just as determined as I am that we’re going to be a part of that. “It’s amazing the way things work. We’ve raced all year to be in the Top 10 to qualify for the Countdown, and then we’ll have to push even harder to try and win the POWERade championship. “It may be a cliché, but it really is true that if this was easy everyone would be doing it. The quality of competition in Pro Stock Motorcycle is mind-boggling. There are maybe a dozen riders who are regulars on the NHRA POWERade Series circuit who are capable of winning on any given Sunday, so that means we have to be on the top of our game every time out. Man, talk about your pressure cooker situations, this is it!” In his last three outings Johnson has scored a semifinal round finish at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Ohio, a runner-up finish at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver and then a crushing first round redlight loss at the Fram Autolite Nationals in California. Despite that setback he remains in 9th place in the points standings, less than a round of racing out of 8th. But, as Johnson said while watching his team load their Suzuki race bike for the ride north, “That sounds good right now, but let’s see where we are after this weekend’s race. Maybe at that point I’ll be able to breathe a little easier.” The NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals on television: All broadcasts on ESPN2, all times Eastern Qualifying: 8/9 8:30-10:30 PM |
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Sonoma Post race Report |
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SONOMA, CA 7/27/08 - “I knew Angelle (Sampey) was
going to be tough,” said Steve Johnson of Irondale, Al. after a first
round foul start that ended his day, “but I just pushed the ‘Tree too
hard.” Johnson’s early departure from eliminations temporarily put a hold
on the charge that began two races ago with a semifinal round finish, and
then a final round appearance in the most recent Pro Stock Motorcycle race
in Denver. In losing Johnson recorded his quickest elapsed time of the season, a 6.970 second run that shows promise for the future. “Going out to a redlight start is depressing,” Johnson added, “but I’m not completely down in the dumps because our Snap-on Tools Suzuki ran quick and fast today. Now it’s up to me to do a better job so we can advance further in eliminations at the next three races. That’s how many opportunities we have left in which to make the Countdown to the Championship. Only the Top 10 riders in the points are going to be eligible for the POWERade title after that, and we’re determined that our team is going to be one of them.” Johnson is currently a solid 9th in the standings, within striking distance of the rider in front of him. But he knows the next three outings are going to be not only critically important, they’re going to be emotionally draining. The culmination of a season’s worth of effort comes at the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend. Johnson is a past winner of drag racing’s most prestigious event, but he knows that will mean little once this year’s race begins. “Winning Indy was nothing short of amazing,” said Johnson of his 2005 victory, “but that was then, and this is now. Everyone competing in Pro Stock Motorcycle is better now than they were at the beginning of the season. I think our Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki team is also better now, but we can’t let up, we can’t sit back and hope things go our way. We have to be at the top of our game for the next three races, and if we make the Countdown then the pressure will really be intense, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.” With a top speed of over 192 mph at Infineon Raceway, and that six second time slip tucked safely away in his briefcase, Johnson will be heading to the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Mn. in two weeks with some confidence, but as he says, “The minute our guys finish loading up our Suzuki and breaking down our pit area, and we pull out of Infineon Raceway, we’re going to forget about what happened here, and concentrate on doing everything we can to make the next outing in Minnesota our best of the season. And then, after that, we’ll try to be even better in Reading (Pa.) the following weekend, and better still at Indy. “We all know what’s going on here. If we hesitate or stumble, we’re going to get run over by the rest of the pack. “We’re not going to let that happen!” Results:
Next: NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Mn., August 8-10 |
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Sonoma Pre race Report |
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IRONDALE, AL 7/21/08 - Following an impressive
runner-up finish at the NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver July
13th, Steve Johnson and his Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki
are primed and ready for the Fram Autolite Nationals at Infineon Raceway
