Tommy Johnson Jr. will make an encore Top Fuel driving appearance in Australia for Rapisarda Autosport International at next month’s Fuchs Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway.
Johnson confirmed Tuesday afternoon he will be the driver of the second RAI dragster at the June 7-10 ANDRA event in Queensland. Damien Harris will drive the other car, with Santo Rapisarda Jr. tuning. Santino Rapisarda — Santo Jr.’s brother who shares tuning duties for Larry Dixon on RAI’s American tour with the NHRA — will be crew chief for Johnson.
Johnson, the veteran Top Fuel and Funny Car driver who has served this year as an ESPN2 “roaming analyst” for the NHRA telecasts, represented Rapisarda Racing at the May 3-5 Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway.
Harris was the driver who eliminated Johnson in the Nitro Champs first round earlier this month.
Johnson said the plan for him to return to Australia was finalized “a couple days ago.”
He said, “I’m very grateful for the opportunity that the Rapisarda family have given me to go back to Australia and race the Winternationals. I was thrilled to race for them a few weeks ago in Sydney, but we didn’t have the results that weekend we were looking for.
“When Santo called me about going back to run the Winternationals I jumped at the opportunity race down under again — especially at such a premier event like the Winternationals in Willowbank, the largest drag racing event outside of the U.S.,” Johnson said.
Once he gets back, he’ll hop into a Nostalgia Funny Car, competing in the 11th Annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion June 13-15 at Bowling Green, Ky., in Frank and Debra Ousley’s Crop Duster entry.
He said the best way to describe what’s on his immediate horizon is “continue to work hard and make the best of every opportunity that comes my way.”
Johnson’s return to Australia will take place after this weekend’s Toyota Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park at Englishtown, N.J.
The Rapisarda team won last season’s ANDRA Winternationals, as No. 1 qualifier Allan Dobson defeated Andrew Cowin in the final round. “I will be with them in Englishtown, and we will fly to Australia from there on Monday,” he said.
“With driving, starting a new [parts] business and doing some TV for ESPN, I’m busier than I think I have ever been. My goal is to be racing full time again on the NHRA tour, and there is no set format to make that happen, but I do know out of sight is out of mind,” Johnson said. “I’m pretty sure that sitting at home doesn’t bring new opportunities your way.”
He characterized his outlook about possibly becoming a fulltime NHRA driver again as “always optimistic, but at the same time realistic.”
His display of abundant patience is part of his approach.
“You may not like what you have to do or are doing at the moment, but if you do it the best you can and better than anyone else, people will notice and eventually you can reach your goals,” Johnson said. “My goal is to drive either a Top Fuel or Funny Car full time, and I won’t quit even when that does happen.”
He’s constantly on the lookout for the chance.
“I’m not afraid to put in a little hard work to make new opportunities come about,” Johnson said.
He’s not afraid to travel halfway around the globe to make it happen, either.
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