Steve Johnson Racing Celebrates 40th Season at NHRA Gatornationals
Steve Johnson Racing Celebrates 40th Season at NHRA Gatornationals
Report courtesy of Bill Walters
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is geared up to explode with excitement as the NHRA charges full speed ahead in celebration of 75 years of competition. The high-speed action will begin for the third year in a row at Florida’s legendary Gainesville Raceway with the 57th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Steve Johnson, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s ”Ironman”, will once again be in Florida to begin his 40th consecutive season of NHRA competition in his lifelong quest for a world championship. The two-time Gatornationals winner will be looking to score a third NHRA national event victory in Gainesville aboard his Suzuki Hayabusa.
“Every year we focus on preparing for the Gatornationals,” said Johnson from his Alabama-based shop. “It’s one of the coolest and most special races on the entire circuit. I remember the first year staying at the Gator Court, a $30 a night motel, and unloading the bike from the van right into the room to rebuild the engine,” said Johnson with a laugh. “We spilled my solvent tank in the room, and the result was the carpet was a lot cleaner when I left than when I arrived.”
Johnson has stayed busy during the off season, readying himself for his historic 40th campaign for a world championship and for the upcoming 14-race NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle schedule.
“We have been working hard on trying to make our Suzuki run fast as hell,” explained Johnson. “Just preparing and preparing, like everyone else, but it’s a different level for me working on my own. We get a chance to choose what we do with the time and resources that we have, and I chose to spend all my time with the engines.”
As Johnson begins his 40th consecutive year of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle competition, he often reflects on some of the major moments in his career. Long before his first NHRA race at Englishtown, New Jersey in 1987, when his motorcycle was airfreighted to the track in a wooden crate, Steve Johnson’s passion and love of racing has always run deep. Johnson leads the Pro Stock Motorcycle class with 519 race starts and a staggering 810 rounds of competition. He has raced into the Top 10 of the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle season ending point standings 25 times. From the meeting in his pit area with NHRA founder, Wally Parks, early in his career, to winning the prestigious U.S. Nationals twice and everything in between, the 12-time NHRA national event winner is proud to begin a 40th NHRA season.
“Winning 12 races over 39 years is something I’m very proud of,” said Johnson in retrospect. “There are people that have won a lot more and although I’ve never won a championship, it’s still my goal to do so and this year would be perfect. Some people race their entire life and never win one race. I have 12 Wally’s that I cherish.”
“The biggest goal this season is to be more prepared for every race than I’ve ever been,” Johnson stated firmly. “A successful season would include finding a major sponsor, continuing with the BATman scholarships (Be-A-Technician) program and winning some more Wally’s.”