in Sonoma, Ca. this coming weekend. In his last two outings Johnson has scored semifinal round and runner-up finishes, which has moved him into 9th place in the NHRA POWERade points standings. If he can maintain or even improve his points position in the four races remaining before the 10 finalists for the Countdown to the Championship are determined he’ll make the cut and be eligible for this year’s POWERade title. That’s the goal of this Irondale, Al. competitor, a 22-year veteran of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racing. “Our team has really come together this year,” Johnson said on Monday. “This is the second year we’ve worked with crew chief Mark Peiser, and it’s paying off every week. We’re running more consistently now than we have in a while, and I have a lot more confidence going to the starting line right now than I did at the beginning of the season. “Even though we’re running pretty good with our Snap-on Tools Suzuki, we really haven’t accomplished anything. We were all excited about being in the final round in Denver, but just being there isn’t enough. We want to win, so we’ve got to take one more giant step to do that. I’m thinking that maybe we can take that step in California’s Wine Country this coming weekend. If we do, I’ll be looking forward to tasting some of the region’s best vintage on Sunday evening!” Johnson continues to fill his days with personal appearances on behalf of both Snap-on Tools and WyoTech Technical Schools, but the hectic schedule appears to invigorate rather than wear him down. “We’re on the go every day of the week, “ he admits, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We have an important message to deliver to today’s young people about the future they can make for themselves through education and dedication, and when you get right down to it, that’s actually more important than what we accomplish on the track. “Winning is just the icing on that proverbial cake, and that’s what we’re looking forward to tasting this coming weekend. “Hmmmm. Cake and wine. Sounds like a winning combination to me!” The NHRA Fram Autolite Nationals on television: All broadcasts on ESPN2, all times Eastern. 7/26 Qualifying 6:00-8:00 PM |
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Denver Post race Report |
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MORRISON, CO 7/13/08 - After leading the early
qualifying at the NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals and eventually settling
for the fifth starting spot, Steve Johnson of Irondale, AL rode his
Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki to his first appearance in
a POWERade Series final round of the season. This followed his semi-final
round finish in Ohio two weeks ago, and confirms what event announcer Bob
Frey said early on Sunday: “Steve Johnson is certifiably hot right now,
and is a legitimate contender for the NHRA POWERade championship.”
Disappointed in his runner-up finish to Matt Smith, Johnson was nevertheless pleased with his team’s performance over the weekend. “I can’t say enough for my guys,” he said in a finish line interview. “Everyone is really working well together. This is the second year that Mark Peiser has been our crew chief, and that means a lot. It’s taken some time, but there are no missed signals now, no major goofs. Everyone’s on the same page, and it’s showing in our performances.” After the final round, when Johnson had a moment to reflect on the weekend, he said, “Tradition says this is all about winning, and don’t get me wrong, we wanted to win so badly. The guys did such a great job, and everybody says that, but my guys did really great. “But, you know what? We can convey a marketing message to the Snap-on Tools franchisees and to the WyoTech students, and if we’re in the final round, we’re still winners even if we didn’t get the win light!” With his final round appearance Johnson moved from tenth to ninth in the NHRA POWERade points standings, and remains within striking distance of the competitors in the sixth through eighth positions. “We’re certainly pleased about that,” he said, “but there’s a long way to go, and we’ll have to keep pushing if we intend to make the Countdown to the Championship.” Results:
Next: NHRA Fram Autolite Nationals, Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California, July 25-27. |
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Denver Saturday Report |
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MORRISON, CO 7/12/08 - “Now I know what they mean when they say
‘Fame is Fleeting,’” said Steve Johnson after qualifying ended for the
NHRA Mile-High Nationals in the Denver suburb of Morrison. After Friday’s
two runs Johnson, of Irondale, Al, had ridden his Snap-on Tools/WyoTech
Technical Schools Suzuki to the preliminary pole position, but all that
was to change on Saturday. Under almost perfect weather conditions Johnson and crew chief Mark Peiser began adjusting the motorcycle for race day conditions, resulting in Johnson matching Chip Ellis’s then-track elapsed time of 7.332 seconds in the first of two qualifying efforts. However, other riders went even quicker, dropping Johnson to the fourth spot. After the fourth and final session he’d fallen an additional spot back to fifth, but was far from disappointed. “We probably should have been more aggressive today,” he said, “but we still ended up in the top half of the field, and that’ll give us lane choice over Junior Pippin on Sunday. That could be very important in determining the outcome of the race.” Pippin is a former AHDRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion, and will provide strong opposition for Johnson on Sunday, but as Johnson said, “We’re ready for eliminations right now. We’ve tuned our motorcycle for the existing conditions, so now it’s up to me to do my job at the controls. “If we can continue the momentum we started building in the last few races, we’ll have a good outing on Sunday, and maybe move up in the points just a bit. We’d certainly like to do that, but I’ll be honest right now and say what we really want is to win the whole deal. It’s been a while since we’ve won an NHRA POWERade Series race, and we’d like nothing better than to have that happen right here in Denver. |
