We made the "Video of the Month" for February on Race-dezert.com!  Check it out!

http://race-dezert.com/vom/2008/2008_vom_february_wmv.html

Check out this cool article about our church here in Victorville, that was featured in the New York Times!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/arts/music/07prais.html?pagewanted=1&_

Free Concert in Barstow, CA featuring Disciple!!!

The battle was drawn in the MORE War.  Desert would take on the 9-Car Giant, Right-Hand Man, and Super Buggy at the ORAF 400.  The race started hot, about 92 degrees, and for over 100 miles the Giant seemed to be getting the best of Desert.  Things were looking good for Team Johnson.

On lap 3, however Desert used a sneak attack to try and end the run of the 9-Car Giant.  Desert spotted a small weak spot in the Giant’s armor.  In the front of his helmet a small hole had developed when a piece of the armor fell off.  This was Desert’s chance! 

Calling on a small but very cunning soldier, Desert ordered Tiny Pebble to make the initial attack.  Powered by the force of a buggy passing ahead of the Giant’s, Tiny Pebble used the wind just right, combined with a ricochet effect off the hood of the Giant’s vehicle to make a blazing dead on accurate sting.  How he made it into the small opening of the helmet and right into 9-Car Giant’s eye was absolutely amazing! 

Immediately the Giant was wounded and began to tear up, reducing his high speed visibility.  That’s when Desert’s scheming plan started to pay off perfectly.  Earlier in the event, he had used another racer to dislodge Splat Rock, and put him right in the middle of the course. 

Unable to judge clearly now, the 9-Car Giant was on a collision course that only Desert could see. Pushing hard, beyond tears, and unable to reach his eyes due to his heavy armor, the Giant steered Super Buggy straight for Splat Rock!  Right-Hand Man yelled out a warning…and then a gasp.  The Giant cringed, and made a quick right turn…

It was too late. 

BAM!  The left front of the gleaming buggy smacked into Splat Rock!   

PSSSHHHEEWWW!  The wheel bent around Splat Rock as he squeezed the air out of the tire.   

Super Buggy launched skyward, until the back wheel hit Splat Rock sending it back to Desert’s floor.  The final blow crippled the front end of the buggy, and dealt a huge blow to the 9-Car Giant’s hopes for victory.

The Giant was determined to not give up easily, but with tears streaming down his face, he realized the wounds to Super Buggy were too great, and he could not continue on.  Taking off his helmet of armor, the 9-Car Giant grabbed Tiny Pebble from his eye, and hurled him back to Desert, snarling in a loud voice.   “Desert!  You may have won this battle, but the MORE War is not over!  We will fight another day.”

And with those words, the Giant and Right-Hand Man were seen walking into the sun set, looking for their rolling metal home.

  March 17, 2007

 One thing that is different about our team than many others is that every time we race, we show up to serve a dual purpose.  We are there just like everyone else trying to come home with the #1 prize and honors, but our overlying purpose is to show the undying love that God has for each person we come into contact with.

 Being a Christian is not easy, because you are often labeled as a freak, or a fanatic, and people are a little bit leery that you are going to try to shove the Bible down their throat in every opportunity.  And when you have problems, it even becomes more highlighted just due to what people think about you.

 We made the mistake of praying for “divine appointments” (or opportunities to share our story about Jesus) on Friday before Tech, and I say “mistake” jokingly because every time we seem to pray this request, we break during the race…thus giving us lots of contact with people we have never met before.  Call it coincidence, or call it bad luck, but the theme that kept running through my mind as I sat 20 miles into the first lap waiting to be towed in was…”Broken for Christ”.  It had a deeper meaning for me personally, just because of other issues I have been dealing with in my life, but it all seemed to peak on the dusty power line road in the middle of the Mojave Desert.  All the preparation, all the time, all the money, all the hopes of winning, all the disappointed faces to follow…I felt exposed…somewhat naked…humiliated…embarrassed…struggling…

 As far as accomplishments attached to this race, I can say we had a few.  We learned how to be better prepared, we learned better ways to pre-run, and as always, we learned our lessons on what works best in the desert in Class 9.  I wish I could say that we ran a good race, or that we caused an earth shaking presence that turned peoples’ hearts toward God, but honestly if you missed the start of the race, you would not have even known we were there.

