Gary Johnson (racing driver)

Johnson competed in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman National Championship in 1961 and in the NASCAR Modified National Championship in 1962 and 1964, finishing top-fifteen in the standings both years in the latter series.^[1] In 1974, Johnson began competing in the NASCAR Winston West Series, driving a self-owned Dodge for four races.^[2] After a hiatus in 1975, Johnson returned to the series in 1976, attempting all but one race. He scored three poles and seven top-tens, as well as his first career win at Laguna Seca.^[3] Johnson was awarded rookie of the year.^[4] Johnson ended the season third in points. In running a majority of the West schedule, Johnson made his NASCAR Winston Cup Series debut at Riverside International Raceway, finishing 29th.^[5] Johnson competed full-time in the West Series in 1977, scoring a pole, seven top tens, and a win at Ontario Motor Speedway,^[6] finishing fourth in the standings. He qualified for two Winston Cup races, finishing twentieth in the season opener.^[7] Johnson scaled back to part-time in 1978, running sixteen races, scoring a pole, nine top tens, and his final career win, coming at Spokane's Interstate Fairgrounds Speedway.^[8] This season saw him make his final Cup start, where rear end issues took him out of the season opener at Riverside after just three laps, and his final attempt, coming at the second Riverside race, where he failed to qualify.^[9] Johnson made three West starts in 1979, failing to finish any races due to brake issues at All American Speedway and crashing out at Shasta Speedway and Sears Point International Raceway.^[10] He competed in the Rose Classic at All American Speedway, finishing eleventh.^[11] After not competing in the West Series in 1980, Johnson returned for four races in 1981, scoring two top-tens, including a fourth at Riverside.^[12] His next start came in 1983, where he finished eighth at Sears Point.^[13] He made his final career start in 1986, finishing twentieth at Sears Point due to overheating.^[14] Johnson finished thirteenth in the Ocean Speedway track championship in 1993.^[1] He attempted to qualify for the Tuckasee Toilet Bowl Classic in 2008.^[15] He made a start in the WISSOTA Dirt Track Series in 2023, competing in the Midwest Modified class.