Successful Career Change, Storybook Life Just Fine for Johnson

Rick Johnson was scared.

He and his wife of 14 months, Stephanie, were in Scripps Memorial Hospital-La Jolla on Thursday morning, preparing to become parents for the first time. Doctors induced labor a week before Stephanie was due to deliver because there wasn’t enough amniotic fluid for the child to survive another week.

“I’ve had such a storybook life,” Johnson said. “I’ve been scared that my life has been so good that maybe something was going to be wrong with the baby.”

Those fears were unfounded. After 18 hours, Stephanie delivered Lucas Jeff, a 7-pound, 8-ounce bundle of joy. Both are fine.

Father breathed a big sigh of relief. He still had enough time to go home and rest before Friday’s qualifying for the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Championship Gran Prix.

“The doctor said he would try to oblige,” Johnson said. “I started bawling when I saw the baby.”

There are plenty of debuts this weekend. A year ago, Johnson said goodby to San Diego. Today, he says hello.

The all-time Camel Supercross winner took a farewell tour in 1991, his motorcycle racing career cut short by a devastating wrist injury. But now he takes to the dirt in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium on four wheels instead of two, driving a Grand National sport truck in the event’s premier race.

“I think it was a blessing in disguise,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have a chance to get nervous until (Friday) morning. It’s been a chance to focus on my family instead of myself.”

Johnson would be nervous for a couple of reasons. One, he is making his debut driving a Chevrolet for Nelson and Nelson Racing. Two, he’s been driving the truck less than a week. Three, he is performing in front of his hometown fans.

Talk about high anxiety.

“If I didn’t have something to take my focus off the race,” Johnson said, “I would be a basket case.”

Stephanie, who returned to the Johnsons’ Encinitas home Friday afternoon, plans on being in the stadium to watch her husband’s debut.

She won’t be the only one. The baby will be there. So will John Nelson, the team owner, who will be looking on with a little more anticipation than the other two.

Nelson said the new driver has “about 20 laps” in the new Chevy S-10, which the team began building in October. It’s so new, it wasn’t finished in time to compete in the Anaheim race Jan. 18.

“We think he’s pretty good (as a driver),” Nelson said. “We’ll know a lot more (tonight).”

Johnson doesn’t see himself as a contender right away, but he doesn’t dismiss anything, either.

“I never think I can’t win,” he said. “I think I have a very slim chance of winning.

His focus, he said, is to impress his new team and his sponsors.

“My focus is to make sure the sponsors are happy with my performance and are anxious to test and get on to the next race,” Johnson said. “The worst thing would be for for them to have a defeated attitude, like, ‘This guy doesn’t give us a chance to win.’ ”

“After I win them over, then I can win the public over. The public automatically thinks I have as much seat time as Ivan Stewart. They’ll be the last to say ‘He’s good.’ They just see the final product.”

Johnson turned his truck over on its side during Friday’s qualifying. He had the 10th-fastest lap in the field of 13.

Hardly a performance that has the veteran drivers quaking in their boots.

“If we were on motorcycles, I don’t think (Johnson) would be worried about me,” said Dodge driver Walker Evans. “If we were at Indianapolis, I don’t think Rick Mears would be worried about us. So when he shows up here, I’m not too worried about him.

“But motorcycle grooves and lines are the same as on the dirt track. He’ll adapt very quickly.”

Evans has won the last two San Diego events, and his three victories in 1991 helped him win the Grand National sport truck championship. After winning the season opener in Anaheim, Evans has won three races in a row.

“What’s going against him is that he’s a new driver in a new truck with a new team,” Evans said. “It’s going to be a full year of learning for him.

“I compare him with Robby Gordon, who stepped into a truck that had been winning--the mold had been set. Rick is in a completely different situation. He’s got a little tougher road to hoe.”

And if nothing works out in Johnson’s favor, he won’t be too concerned.

“I lost my first motocross race,” he said, “and I did OK.”

His storybook life begins another chapter.

Racing Notes

Two local residents fared well in Friday qualifying. Alpine’s Ivan (Ironman) Stewart, driving a Toyota, qualified first in the Grand National sport truck class. Tommy Croft of San Diego (Jeep Cherokee) was second in the UltraStock race.