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Denver Pre race Report |
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IRONDALE, AL 7/3/08 - A semifinal round
finish at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Ohio 10 days ago
vaulted Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson back into the POWERade
Top 10 standings, but now another challenge awaits – the rarified air of
Bandimere Speedway just outside Denver, Colorado. “Racing ‘on the mountain’ is always tough,” acknowledged the driver of the Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki from his Alabama shop on Monday. “The static altitude at the track is 5,800 feet, and believe me, that’s just half of what we have to overcome at the Mile-High Nationals. We’re sporting almost 59 cubic inches of engine displacement to our competitors aboard Harley-Davidsons and Buells, and that’s a tough, uphill battle with a normally aspirated Suzuki engine. “As everyone who follows Pro Stock Motorcycle racing closely knows, there’s a considerable disparity between the Suzuki's and the V-Twin Harleys and Buells. No Suzuki has qualified Number 1 this season, and we’re a tick behind even at sea level. Considering we’re racing at 5,800 feet in Denver, I’d say we have our hands full. “I’m not complaining, but am only trying to be factual. We’ll continue to do the best we can with the rules structure we have, and hope and trust that there’ll be some positive changes in the near future, changes that will make all of the Suzuki's more competitive. “We scored our highest qualifying position
of the year in Ohio (third), and we’re changing our engine combination to
try and overcome the altitude in Colorado. We’re ready, our Suzuki is
ready, and if our team makes the right trackside tuning calls – and I do
my job at the controls – we could be having another really good outing.
That’s our goal – scoring points, winning rounds and making it into the
Countdown to the Championship.” Qualifying for the NHRA Mopar Mile-High
Nationals begins Friday afternoon at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison,
Colorado, and continues on Saturday, with eliminations scheduled for
Sunday beginning at 11:00 AM. Qualifying: July 12th 10:00 PM –
12:00 AM |
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Norwalk Post race Report |
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NORWALK, OH 6/28/08 - Steve Johnson
didn’t win the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals aboard his Snap-on Tools
Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle, but a strong semifinal round finish in the
seventh of 17 races on the NHRA POWERade Series tour showed that there’s
still a world of racing still to come, and he’s going to play an important
role in the outcome of the championship. Johnson qualified in the top half of the field with a strong 7.058 second effort that earned him the third starting position in a field of 16 motorcycles. It was his team’s strongest qualifying effort of the still-young season, and a credit to the work of crew chief Mark Peiser. “This was a tricky racing surface,” Peiser said. “Summit Motorsports Park is an exceptionally well prepared facility, but when it rains, and then the sun comes out and heats the track, it’s tough to make the right tuning calls. Steve did a great job riding our Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki, and I think we’re right on the verge of winning one of these races.” Johnson stopped former American Harley-Davidson Racing Association Pro Stock superstar Junior Pippin in the first round with a superior Reaction Time and better elapsed time and then used an even better R.T. to take a holeshot victory over Chip Ellis in the second round. But, in the semifinals Johnson had the tables turned on him when Craig Treble defeated him with a holeshot of his own. “Even though we didn’t win today, we were
overwhelmed when our teammate, Doug Herbert, drove his
SnaponToolsFranchise.com Top Fuel dragster to a big victory over Brandon
Bernstein,” Johnson said following an emotion-filled finale. “I couldn’t
be happier for Doug because this has been a very trying year for him and
his family. His two sons were killed in a highway accident back in
January, and Doug has devoted himself to bringing his message of safe
driving to young people ever since then. This was a big day for him, as
well as a big day for our team and the entire Snap-on Tools family. “Now
our goal is to double up at the Mile-High Nationals in Denver in two
weeks, with Doug winning again in Top Fuel, and us joining him in the
winners circle with our first Pro Stock Motorcycle victory of the season.”
