NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Tommy Johnson Jr. has a love-hate relationship with Bandimere Speedway that goes back 35-years. In 1984, Johnson went to the final round of Super Gas at the Dodge Mile-High Nationals only to be turned back by Shawn Langdon’s father, Chad. (Shawn most likely doesn’t remember since he’d yet to celebrate his second birthday but that’s another story).

Johnson returned to the final in Bandimere in 1987 behind the wheel of his family’s Top Alcohol Funny Car and became one of Pat Austin’s 75 final round victims. Four years later, Johnson was a full-time pro and he reached his third Denver final, and first as a pro, by beating Don “the Snake” Prudhomme. in the semi's. In the final, Johnson ran a (then) competitive 5.25 and was crushed by Joe Amato’s 5.06. At the time, Amato was nearly unstoppable in Denver with four wins in five years.

Two years ago, Johnson got his fourth crack at a Mile-High Nationals title when he raced Robert Hight for the Funny Car title, and he once again was a bridesmaid.

Four finals. Four different classes. Four runner-up finishes. Johnson says enough is enough.

“I never want to think that a place owes you one because it doesn't work that way but c’mon, I think I’ve paid my dues here,” said Johnson. “I really love this track. It’s one of the coolest places on the tour and the fans are awesome. I even lived in Denver briefly, so I know Bandimere Speedway a little better than some of the other tracks we race at. I’d really love to win here at least once in my career; that would be special.”

For the record, Johnson does have a pair of Wally trophies from Bandimere Speedway that he earned by winning back-to-back Top Alcohol Funny Car titles at the track’s Lucas Oil Series event in 1988-89, but that’s not what he’s after.

“All the year’s we’ve raced up here, most of the time I though we had a car that could win, certainly since I started driving the Make-A-Wish car for Don Schumacher Racing. We’ve always done well here but, not enough to take home the win.”

There is a good reason for Johnson to feel optimistic about his chances this year. The Make-A-Wish team, led by crew chief John Collins, has been solid all year with results that include a win in Chicago and a runner-up finish at the Las Vegas four-wide race. Johnson also has five-semifinals in he first 14 events and despite a round one loss two weeks ago in Epping, he’s ranked No. 3 in the Mello Yello standings, behind Robert Hight and John Force.

“Normally, we don’t get going until the start of the Western Swing,” said Johnson. “That’s traditionally how this team functions. Last year, we started the Countdown in the No. 6 spot and moved to second. If we can start this year in second or third, that helps make the road to the championship a lot easier.”

During Thursday’s pre-race press conference for the Dodge-sponsored Denver race, Johnson got to make a few runs with members of the press in one of the special edition Dodge Challenger 1320 cars. At home in Indy, he’s also got a supercharged Dodge Charger Hellcat that he won as a prize as the highest finisher last year among the four Funny Car drivers in the DSR camp. Johnson had the swift Dodge less than a day before it made its first runs down a drag strip at Lucas Oil Raceway’s Wild Wednesday event. With no modifications other than a set of drag radial tires, Johnson has run in the low 11s, and his goal is a ten-second time slip.

“It’s amazing what that car can do and it’s still a street car with air conditioning, satellite radio, and all the other comforts,” Johnson said. “Even my wife, Amy, loves it. She wasn’t so sure at first, and now that’s she’s driven it, we’re going to have to share custody of it.”