10/16/2024
IHRA Events
Johnson Uses Determination to Win IHRA Summit SuperSeries Sportsman World Championship
Jordan Johnson wasn’t being cocky. He was simply telling everyone he was determined to become the IHRA Summit SuperSeries Sportsman World Champion.
The Music City Raceway driver finished fourth in the 2023 National Top 10 standings. After that strong performance, he made a promise not only to get back to Holly Springs Motorsports for the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals presented by Strange Engineering, but to win the whole race.
Mission accomplished as Johnson, driving the unique 1980 Chevy Malibu wagon, went undefeated on the weekend. He won both Friday’s Race of Champions and the main event on Saturday.
“I have to thank my dad and the Good Lord above — World Champion, baby,” he said.
Johnson, a 24 year-old construction worker, had been building towards that moment for the past six years. He followed his dad, Lynn Johnson, into the sport once he graduated high school. He kept learning at the race track. His Malibu which features a 350-cubic inch motor and a car which Jordan often does impressive wheelies with.
“I’ve always loved wagons. This car has always been my favorite,” he said. “It’s special to do this because my dad has always been my idol and there’s nothing like turning win lights.”
For his World Finals victory, Johnson got a $7,000 check from Summit Racing Equipment, an IHRA Gold Card and an IHRA Ironman trophy for winning the most prestigious championship in bracket racing. He will also receive an IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Champion ring.
One reason that Johnson kept turning on win lights was his solid reaction time. He qualified for the World Finals by winning the IHRA Sportsman Spectacular presented by Moser in May. Matter of fact, he nearly doubled up there, winning the Sportsman class and also finishing runner-up in the No Box competition.
Johnson served notice at Friday’s Race of Champions that other racers were going to have to contend with him. In the final round, Johnson left in .011 seconds and then posted a 7.691-second run at 87.34 mph to defeat runner-up Bruce Tharp Jr. from Quaker City Motorsports Park.
He faced off with Kyle Penn from Dragway 42 in Saturday’s World Finals semifinal round where Johnson held a .017 to .047 advantage at the tree. Wesley Buchanan from Skelton Raceway actually had the better start in the championship round, but Johnson came through with a 7.333-second elapsed time at 87.53 mph on a 7.73 dial-in for the victory.
“It’s unbelievable when I hear IHRA World Champion,” Johnson said. “I don’t even know what to think when I hear that. It’s a dream come true.”
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