Ocala Speedway
Title in hand, R.J. eyes $10,000 finale at Ocala
By Roby Helm
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
Ronnie Johnson will go for another victory in Ocala. (Troy Bregy)
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn., will be looking to put the icing on the cake of his championship season Nov. 23 at the ninth annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.
The $10,000-to-win event and 100-lap feature will wrap up the season on the Crate Late Model tour.
The Hall of Famer Johnsson didn’t begin the season with the championship in mind, but a fateful decision after Memorial Day weekend led him to the $20,000 title.
“I haven’t raced for points since the mid-90s when I was with Barry Wright on the Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Late Model Series, as a teammate to Scott Bloomquist,” Johnson said. “The plan for this year was to run with the NeSmith Series through Memorial Day Weekend in May, and then do what we usually have done in the past, pick and choose races closer to home.”
But when he stood just 22 points behind Ronny Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, Ala., after that holiday — and with a pair of series events coming up in Johnson’s backyard at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Ga., and 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. — Johnson reconsidered.
“I got to looking at where we were in the points and the schedule, and people kept telling me that I could win this championship,” Johnson said.
Johnson finished fourth at Boyd’s on May 31, and was running third at 411 Motor Speedway in the J.T. Kerr Memorial 40 when rain postponed the race until August 24 with 14 laps in the books. Johnson had cut Hollingsworth’s point lead to 12 points.
After a series of rainouts, Johnson pulled within two points of Hollingsworth following a weekend at Greenville (Miss.) Speedway, but Hollingsworth solidified his lead with a victory at Tennessee National Raceway.
An east Tennessee swing in late August proved to be the turning point as Johnson took the points lead with a third-place finish at Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway, then swept a pair of races at 411 Motor Speedway. Johnson maintained his title pace and clinched the season at Greenville’s Gumbo Nationals last month.
“I guess I’m going to have to be really careful for the next month and not do something stupid like break my arm or my leg,” Johnson said as he closed in on the title. “Just showing up and starting the race seems so easy, but there are still a lot of things that can happen to keep me from getting there that you normally wouldn’t think about.”
In his 40-year career, Johnson will add the NeSmith Cup to his trophy case alongside two Dirt Track World Championship Race trophies and a pair of Southern All Star Series championships.
“There are so many people to thank I couldn’t possibly mention them all by name, but they know who they are,” Johnson said. “I pretty much work in the shop by myself, but as it got closer to race time, somebody always seemed to show up to help and would go to the races with me. I’m pretty much well-known for getting to the races late, but it always seems to work out thanks to all of those people that showed up to help.”
With the title in hand, Johnson can focus on trying for a five-figure payday at Ocala.
“I can race a little differently at the World Championship Race and be able to things I might not have done if I was racing for points and a championship,” Johnson said. “This is the biggest race of the year for the NeSmith series and there will be a lot of tough competition down there. I think we learned a lot about Bubba Raceway Park in February, but it’s going to be a tough race to make, let alone win.”
It’s been a gratifying season for the driver known as R.J.
“With putting the championship aside, this has also been one of the most enjoyable seasons I’ve ever had in racing because of the close comradery with the other teams following the NeSmith series,” Johnson said. “I’ve run with a lot of series in the past, and the racers didn’t talk to each other a lot. In the NeSmith series, the racers were always willing to lend a hand to help and I got to know a lot great people involved with this series. There’s a lot of good young talent in this series.”