 I know it may sound weird, but I consider being “Broken for Christ” my biggest accomplishment.  It says in the Bible, “…for when I am weak, He is strong.”  Unless you know Jesus, or as I like to call him, Jah, you would not understand, that as I sat dealing with all the emotions associated with the race failure, I had a surreal peace….it was like the pain put me in the presence of God…and I know this sounds strange, but it felt good.  Like when I was a kid and I fell and got hurt.  Then one of my parents would put their arm around me, and even though my knee or whatever was killing me, the love and encouragement from the embrace would cause the pain to fade.  God touched me in the desert, and I’m so glad that I could struggle through the experience.

 As far as the first 20 miles of the race before we broke…

 We started right behind the points leader, and our strategy was to stay as close as possible.  As we got ready to start the race, the 5/1600 cars were staged and started in front of us.  This messed up our race plans because now we were going to have to pass the slow cars ahead of us to keep up the Corey Torres, the points leader. 

 The course was really dusty and we were forced to take some lines that we didn’t pre-run just to try and stay on a decent pace.  This cost us some time, but not near as much as when a 5/1600 car that had gotten off the course in front of us, decided he would cut in front of us, ignoring our horn, and try to keep us behind him.  To avoid broad-siding him, we swerved off the course and into a ditch where our car stalled.  It took us at least 30 seconds to restart the car, and this was the first sign we were having motor problems.

 We finally got going again, still trying to get around the 5/1600 that we had worked so hard to catch a few minutes before.  Then at race mile 20 we hit a bump hard off the bump stops, and the motor was immediately reduced to 2 cylinders.  We limped the car to our before mentioned power line road, and that is where our race day ended.  We were trying some new parts in our motor that had never been tested in the desert, and now there are some results on how they performed.  No fault of anyone to be had, just a case of taking a risk, and it not paying off for the win. 

 I would like to thank those people that helped us get to the race and make the show.  Joel Mohr and all the guys at Mohr Performance, Drew Kelty for the fab work, Mitch Pederson for welding us up at the race, Dwaine Walters for all the advice, Kartek, Spy Optics, Osiris Shoes, Jimmy and Cynthia for driving all the way from Lancaster to be part of our crew, the DunnTech guys for their hospitality and support, the group of guys at the power line road that tried to get us running ( I can only remember two names…Rick and Steve ), and most importantly my family for all of their time, effort, and support!

 Check out the new pictures on our site, and click on the YouTube link for a video of the start of the race.

 Take care and God Bless,

 Steve Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. 

Fighting extreme cold, Team Johnson pulls off a SECOND PLACE finish. 

Lucerne Valley, Calif. - - Saturday, January 13, Team Johnson made its mark on the 2007 M.O.R.E. Kartek Gold Cup Challenge by scoring a second place finish in the first race of the series, the “KST 250.  The day started out at a frigid 22 degrees, and even though the sun shone brightly all day the temperature only topped out at 40 degrees!

Despite the awful weather conditions Team Johnson decided to make the first race of the M.O.R.E. season with the intention of finishing in the top three.  With our Joel Mohr prepped race motor in the shop getting some more horsepower for the Big Class 9 Race in March, we pulled our beat-up single port motor out of our pre-runner, slapped it in our race car, and took off to the races.  Knowing we were down on horsepower, the strategy was to run strong, and finish.  Off-road racing is a sport that sees a high attrition rate of its competitors, and we banked on this to get us to the podium.

“Second place finish, and second in the points is a great place to be going into the Big Class 9 Race in March”, stated Steve.  “God really blessed us today, and we are looking for Him to continue throughout the season.  We were a huge underdog at this race, and we still pulled off a second place finish!  I have to give a lot of credit to Dwaine Walters that helped us set up our car.  It worked really well when we were going downhill and could get some speed! Haha”

“It was freezing cold!” exclaimed Matt.  “My hands were so cold from driving the first two laps that I couldn’t even get my helmet off…I had to have someone help me.  Our pit stop on lap 3 was a little longer than we had hoped, but we were just having a hard time moving.  I wasn’t sure I would ever get the feeling back in my hands!” 

“After Steve and I finished the race, I went and sat in the truck with the heater on for about 30 minutes” emphasized Jenny.  “I don’t know how Steve did it steering the car for almost a 120 miles in that cold!  We are excited about our finish though!  We did what we came here to do!”

In addition to the Sponsors listed below, we would like to first off thank God for all of his provisions and for keeping us safe…and blessing us with heaters!  We would also like to thank Tony Duarte for stepping in a co-driving with Matt, and helping us get the car ready.  Our parents, Grandpa Skip and Grandma Cathy for running the pit, keeping us motivated on the radio, and keeping track of the little ones.  Matt’s wonderful wife Leah for keeping us fed, and also keeping track of the little ones.  Once again Dwaine Walters for the expert set up on our car suspension, and Joel Mohr for giving us the parts we needed to get our “beater” motor going, and for also trying to tune it up the best possible.

