NASCAR legend Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson has died at the age of 88. The news of Johnson’s death was announced via a tweet from NASCAR. Johnson was a pioneer of the sport, winning 50 races as a driver and six championships as an owner across his Hall of Fame career. Johnson was a member of the very first class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
“This is a big, big deal to me,” Johnson said during his induction. “This is probably the greatest thing that’s happened to me, you know. I was really proud of the pardon that Reagan gave me, but this is …
“You know, I’m almost speechless to even think that you could talk about, ‘Well, I just went into the Hall of Fame.’ It’s so big, and it’s so honorable that you just don’t know how it feels to be selected as one of the first five people.”
“Junior Johnson truly was the ‘Last American Hero, ” NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement. “From his early days running moonshine through the end of his life, Junior wholly embodied the NASCAR spirit. He was an inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer, a nod to an extraordinary career as both a driver and team owner. Between his on-track accomplishments and his introduction of Winston to the sport, few have contributed to the success of NASCAR as Junior has. The entire NASCAR family is saddened by the loss of a true giant of our sport, and we offer our deepest condolences to Junior’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
Heaven just got a little faster. Outlaw, legend, pioneer, Hall of Famer –Junior Johnson was all of these, and he will be missed.
What a loss and what a racer/owner. The old timers from that era are slowing passing on and it reminds me of how many of them I followed when I was a youngster in the ’60a. NASCAR was a different organization at that time and it was, to me, much more enjoyable than what we presently have. It was a regional sport with drivers from the South. Big tracks, small tracks, paved tracks and dirt tracks were visited every year and small town America witnessed some great drivers on their local tracks. Junior was one of those drivers who could always be counted on to put on a great show. He, along with guys named Petty, Baker, Yarborough, Lorenzen, Pearson, Allison and Jarret are the what made the sport great. Too bad it’s come to be what it is today….overblown, way too expensive to compete and attend, an unorthodox racing format, and what seems like endless mid-season rule changes to keep the playing field “fair. What a bore. So long NASCAR and good luck in the future
One of the greats. You will be missed.
R.I.P and our prayers are with your friends and family.
God Bless