Slick Johnson

Slick Johnson
BornJulius David Johnson III
(1948-02-23)February 23, 1948
Florence, South Carolina
DiedFebruary 14, 1990(1990-02-14) (aged 41)
Daytona Beach, Florida
Cause of deathBasilar skull fracture and crushed chest caused by racing accident
NASCAR Cup Series career
68 races run over 8 years
Best finish23rd (1980)
First race1979 Carolina 500 (Rockingham)
Last race1987 Holly Farms 400 (North Wilkesboro)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 7 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish138th (1983)
First race1983 Mello Yello 300 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0

Julius David "Slick" Johnson III (February 23, 1948 – February 14, 1990) was an American stock car racing driver. A veteran of short track competition in the Carolinas, he competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series during the 1980s; his best finish in the series, second, came in a non-points consolation race at Daytona International Speedway. He was killed in a racing accident in an ARCA race at Daytona in 1990.

Career

[edit]
Johnson's 1983 Cup car

A native of Florence, South Carolina,[1] Johnson started his racing career on dirt tracks at age 16; his racing career was interrupted due to his spending time in the military, however he returned to competition in 1968 at Cooper River Speedway;[2] Johnson also competed at other tracks in the Carolinas during the late 1960s and 1970s including Sumter Speedway.[3]

Moving up from local competition during the 1970s, Johnson made his first start in NASCAR Winston Cup Series competition in 1979 at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina, finishing 27th in his first race in the series. He would go on to compete in a total of 68 Winston Cup Series races between 1979 and 1987, posting a best finish of eighth on two occasions, both in 1980, at North Wilkesboro Speedway and at Rockingham.[4] Johnson also finished second, to Tim Richmond, in a non-points consolation race for Daytona 500 non-qualifiers at Daytona International Speedway in 1982.[5]

Johnson also competed in a single Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race in his career, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1983; he started 19th and finished 28th in the event.[6]

Death

[edit]

In 1988 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Johnson was injured in a severe crash during a practice session.[7] Following his recovery, Johnson returned to racing in the ARCA Permatex Super Car Series season-opening 200-mile race at Daytona International Speedway in 1990. Starting last in the 40-car field, Johnson was involved in a crash on the race's 76th lap that left him with a basal skull fracture and crushed chest; Johnson had been hit by three other cars during the course of the accident.[7] Transported to Halifax Medical Center in critical condition, Johnson died three days later; he was the 23rd racing-related fatality at Daytona, and the first stock car driver to be killed since Joe Young in 1987.[8]

The accident in which Johnson was involved, in which paramedic Mike Staley was also injured one lap later, was featured in an episode of Rescue 911 that aired on November 13, 1990 on CBS.[9]

Motorsports career results

[edit]

