TJ VOWS: I'LL BE IN POMONA
Fri, 2008-12-05 12:29
Ride or no ride, Tommy Johnson, Jr. insists he'll be in Pomona come February of 2009 driving, even if its the motorcoach he
shares with wife Melanie Troxel and their dogs.
“I'll definitely have my helmet and fire suit with me just in case,” Johnson insisted just after admitting, even if all he is doing is driving the motorcoach, he will be in Pomona. “I've even considered a Super Comp car purchase to keep my skills sharp, if that is what I need to do.”
As of this moment in time, Johnson feels he has two prospects. One prospect is good enough for him to confirm he slipped over to the Hadman shop to get fitted for a seat in a Top Fuel dragster. Ride or no ride, Tommy Johnson, Jr. insists he'll be in Pomona come February of 2009 driving, even if its the motorcoach he
shares with wife Melanie Troxel and their dogs.
“I'll definitely have my helmet and fire suit with me just in case,” Johnson insisted just after admitting, even if all he is doing is driving the motorcoach, he will be in Pomona. “I've even considered a Super Comp car purchase to keep my skills sharp, if that is what I need to do.”
As of this moment in time, Johnson feels he has two prospects. One prospect is good enough for him to confirm he slipped over to the Hadman shop to get fitted for a seat in a Top Fuel dragster.
One year ago, at about this same time, Johnson was prepping for his debut in the Kenny Bernstein-owned Monster flopper. What should have been just never happened. If anything came from the association it was a mutual respect. Bernstein respected Johnson enough to tell him during the week of the US Nationals in Indianapolis that the deal just wasn't working. And, Johnson respects Bernstein enough not to trash the association. It just never worked.
“We just couldn't figure out how to deal with the added weight,” Johnson explained. “It was frustrating. Our best weekend was the second race of the year, Phoenix. We struggled at Pomona, did well at Phoenix and then it went downhill from there. We never could get a solid tune-up under the car.”
Johnson is confident he gave his all in the effort.
Now, his is putting that effort into securing a ride for 2009. Thanks to Bernstein, the inner world of racing has known for almost four months he was looking for a ride. A handful of prospects has whittled itself down to two simply because of the worsening economy.
These days Johnson continues his pursuit of those two prospects and the money he may need to bring to the table to land a ride. It's a process of instinct.
“There is no manual,” Johnson explains. “You make phone calls. You send emails. You look for money and opportunity wherever you can find it. It's a hard process, but I have been here before and believe it or not this is a lot harder than driver the race car.”
Despite an optimism that admittedly is chipped away at daily, Johnson knows he's a racer, he's always been a racer and he'll likely always be a racer. Oh, and one more thing. Like he said from the start, “I'll be in Pomona.”
shares with wife Melanie Troxel and their dogs. “I'll definitely have my helmet and fire suit with me just in case,” Johnson insisted just after admitting, even if all he is doing is driving the motorcoach, he will be in Pomona. “I've even considered a Super Comp car purchase to keep my skills sharp, if that is what I need to do.”
As of this moment in time, Johnson feels he has two prospects. One prospect is good enough for him to confirm he slipped over to the Hadman shop to get fitted for a seat in a Top Fuel dragster. Ride or no ride, Tommy Johnson, Jr. insists he'll be in Pomona come February of 2009 driving, even if its the motorcoach he
shares with wife Melanie Troxel and their dogs. “I'll definitely have my helmet and fire suit with me just in case,” Johnson insisted just after admitting, even if all he is doing is driving the motorcoach, he will be in Pomona. “I've even considered a Super Comp car purchase to keep my skills sharp, if that is what I need to do.”
As of this moment in time, Johnson feels he has two prospects. One prospect is good enough for him to confirm he slipped over to the Hadman shop to get fitted for a seat in a Top Fuel dragster.
One year ago, at about this same time, Johnson was prepping for his debut in the Kenny Bernstein-owned Monster flopper. What should have been just never happened. If anything came from the association it was a mutual respect. Bernstein respected Johnson enough to tell him during the week of the US Nationals in Indianapolis that the deal just wasn't working. And, Johnson respects Bernstein enough not to trash the association. It just never worked.
“We just couldn't figure out how to deal with the added weight,” Johnson explained. “It was frustrating. Our best weekend was the second race of the year, Phoenix. We struggled at Pomona, did well at Phoenix and then it went downhill from there. We never could get a solid tune-up under the car.”
Johnson is confident he gave his all in the effort.
Now, his is putting that effort into securing a ride for 2009. Thanks to Bernstein, the inner world of racing has known for almost four months he was looking for a ride. A handful of prospects has whittled itself down to two simply because of the worsening economy.
These days Johnson continues his pursuit of those two prospects and the money he may need to bring to the table to land a ride. It's a process of instinct.
“There is no manual,” Johnson explains. “You make phone calls. You send emails. You look for money and opportunity wherever you can find it. It's a hard process, but I have been here before and believe it or not this is a lot harder than driver the race car.”
Despite an optimism that admittedly is chipped away at daily, Johnson knows he's a racer, he's always been a racer and he'll likely always be a racer. Oh, and one more thing. Like he said from the start, “I'll be in Pomona.”
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