Next: Mopar Mile-High Nationals, Bandimere Speedway, Morrison (Denver), CO July 11-13 |
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Englishtown Post race Report |
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ENGLISHTOWN, NJ 6/22/08 - Although he scored a second round finish
in the NHRA Lucas Oil SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
this weekend, Steve Johnson of Irondale, AL admitted that his heart wasn’t
in it. “We lost one of our own yesterday when Funny Car driver Scott
Kalitta died as a result of an accident during qualifying,” he said from
his pit area. “I think everyone had a hard time coming out here today to
race. Scott was more than a two-time Top Fuel champion. He was one of us,
and losing anyone, regardless of the circumstances, just puts everything
into a different perspective. “We talk about racers being part of one big family all the time, but when something like this happens we feel it more than ever. The fans are part of that family, too. I didn’t see many smiling faces out here today, even from the winners. Winning a round, or even a race, doesn’t mean much when something like this happens. I know we’ll get through it, but right now my thoughts are with Scott’s family and the whole Kalitta Racing team. I can only imagine the hell they’re going through, and I just wish there was something I could do or say that would change things, but that isn’t possible. “We’ll honor Scott in what we do for the rest of the season, but right
now it’s a time for mourning and reflection far more than it is a time to
think about what we did or didn’t accomplish here this weekend.”
Next: NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio June 27-29 |
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Englishtown Pre race Report |
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ENGLISHTOWN, NJ 6/18/08 - It’s been a
frustrating season for Snap-on Tools Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle racer
Steve Johnson of Irondale, AL. There have been a few highs, such as his
six second elapsed time carded in the first round of eliminations of the
O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, but far too many first round
losses. “We can’t wait to turn this thing around,” Johnson admitted as his team set up their pit area at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ for this coming weekend’s Lucas Oil Supernationals. “Simply put, the turnaround starts now. If it doesn’t, we’re going to have a hard time making it into this year’s Countdown program, and that just can’t happen. “I can’t begin to tell you how frustrating it is for us to know that we have thousands of fans, and we’ve been disappointing them at the races. Away from the track it’s another story entirely. We’ve made more personal appearances in front of middle- and high-school students on behalf of both Snap-on Tools and WyoTech Technical Schools than ever before, and that means a lot to me. If we can successfully demonstrate to those young people how important it is in today’s world to be able to tackle intense, technical jobs, than in a lot of ways what we’re doing may be actually more important than what we do on the track. “I’m not for a single second downplaying the importance of competing on the NHRA POWERade Series circuit, because everyone knows I’m all about winning. But there’s also life beyond the finish line, if you know what I mean, and while racing as a professional is a wonderful goal, it’s like shooting hoops in your backyard and thinking you’re going to be on the Lakers or Celtics in five years. It’s just not gonna happen. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared for a realistic future, one that includes a good job and a chance for real advancement. “In a lot of ways all of those personal appearances tie in with our racing efforts, because ‘success’ in one naturally leads to ‘success’ in the other. “This is the weekend when we’re determined
to improve our qualifying efforts, and our performances during
eliminations.” |
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Joliet Post race Report |
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JOLIET, IL 6/8/09 - Steve Johnson of Irondale,
Al, had high hopes for a strong finish in the NHRA Torco Racing Fuels
Route 66 Nationals, but those hopes were dashed by an untimely – and
uncharacteristic – redlight start in the first round of eliminations. “I
wanted to win so badly,” he said later, “that anticipation got in the way
of me doing my job. I just tried way too hard, and it cost us. “This was a
hugely frustrating result for any number of reasons. We were in a good
position to make a major move in the points standings, and that’s
obviously out the window now.“ We also had a
significant number of Snap-on Tools franchisees and their customers out
here with us because we’re so close to Snap-on’s corporate headquarters in
Kenosha. We wanted to put on a good show for them, and I’m disappointed
that we didn’t.” Johnson qualified ninth with an elapsed time of 7.113
seconds, but all that went for naught with the foul start. “I hate saying
it, but it’s the only way: Just wait ‘til next time!” Johnson said, which
will be at the NHRA Supernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in
Englishtown, NJ June 20-22.