NASCAR

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

[edit]
NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1979 Satterfield Racing 87 Chevy RSD DAY CAR
27
RCH ATL NWS
24
BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS 42nd 431 [10]
Johnson Racing 51 Chevy CAR
10
ATL
13
ONT
1980 53 RSD DAY
14
RCH CAR
30
ATL
10
BRI
26
DAR
25
NWS
9
MAR
9
TAL NSV
25
DOV CLT
32
TWS
30
RSD MCH DAY NSV
13
POC
31
TAL
19
MCH BRI DAR
15
RCH DOV NWS
8
MAR
24
CLT
40
CAR
8
ATL ONT 23rd 1851 [11]
1981 RSD DAY RCH CAR
25
ATL
34
BRI NWS DAR
32
MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI 65th 216 [12]
Ulrich Racing 40 Buick DAR
35
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
1982 Hylton Motorsports 48 Buick DAY
DNQ
CAR
18
DAR
26
TAL
12
29th 1261 [13]
Pontiac RCH
17
BRI
21
ATL NWS
30
MAR
10
Ulrich Racing 40 Buick NSV
25
DOV
16
CLT
18
POC
29
RSD MCH
30
DAY
34
NSV
28
POC TAL
32
MCH BRI DAR
32
RCH DOV NWS CLT
DNQ
MAR CAR
19
ATL RSD
1983 Billy Matthews Racing 42 Buick DAY
DNQ
38th 705 [14]
Satterfield Racing 18 Buick RCH
27
CAR
23
ATL
34
DAR
29
NWS
25
MAR
28
TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT
24
RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC
37
TAL MCH BRI DAR
27
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
Cronkrite Racing 96 Chevy CAR
20
ATL RSD
1984 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Pontiac DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH
DNQ
DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI NA 0 [15]
Satterfield Racing 18 Chevy DAR
36
RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD
1985 Gray Racing 31 Chevy DAY
20
RCH 48th 343 [16]
Spohn Racing 05 Ford CAR
15
ATL
21
BRI DAR
36
NWS MAR TAL
DNQ
DOV CLT
17
RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI
51 DAR
29
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR
Blue Max Racing 27 Pontiac ATL
QL
RSD
1986 Gray Racing 54 Chevy DAY
QL
RCH CAR ATL
QL
BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD NA - [17]
1987 Hamby Motorsports 12 Olds DAY CAR RCH
19
ATL NWS
19
MAR
30
MAR
25
47th 444 [18]
Chevy DAR
12
BRI
14
TAL
15
CLT DOV POC RSD MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV
Fillip Racing 81 Ford NWS
32
CLT CAR RSD ATL
1988 Sadler Brothers Racing 95 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL
DNQ
GLN MCH
DNQ
BRI DAR
DNQ
RCH DOV MAR CLT
DNQ
NWS CAR PHO ATL NA - [19]
- Qualified but replaced by Tim Richmond · - Qualified but replaced by Eddie Bierschwale
Daytona 500
[edit]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1980 Johnson Racing Chevrolet 39 14
1982 Hylton Motorsports Buick DNQ
1983 Billy Matthews Racing Buick DNQ
1985 Gray Racing Chevrolet 40 20
1986 QL
- Qualified but replaced by Eddie Bierschwale

Late Model Sportsman Series

[edit]
NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NLMSC Pts Ref
1983 46 Buick DAY RCH CAR HCY MAR NWS SBO GPS LGY DOV BRI CLT
28
SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU CRW ROU SBO HCY LGY IRP GPS BRI HCY DAR RCH NWS SBO MAR ROU CLT HCY MAR 138th 79 [20]

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 APSC Pts Ref
1983 Satterfield Racing 81 Buick DAY NSV TAL LPR LPR ISF IRP SSP FRS BFS WIN LPR POC TAL
8
MCS FRS MIL DSF ZAN SND NA 0 [21]
1989 Sadler Brothers Racing 95 Chevy DAY ATL KIL TAL FRS POC KIL HAG POC TAL DEL FRS ISF TOL DSF SLM ATL
10
108th - [22]
1990 Pontiac DAY
17
ATL KIL TAL FRS POC KIL TOL HAG POC TAL MCH ISF TOL DSF WIN DEL ATL 102nd - [23]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Siano, Joseph (February 18, 1990). "Experience Is Lacking". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  2. ^ "Cooper River Welcomes Back Slick Johnson". The News and Courier. Charleston, SC. June 27, 1968. p. 4D.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Watts, Dargan (June 30, 1969). "Johnson Tops Sumter Field". The Sumter Daily Item. Sumter, SC. p. 3B.
  4. ^ "Slick Johnson – NASCAR Sprint Cup Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  5. ^ Hinshaw, Lydia (February 13, 1982). "Richmond Slips By Slick For Win". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, FL. p. 4B.
  6. ^ "Slick Johnson – NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  7. ^ a b Glick, Shav (February 13, 1990). "Driver Still Critical, but Course Worker Improves at Daytona". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  8. ^ "Driver Dies of Injuries Suffered in Daytona Crash". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. February 15, 1990. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  9. ^ "Candy stars in 'Uncle Buck' tonight at 9 on CBS". The Item. Sumter, SC. November 13, 1990. p. 7A.
  10. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  12. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  13. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  14. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  15. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  16. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  17. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  18. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  19. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  20. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1983 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  21. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1983 Season Results ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series". TheThirdTurn. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  22. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1989 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  23. ^ "Slick Johnson – 1990 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
[edit]