Rob’s Ramblings

It seems fitting that with the 55th anniversity of his father’s first NASCAR Grand Naional (Nextel Cup) just a few days away, Robert Johnson would score his first career top five finish in the UARA series in a 150 lap race at Ace Speedway.

The younger Johnson started 16th in the 20 car field at the Altamahaw, N.C. speedplant, but used patience and racing luck to finish fourth . Johnson’s team is based out of the JKS racing shop near Lexington, N.C.. It’s the same complex that fielded Nationwide series cars for Peyton Sellers in 2009. When Sellers effort was aborted this year due to lack of sponsorship, it was an easy fit for the revival of Junior Johnson and Associates in a sanctioned racing series.

On May 7,1955, Junior Johnson won at Hickory, N.C. The track was dirt at that time and Junior would go on to become one of the most prolific dirt track racers in the major league of NASCAR. That was a tough year for a single car team lijke that of the future NASCAR Hall of Famer to win. as the powerful multicar Keekauffer team of Chyslers dominated the series.

16 year old Robert seems to have a different driving style from what his 78 year old father used in his heyday. Robert’s smooth, consistent, bide your time approach contrasts sharply with Junior’s run flatout until it blows efforts. Robert wiil be hard pressed to match his dad’s racing record, but any success that he has will definitely be done HIS way.

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