Next: NHRA Supernationals, Englishtown, NJ June 20-22 |
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Joliet Pre race Report |
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IRONDALE, AL 6/3/08 - It’s been 30 long days
since Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson has swung his leg over the
black and red trim of his Snap-on Tools Suzuki, which makes him more than
a little anxious for this coming weekend’s NHRA Torco Racing Fuels Route
66 Nationals in Joliet, IL to begin. “I’m counting the hours,” he admitted with a grin from his office in Irondale, AL. “Racers don’t live normal lives. In fact, we kind of experience things in dog years. That means the last month has seemed like more than a year to me. Wait! Did I get that right? Who cares, you get the idea. “It’s been a while since we’ve raced, and I’m just as anxious as is my team to get back on the track.” Far from just kicking back and taking it easy in the interim, Johnson has had a full slate of personal appearances on his plate, including a visit to Snap-on Tools corporate headquarters in Kenosha, WI. “That was lots of fun for us because it’s one of the few opportunities we have every year of showing off our equipment to the men and women at Snap-on headquarters, most of whom don’t have a chance to get to many races. I’m hoping we’ll have a lot of supporters from headquarters rooting us on in Chicago this coming weekend.” Johnson is currently listed Number 11 in the NHRA POWERade standings, just one thin point behind Shawn Gann in 10th, two behind ninth place runner Hector Arana and a mere six behind Karen Stoffer in eighth. “We have an opportunity to make a big move in the standings this coming weekend,” acknowledged Johnson’s crew chief, Mark Peiser, as the team packed the transporter for the ride north. “It’s up to us to give Steve a motorcycle capable of winning, and that’s our intention.” Johnson carded his first six second elapsed time of the season in his last outing, and he’s anticipating more of the same in the Windy City. “Route 66 Raceway is notorious for having great traction and producing really quick elapsed times,” he said. “We hope we’re in the top half of the field when qualifying ends on Saturday night, and in the thick of the fight during eliminations on Sunday. “Enough talk. Let’s go racing!” Torco Racing Fuels Television Schedule (All times Eastern): 6/7/08 Qualifying ESPN2 5:00-7:00 PM 6/8/08 Eliminations ESPN2 5:00-7:00 PM 6/11/08 Repeat Eliminations ESPN2 2:00-4:00 AM |
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Atlanta Pre race Report |
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IRONDALE, AL 4/21/08 - Snap-on Tools Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson is on pins and needles awaiting the start of this coming weekend’s NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia. “It seems like forever since we’ve raced,” said Johnson from his shop in Irondale, Alabama. “I know it’s really only been about three weeks, and our team has been really busy, but there’s nothing like real, on-the-track competition to keep your blood flowing. “We’re ready for this coming weekend, believe me. We’ve been testing four times since we raced in Houston, and while we did find some things that will improve our performances, I’m not going to go out on a limb and make wild promises. I’d rather wait and see how quick and fast we are in Atlanta, and take it from there.” The goal this coming weekend is to make four good qualifying runs on Friday and Saturday, and then win two or three rounds of racing on Sunday. “Yeah, we’d like to win all four rounds, but we have to be realistic,” Johnson said. “If we can make it to the semifinal round we’ll know we’re headed in the right direction. That’s a realistic goal for us right now. It’s extremely tough competing against the Buells and Harley-Davidsons because they have a significant cubic inch advantage over the Suzukis. We’re not discouraged by that, though. It just makes us work that much harder.” Early this week he’s going to make numerous appearances with Snap-on representatives at new car dealerships and Suzuki motorcycle stores throughout the south. Then, on Thursday, he’ll travel to nearby Talladega for the induction ceremony at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, which is something he’s really looking forward to. “It’s amazing to be there with so many famous people from all facets of motorsports,” he said, “but naturally, being a drag racer I’m really looking forward to the induction of Bill ‘Grumpy’ Jenkins. He’s one of the most honored ‘doorslammer’ drag racers and engine builders in our sport’s history, and he’s a very colorful character, too. “I’m also looking forward to the induction of Ralph Seagraves, who was instrumental in bringing Winston sponsorship to drag racing. He passed away back in ’98, but I know the turnout for his induction will be huge because of what he did for our sport.” The next morning Johnson will hop on another commercial flight to Atlanta, where he’ll re-join his team, which will have arrived at Atlanta Dragway by Wednesday. Along with an intensely busy schedule of personal appearances at schools on behalf of both Snap-on Tools and WyoTech Technical Schools, Johnson will also be the opening speaker at the Skills USA convention on Friday night in Lilburn, Georgia, about 30 minutes fro the track. With that scheduled to begin just 45 minutes after the last qualifying attempt of the evening he’ll be trading in his 195 MPH Suzuki race bike for a microphone, as he’ll give a brief presentation on careers in motorsports and the technical industry. “It’s going to be another busy weekend for us,” Johnson admits, ‘but we wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t wait for the race to start!” |
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Houston Post race Report |
