Johnson seeks to add to success at I-80 Speedway

Jason Johnson. (T.J. Buffenbarger Photo)

Jason Johnson. (T.J. Buffenbarger Photo)
Jason Johnson. (T.J. Buffenbarger Photo)
From Tony Veneziano

Greenwood, NE — (June 19, 2016) — High-banked, high-speed tracks suit Jason Johnson and his driving style pretty well. One such venue is I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska. Johnson, who missed the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series event at the track last year due to injury, is geared up for the series annual visit to the four-tenths-mile this year.

The 2016 NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown, featuring the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series and Malvern Bank SLMR Late Model Series at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., is set for Wednesday, June 22.

Johnson is a past winner at I-80 Speedway in 360-sprint-car competition in 2011. In his most recent pair of starts at the track, the native of Eunice, Louisiana, finished second and fourth with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) National Tour. Johnson made his first start at I-80 Speedway in 2001 in a pair of events with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series.

“We’ve always had really good performances over the years at I-80,” said Johnson, who drives the Priority Aviation No. 41. “We enjoy going there. The higher-banked, higher-speed places like that really fit our program. Unfortunately I didn’t get to race there year, but I got to watch Sammy (Swindell) make some good laps around there. Hopefully we can build on that and have some success this year.”

Over the last couple of seasons, Johnson has excelled at the high-banked Eldora Speedway in Ohio, which though a bit bigger than I-80 Speedway, is comparable. He finished second last year in the Kings Royal at Eldora and ran sixth at the famed track earlier this season.

“The set-up we use at I-80 is fairly similar to Eldora (Speedway), where we have had some success as well, though, I think at Eldora you keep your speed up a little more,” he explained. “I have seen the bottom come in at I-80 really well and have seen (Danny) Lasoski and Brian Brown run well down there. I think you just have to keep your eye open. I’ve also been there when it’s been up around the fence and the top and very similar to Eldora.”

Johnson claimed the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series last year, despite missing nearly three month of action due to a back injury. This year, he returned to the track he was injured at, Placerville Speedway in California, and was victorious for his first triumph of the season. Johnson is currently seventh in points as he continues his sophomore season with the series.

“We started the season off really strong,” Johnson said. We didn’t have the best of performance in May, so that’s not a month to go off. We are looking to improve that. We get to places like I-80 that are familiar territory and that always makes you feel good. There are still a lot of places we go to that I haven’t race at, so there’s a learning curve from the driver’s standpoint.”

The NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown is part of a grueling month of June for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series, with the series racing 11 times in a 25-day span at 10 tracks in 10 states. As a driver, this is the time of the year that Johnson enjoy most, as being on the track three and sometimes four times a week, helps him stay sharp.

“The only way to get better is to come out here and mix it up with these guys,” he shared. “That’s why they are the best in the business. You have to look at all of the races coming up with an open mind and take advantage of the opportunity for the next month. To race that many times in the next month, you gain that much more experience. A key is to make notes of the areas you are having success, so you can keep building that up.”

A benefit that Johnson and his team have been reaping this year has been the addition of a third full-time crew member, which allows the constant workload that comes with running full-time with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series, to be divided more evenly. The team is led by crew chief Philip Dietz, who has been working with Johnson since 2000.

“It’s really important for the crew to be ready over the next month or so of races,” said Johnson. “We were fortunate this year to have three crew members and they are all doing a great job. We have times where we sit and talk and everyone is feeling good. Communication is a key. Anytime you have communication in the team and everybody is working toward the same common goal, success will come. We just have to keep building on we started the year off and grow.”

Tickets for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown at I-80 Speedway on Wednesday, June 22 can be purchased online at slspromotions.ticketforce.com and at the track on race day.

Discount General Admission tickets can also be purchased at participating NAPA Auto Parts stores. With the $5 discount at NAPA Auto Parts locations, an adult General Admission ticket is $32 and a children’s General Admission ticket (ages 6-12) is $12. Ticket buyers will bring their receipt and exchange for a ticket at the ticket booth on race day.

For more information on tickets, visit http://slspromotions.ticketforce.com/.