Keep an eye out for us at the next race, we coming with guns loaded to take down the current Champion Corey Torres!!

For more information on Team Johnson check out our SponsorHouse link:

http://www.sponsorhouse.com/Members/Johnson954/Home.aspx

Team Johnson would like to thank its current sponsors:  Osiris Shoes (www.osirisshoes.com), Spy Optics (www.spyoptics.com), Drop In Industries (www.dropinindustries.com) and Joel Mohr at Mohr Performance ( www.mohrprf.com ).

Check out our church’s new website at www.hdcseven.com!

For more information on M.O.R.E. visit their web site at www.moreracing.net.

Pictures of us on the web from the race!  Check out these photographers!

http://photoahead.com/more/kst/kst954a.htm

http://www.marteesracephotos.com/details.php?gid=1426&sgid=&pid=27752

http://www.prospectator.com/cgi-bin/emAlbum.cgi?cmd=show_image&path=Racing%20Photos%202007/07%20MORE%20KST%20250&img=142&tn=1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

Team Johnson Racing prepares for an exciting year of racing with the first race of the 2007 M.O.R.E. season, the “KST 250”.

Victorville, Calif. - - Saturday, January 13, will be the first race of the M.O.R.E. 2007 Kartek Gold Cup Challenge in Lucerne Valley, California.  The “KST 250” is a 250 mile race that will start off Camp Rock Rd. in the Johnson Valley off highway vehicle recreation area, and run a 39 mile loop clockwise on course B.  Team Johnson, along with the current list of 11 other class 9 contestants, will run five of the six total laps, enabling us to finish under the eight hour time limit.  Steve and Matt will split the driving duties, and will be running the car as a two-seater.

“This is going to be an interesting race for us”, stated Steve.  “We are already hard at work to win the Big Class 9 Race that is scheduled in March.  With that, Joel Mohr at Mohr Performance (www.mohrprf.com) is putting a special engine package together for us to try and give us as much advantage as possible.  This takes time…time to build and time to dyno.  So needless to say, that leaves us without our dual port motor for this race.  We decided at the last minute that we would go ahead and do the race by pulling the single port motor out of our pre-runner and just making the best of it and hopefully collect some points.”

“We’ve run ‘down on power’ before”, laughed Matt.  “When we ran this course last year, all the front runners, including us, broke.  This race just might come to us, because we aren’t pushing the pace everyone else will be trying to maintain.  Anything could happen…this is off-road racing!” 

“Even the weather could be a factor,” exclaimed Jennifer!  “It is forecasted to get down to 16 degrees on Friday night, with the snow level getting down to 1500’!  I’m excited to co-drive my second race though.  My husband Steve and I had a great time at the Holiday 200 race in December.  I just hope our results are better for the team and our sponsors.”

Team Johnson just signed a new sponsorship deal with Spy Optics (www.spyoptics.com), and we are looking forward to sporting their sun glasses here real soon!  Please check out the rest of our sponsors’ links at the end of this release.

For more information on Team Johnson check out our SponsorHouse link:

http://www.sponsorhouse.com/Members/Johnson954/Home.aspx

Here is a link to the KST 250 race information:

http://www.moreracing.net/map.htm

Team Johnson would like to thank its current sponsors:  Osiris Shoes (www.osirisshoes.com), Spy Optics (www.spyoptics.com), Drop In Industries (www.dropinindustries.com) and Joel Mohr at Mohr Performance ( www.mohrprf.com ).

Check out our church’s new website at www.hdcseven.com!

For more information on M.O.R.E. visit their web site at www.moreracing.net.

  Glimpses of greatness…that’s how I would describe our run at the MORE Holiday 200.  Although our day was cut short due to a faulty part, we were poised to make a run at the win.  Our car was really working good, thanks to our Dwaine Walters’ set up, and our Joel Mohr power was enabling us to pull speed and quickness we have never seen before! 

 We started the day from the back of the field, by design.  We wanted to pace the other cars, and be ready to run with the champion Corey Torres, who started just 2 cars behind us.  On lap #1, we took it easy, especially after seeing 2 cars rolled in the first 3 miles.  We finished the lap a little off the then, current leader’s pace, but we felt that the leader was running too hard, and there was no Corey Torres to be found, so we were taking it easy (the current leader at that time did end up breaking his tranny).