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BAYTOWN, TX 3/30/08 - Snap-on Tools Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle
rider Steve Johnson of Irondale, Alabama “can’t wait for this month to be
over. Bring on April!” he said after scoring a quarter final
round finish at the NHRA O’Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway
Park. “Our season hasn’t begun the way we hoped it would,” Johnson admitted after his Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki motorcycle slowed from a relatively decent qualifying effort to less than stellar elapsed times during eliminations. “We tried two different engines in our Suzuki,” Johnson added, “and while crew chief Mark Peiser and I are in agreement that our chassis is actually performing the way we want it to, there’s something ‘missing’ in the clutch & engines combination. With that in mind we’re staying here in Houston for extensive testing on Monday so that we’re ready to run hard when we race in Atlanta at the end of April.” Johnson had another busy weekend, making appearances at three area high schools on Thursday with a group of Snap-on Tools Industrial reps during which career planning and technical education was discussed with the young people. The appearances were covered by both the Houston Chronicle newspaper and the local Fox Television affiliate. “I found out later that there was a closed circuit telecast of the appearances to another three schools,” Johnson said. “I would have been a lot more nervous if they had have told me that up front!” On Friday Johnson was once again a guest speaker as part of the U.S. Army’s Youth & Educational Services program with the NHRA, and in the afternoon hosted a group of high school vocational students, many of whom had been present during his appearances on the previous day. “Other racers sometimes ask me if I get tired of doing those kinds of things,” he said, “but I never do. Those young people are the country’s future, and if I can be a positive influence in terms of their career goals and educational opportunities, it’s too important to ever get tired of.” On Saturday a large group of WyoTech Technical School enrollees and their families toured Johnson’s always-busy pit area, where he and his team demonstrated their equipment and tried to give everyone a small idea of how much work is involved in competing on the NHRA POWERade Series circuit. “You can see a light going on in their heads when we talk about the reality of the working world,” Johnson said. “I know these young people are smart because even in their teens they’re looking towards what a WyoTech education can do for them in the job market. This is important stuff, and we never forget that. “We have a ton of races left,” he said, “but we have to get after it now, not later. That’s why we’re getting our Suzuki ready to run first thing tomorrow morning. “When we hit the track at Atlanta on April 25th I expect us to not only be competitive, but a real threat to win it all.” Results:
Next: NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, GA April 25-27 |
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Gainesville Pre race Report |
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Irondale, AL (3/14/08) - Some kids want to grow up and become
policemen or firemen. Others aspire to be doctors or lawyers. Some
actually want to be politicians! For transplanted Californian Steve
Johnson, “becoming a champion motorcycle drag racer was my goal probably
from the day I saw my first race,” says the veteran of 22 seasons on the
NHRA POWERade Series trail. “It’s amazing how your life changes over the
years,” Johnson said from his race shop in the
I honestly thought there might come a time when I wouldn’t be as enthusiastic about NHRA drag racing as I was about 20 years ago, but the exact opposite has happened. I’m more stoked about this coming season than you can possibly imagine. At first, all my effort went to just getting to the race and I never gave things like sponsors and giving back to the community a second thought, and now those things occupy most of my time. Everyone’s talking about change this year, but I’m living it. The first time I walked into a classroom to speak to a group of youngsters I was hooked, because it immediately dawned on me that these kids are our future, and it’s critically important that we help set them on the right path to success. My relationship with the folks from Snap-on Tools and
The NHRA POWERade Series for Pro Stock Motorcycle kicks off at the AC
Delco Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in
Johnson’s team of Tim Kulungian, Richie Wiley and top WyoTech gradate Jeffrey Imhoff will once again be headed by noted tuner/crew chief Mark Peiser, who guided Johnson’s Snap-on Tools Suzuki to his 15th Top 10 points finish in 21 years in 2007. “To be completely honest with you,” Peiser said, “we want to have the best Suzuki at the race. But Steve and I, with many others Suzuki teams, look at the V-Twin’s qualifying number one 75% of the time for the past 4 years and feel the 160 cubic inches they have is too much of an advantage over our 101 cubic inches Suzuki engines. NHRA.com thinks that’s parity because different teams win on Sunday. It’s my job to tune the motorcycle to get the most out of it and try for the number one spot no matter what the rules are. After qualifying, it’s about racing and our short term goal is to be in the NHRA’s Countdown program.” “This is going to be a busy year for us,” Johnson admits. “There’ll be
a dozen races before the Countdown field of the Top 10 point’s earners is
set at the end of the
Id love to be as bold as to predict we will win it all, but I know better than to do that. Heck, I stick one or both of my feet in my mouth often enough without going that far out on the limb about the championship, so I’ll just leave it like this: When the Countdown to the Championship begins; our team will be in it!” |
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