Racing On The Tube

Tommy Johnson Jr.

It has been well-documented that race car drivers make bad spectators. Sidelined Funny Car pilot Tommy Johnson Jr. is living proof. However, the popular driver will be attending races in the near future with another agenda in mind as the part-time driver of Bill Evans’ Evans Petroleum A/Fuel Dragster.

Johnson will be driving for Evans at the NHRA Division 3 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, this weekend, July 24-26, and he will be driving during the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. If Johnson can secure a national event win in Top Alcohol Dragster to add to his résumé that includes wins in Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Top Alcohol Funny Car, he would be the only driver other than Gary Scelzi to score national event wins in NHRA’s four fastest categories.

“I’m a racer — I’ll drive anything,” said Johnson. “It’s a different deal, but the procedures aren’t much different from a fuel car. The possibility of winning in four different classes intrigued me. Scelzi did it, so why not?”

Johnson found himself out of a ride this season when Kenny Bernstein parked his Funny Car operation due to lack of funding. Prior to that, T.J. spent seven years driving a Funny Car owned by another NHRA legend, Don “the Snake” Prudhomme. Johnson scored a TAFC win in Hebron in 1988 before moving to the Top Fuel ranks a season later. He has nine wins as a Professional (seven in Funny Car, two in Top Fuel).

Johnson’s Sportsman career was brief but memorable. He reached the quarterfinals in Super Gas in his national event debut at the 1984 ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals. He made his first hit in a Top Fueler at 21 years old, and he became a part of history by joining the exclusive Cragar 4-Second and Slick 50 300-mph clubs.

T.J. has stayed visible on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series this season. He has attended several events and provided color commentary for NHRA announcer Bob Frey. Though T.J. has some irons in the fire for a possible return, he finds being at the racetrack without something to drive to be, well, weird.

“It’s strange because I end up walking around lost sometimes,” said Johnson. “When I was driving, there was always something to do even when we were done racing early. I could always hang out in the pit or go sign some autographs.

“I have some things in the works for next year. I thought that I might be able to get back on the racetrack this year. It’s still a possibility but probably not likely at this point. It kills me to be at the track with nothing to do, but hopefully I can spark some interest. It’s a tough time economically, but that just means I have to work harder.”

Johnson has already made some laps in Evans’ dragster at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. The Anthony Dicero-led team prepared the dragster for Johnson, and a certain A/Fuel-turned-Top Fuel driver lent a hand.

“Anthony worked on the Skoal [Funny Car] for a while, and he told me that I was welcome to drive at a couple races where Bill couldn’t make it,” said Johnson. “We made a couple laps in Indy. Spencer Massey was there to give me pointers. I was a little apprehensive because I hadn’t driven a dragster in 10 years.

“The first time I drove it, I told myself not to turn the wheel too much. It made a little move, so I barely turned the wheel. It kept moving over, so I kind of cranked it and overcorrected it. The steering is pretty much the only adjustment I’ve had to make.”

T.J., like his sidelined Funny Car driver wife Melanie Troxel, will be keeping his driving skills sharp even if it isn’t in a 7,000-horsepower dragster or Funny Car. Troxel has been driving Roger Burgess’ Pro Mod at select events, and now Johnson will compete in at least three or four events this season.

“If I’m going to be at the racetrack, I figure it’s better to be racing than to come and watch,” Johnson concluded.

This story is copyright 2009 National Hot Rod Association. It may not be reprinted or retransmitted in any form without the express written permission of NHRA.com.