 Our drama started on lap #2, where we had a rear tire go flat with a slow leak.  By the time we realized it was flat and got it changed, we had driven on it for about 5 miles.  Special thanks to Grandpa Skip who got us back up running with a quick tire change at Stoddard Wells road, even though he lacked power tools! 

 At this point we began to pick up the pace, and try to make up some time we lost on the previous lap (6 minutes off pace for flat tire and change).  With my beautiful wife Jenny doing an excellent job co-driving with me for the first time, we ran the next lap at a pace that made us the 3^rd fastest car around the short course.  We started lap 4 still pacing ourselves, but with more of a mission.  We only had 2 laps of the short course left to go before we turned the car over to Matt and his co-driver Brad.

 That is when our day came to an end, and to nobody’s wrong doing, just a brand new part that was faulty.  But like I said in the beginning, we had great successes.  We had a car that was good enough that we could back off the pace, and still know we could make up time later.  I now have a 100 lbs co-driver that I love in more ways than I can describe, and we were better prepared to keep the car running even when we have problems.

 We have a lot of people to thank.  First would be Joel Mohr and Dwaine Walters for their awesome expertise – we finally have the wheels we always dreamed of!  Drew Kelty, for fixing our steering and our rear bumper – the car steers great, but Jenny might argue after her encounter with a few bushes on lap 3.  Tony Duarte for towing us back to the road from the “mile of danger”.  Big Grandpa Skip for your tire changing skills...is re-tire-ment all you dreamed it would be?!...Don’t worry we’ll keep you busy!  Grandma Cathy and Leah for taking pictures, and watching the little ones while we were playing.  Matt and Brad for being ready to run, heading up the pits, and chasing us down.  Mitch for keeping track of us, and to the rest of the Team Johnson family for all of your support and for the gifts you brought for the Toys 4 Tots drive.  We gave away 4 bags of toys!!!

 There are already some great things in the works for Team Johnson in 2007, so check back!  We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

 God Bless!

Steve Johnson

Event:  MORE – Toys 4 Tots Holiday 200

Date:  December 1^st – 2^nd, 2006

Location:  Barstow, CA

****

Team Johnson takes on the MORE “Toys 4 Tots” Holiday 200

In the Bible, the book of Proverbs, Chapter 24 verses 5 and 6 says, “A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisors.”

Team Johnson has taken these words of King Solomon to heart to get their race program to a more competitive level in preparation for this next race.   Joel Mohr of Mohr Performance in Victorville, CA, a two time Class 9 Champion in MDR, and current record holder for 1/8^th mile VW drags (using Kadron carburetors), has put together a powerful motor and transaxle package.  “We have spent lots of time at Joel’s shop with the engine on the dyno, trying to get everything we can out of the motor, when combined with our gearing package”, stated an ecstatic Steve Johnson.  “We like to refer to Joel as the ‘Mad Scientist of VW’s’.  He is amazing, and with his horsepower we believe we have the fastest 9-car out there today!”

To get this horsepower to the ground Team Johnson turned to three-time (consecutive) SNORE Class 9 Champion Dwaine Walters.  “Dwaine is awesome!  We’ve been out testing with him a few times now, and every time out our car gets faster.  His experience not only in class 9, but class ½ 1600, and trophy truck make him unmatched.  I’m so glad he’s taken the time to take us under his wing”, stated Steve.

The Holiday 200 is scheduled to start Saturday, December 2^nd at 9 a.m., behind Slash X Café on HWY 147 south of Barstow, CA.  Contingency and tech will be at the Tanger Outlet Mall off of HWY 15 at Lenwood Rd. exit, just west of Barstow on Friday December 1^st from 4 to 9 p.m.  The MORE race will consist of two parts, on two different courses with a break in between.  The limited classes will race one course, while the unlimited classes share the opposite course for the morning race.  Then there will be a break and the classes will swap tracks to complete the second race.

MORE will be having their annual Toys 4 Tots toy drive on both Friday and Saturday of the race.  “Don’t forget to bring an unwrapped toy”, exclaimed Jennifer!  “This is the race that we get to give to the kids for Christmas.”

Team Johnson is sponsored by:

Mohr Performance – www.mohrprf.com, Drop In Industries – www.dropinindustries.com

Osiris Shoes – www.osirisshoes.com

****

For updates and prior team photos, check out: