GREG JOHNSON...#19
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CALVERT CITY, KY
JULY 10, 2004
I CAUGHT GREG SITTING ON HIS FOUR WHEELER WAITING FOR THE RAIN TO CLEAR UP... I ASKED HIM FOR AN INTERVIEW AND HE OBLIGED...
GREG WAS FROM THE BEDFORD, INDIANA AREA BUT NOW RESIDES IN BURGIN, KY..
HE STARTED RACING AT THE AGE OF 28 IN 1996 IN THE STREET STOCK DIVISION THEN WENT TO A MODIFIED AND THEN INTO THE LATE MODEL..
I ASKED HIM WHAT HAD INSPIRED HIM TO START RACING AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE USE TO BE A MECHANIC FOR STEVE KINSER (the sprint driver)...AND THAT GAVE HIM THE URGE TO TRY IT OUT ....
HE TOLD ME THAT STEVE KINSER WAS A GREAT INFLUENCE ON HIM...
LIKE ALMOST ALL THE LATE MODEL DRIVERS ..HE RACES COUNTRY WIDE..
WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT HE THOUGHT IT TOOK TO BE A GOOD RACECAR DRIVER....HE TOLD ME IT TOOK A LOT OF FOCUS.... YOU HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED......
HE TOLD ME THAT DON ONEAL WAS ONE OF HIS TOUGHEST COMPETITORS...
AND THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME I GOT THIS ANSWER TO MY QUESTION OF "WHAT IS YOUR LONG TERM GOAL" AND HE ANSWERED EXACTLY THE SAME AS DON ONEAL...."TO BE THE BEST"
I ASKED HIM HIS MOST MEMORABLE EVENT AND HE TOLD ME WINNING THE WINTERNATIONALS AND WINNING WINTERNATIONALS AT BELUSIA, FL
ONE OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT MEANS A LOT TO HIM WAS WHEN HE FINISHED 7TH IN THE WORLD 100...
I ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE AND HE TOLD ME NO ....THAT HE WAS PRETTY SATISFIED WITH THINGS....THEN HE THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE AND ADDED......."I GUESS I WOULD CHANGE MY ATTITUDE".... I ASKED HIM IN WHAT WAY.... ..HE TALKED TO ME FOR AWHILE ABOUT THIS AND I HOPE I GET IT DOWN THE WAY HE WAS TRYING TO GET IT ACROSS... HE TOLD ME THAT HE GETS CRITICIZED A GREAT DEAL FOR THE WAY HE COMES ACROSS TO HIS FANS... HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS SORRY THAT HE COMES ACROSS THAT WAY... HE TOLD ME THAT HE IS A VERY DETERMINED PERSON AND WHEN HE RACES HIS WHOLE MIND BODY AND SOLE IS FOCUSED ON HIS RACING AND THAT THIS SOMETIMES COMES ACROSS THAT HE IS BEING NOT SO FRIENDLY TO HIS FANS..... HE TOLD ME THAT HE APPRECIATES HIS FANS SO MUCH AND WANTS THEM TO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT HE GETS SO CAUGHT UP IN THE MOMENT AND SO FOCUSED THAT HE DOESN'T THINK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN HIS RACING...
HE SINCERELY WANTED TO MAKE A POINT THAT HE TRULY VALUES HIS FANS.....AND DID SAY SORRY TO ANY HE HAS UNINTENTIONALLY UPSET...
HE TOLD ME HIS CREW CHIEF WAS JEFF GULLETT AND HIS PIT CREW WAS HIMSELF AND JEFF GULLETT..
TOLD ME HE WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO HIS CAR OWNERS "DANNY AND DIANE PRESTON" AND TO HIS CHASSI BUILDER "CJ RAYBURN" AND TO BILL SCHLEIPER...**** and i hope i spelled this right....i had it Bill Sleeper until Greg caught it and he had to spell it like four times to me..so if it is misspelled......yikes...I take the blame!!!!
Well Greg....after meeting you.... I wish your fans could see you the way I did...You were very charming and very willing to give me some of your time... I feel honored to have had the privilege to meet you and hope to see you race again..
cj