On December 26, 1986, President Ronald Reagan granted Johnson a presidential
pardon for his 1956 moonshining conviction. In response to the pardon, which
restored his right to vote, Johnson said, "I could not have imagined anything better."
I think most of the early drivers were moonshiners. If I had it I would watch “Thunder Road’ tonight.
I’d guess a very colorful, fun 88 years. Rest in peace.
There was once talk of Junior Johnson entering politics, but he kept turning to the Left.
That is the history of stock car racing. Moonshiners who got together on Saturday night to race their rigs.
They made a movie about him.
Jeff Bridges as Junior. Entertaining, especially the derby.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070287/
RIP Junior Johnson, you lived a full life.
.
Saw him race back in the day - think it was the same race that Fireball Roberts lived (died) up to his name.
Highly regarded as a decent person. RIP, Junior.
He was more a Bootlegger than a Moonshiner.
On December 26, 1986, President Ronald Reagan granted Johnson a presidential
pardon for his 1956 moonshining conviction. In response to the pardon, which
restored his right to vote, Johnson said, "I could not have imagined anything better."
We up here in Ashe County, NC (Junior’s former stomping grounds and his moonshine supply route) are mourning the loss of one of our patron saints.
“When he’s been there 19,000 years...”
He will still be turning left
If I remember correctly, Junior Johnson said that the fastest car he ever drove was the machine he used to outrun the revenooers! ;-)
Now that’s when drivers were drivers. Not kids playing video games.
May Junior Johnson R.I.P., eternally.
He was once, long ago, very nice to & patient with this (back then) hillbilly college-boy from Camp County, Texas.
Yours, TMN78247
GREAT article* about a true legend. What a life! Thanks for posting!
*I’m only an occasional racing fan, and that article prompted me to create a new folder in my “Favorites” for Auto Racing. ;-)
Prayers for, and condolences to, Junior Johnson’s family and friends.
RIP.
Pardoned by Ronald Reagan. As a condition of his pardon, he could never be on the premises of any spiritous liquor manufacture.
But.. his name and likeness is on a rather fine heavy duty real product (and his family recipe)-— Cat Daddy, special run.
And, another with his likeness: Midnight Moon.
From Piedmont Distillers, Madison, NC
RIP to the one and only 1965 Rebel 300 Winner, and first Firestone product endorser sponsor in NASCAR.
https://www.juniorsmidnightmoon.com/junior-remembered
RIP! Junior drove real cars, ie. cars that you could by at a dealer that were modified, not chrome tube race cars and he drove on dirt sometimes. And he ran shine!!!
bTW, the southern areas were quite active in the moonshine business. UP north, on the other hand, they not only made to stuff, they ran it directly to Chicago and Detroit, etc, they ran it across the Canada/American line.
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, as well as the rest of the northern states were ground zero.
They used to load TONS of it on ore freighters and ship it to the ports across the Great Lakes region as well as the East coast.