Jordan Johnson Racing Team Race Recaps
- Jordan Johnson's Racing
Jordan Johnson racing is going to begin his 9th season of vintage ice oval racing. Our racing family consist of loyal and very supportive sponsors plus great race fans that have a passion for our sport that make this so meaning. During the off season both of the race sleds were disassembled to make sure that any stressed or broken parts were replaced. Each and every nut and bolt was taken out of the sleds and replaced with new heavier grade parts. Both race motors were rebuilt by two of the best builders in the upper Midwest. With some help and insight of another influential race team we have built brand new suspensions that have been lightened up by 11.5 lbs. Needless to say the off season went by real quick and the 2014 race season should be one filled with excitement, challenges and most of all fun. I am going to include the 2014 race and show schedule for Jordan Johnson racing. I would also like each and everyone of you join us on facebook @ Jordan Johnson #21J racing for up to date info about our race program and racing action.. #21J Jordan Johnson racing is getting the 2014 race season started this upcoming weekend Dec 14th at The U.S. Nationals in Rock Rapids Iowa. Lastly, if you would like to continue to receive our weekly updates just simply reply to me stating I would like the updates HAve A Blessed Night!!
- 2013-2014 Race Recap #1
It is my pleasure to be sending out the first race recap of the 2014 race season. This recap starts off letting our sponsors and fans know that Jordan is starting his 9th season of vintage ice oval racing. One thing has always remained constant in the racing scene, and that is our sponsors and fans really make the whole experience much more complete. Your friendships along the way will be the memories that will never be forgotten.
Jordan Johnson Racing traveled to Rock Rapids, Iowa to compete in the Wiseco U.S. Nationals put on by the Oval Racers Alliance. Some would think “why would we travel Rock Rapids Iowa to race?” Simply put, one of the best high-banked tracks that we get to race at the entire season! This season is the first season in Jordan’s racing career that he will be racing the same 2 race sleds that he ran the previous season. In the past we have always built a new sled or had the chance to race for other race teams. So with that being said I will recap the weekend results using a different format than I did in years past. I will list the class and then show the results for that race.Payback/Money Round
340 Super Stock– 3rd
340 Super Stock combo class -2nd
440 Super Stock - 3rdTrophy Round
340 Super Stock-1st
340 Mod Stock -2nd
440 Super Stock-2nd
440 Mod Stock-1stJordan Johnson Racing was happy with the weekend results, but as always will strive to work hard to make the program even better. Our fans and sponsors deserve the best each and every weekend of racing and we want you to be proud that you are apart of our race program. If you have a chance please follow us on facebook at Jordan Johnson #21J Racing. Have A Blessed Day!! #21J Jordan Johnson vintage Ice oval racing
- 2013-2014 Race Recap #2 EAGLE RIVER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hello to all of our wonderful race sponsors and fans!! As you can see in the title of this weeks recap it is in bold type. The world championships are exactly what the tile states, “championship”. Which really equals the place where the best of the best come to compete to really see what your title will be at the end of the race weekend.
Jordan and I have talked about the championships and how tough it is to compete at this level and how much it would mean for our small father son race team to be lucky enough to first of all to race at this legendary track, but to also one day bring home another Eagle River “Eagle” to have placed in our race shop. I have had some time to reflect back on our events on this past weekend, and trust me if I were to explain all the details it would turn out to be a small novel. So I will keep the recap informative, yet reflect some of the true events that made our weekend a memory of a lifetime.
I am going to start out with the race recap for our 440 SRX. In order to make the finals on Sunday we needed to place in the top 4 during the heat race and in the top 5 of the semi-finals. So in the heat race Jordan lines up against some of the toughest 440 race sleds in the country. Jordan got a great start, which put our SRX in the lead going into the first corner, heading down the back straight away, where our 440 flexed its muscle and pulls out to a 4-sled length lead. Jordan proceeded to run smooth lines and flexed his muscle to take home a very satisfying heat win. In our Semi-final race the competition just got even tougher. Once again Jordan pulls out a great hole-shot and once again set sail to win the semi-finals. Both Jordan and I new our sled was better than one year ago, but never thought it was going to be this good.
Come Championship Sunday our 440 super stock final was race 44 which meant the track was rough and drivers raced on the edge to capture the title of a World Championship. Jordan lined up, got a great hole-shot, went into turn number one in second place hit a nasty rut launches the sled way out of shape gets the sled back under control points it down the back straight and takes over 3rd place. Jordan continues to somehow find his way around a track that really had no smooth line. At the white flag, Jordan was in 3rd place and continued to battle the tough track as the checkered flag flew Jordan finds the strength and will to capture the 3rd place honor at the 51st annual World Championships!!!440 Super Stock Eagle River Championships
440 Super Stock heat race - 1st
440 Super Stock Semi-Finals -1st
440 Super Stock WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - 3rdIn the 340 super stock championships, there were more strange twists than I ever want to experience again as a race team. Jordan takes our 340 SRX off the line drives harder into corner one than I have seen him do all weekend just to find himself in the lead coming out of corner two heading down the 700ft back straight away. Jordan had and almost pissed off driving style that gave me the feeling he wanted something special to happen. Two laps into the race the red flag flies because of a huge wreck in corner number three. Jordan drives over to the staging area where I can go out and communicate with him that the back of our seat sheered off both bolts that hold it onto the sled. In a red flag situation, teams can’t fix any situations, if so they would be disqualified. So with three laps left in the race Jordan needed to not only race the tough track conditions but also focus on not losing his seat. If the seat comes off the sled Jordan get black-flagged and would not be able to finish the race. In the lead on the last lap going down the back straight Jordan makes this decision, slow down for just a split second takes his right leg kicks the seat back in place and falls into forth place. I really believe that decision made the difference in taking home an “Eagle” versus losing the seat and getting the black flag. In my opinion, an incredible split second reaction that I am not sure many drivers would think about in that high stakes, high speed situation.
340 Super Stock Eagle River Championships
340 Super Stock heat race - 1st
340 Super Stock Semi-Finals - 3rd
340 Super Stock WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - 4thJordan Johnson racing is overwhelmed with incredible emotions at our run for a World Championship at the 51st Eagle River World Championships!! Placing 3rd and 4th in the World is what our race sponsors and fans deserve. Jordan and I are so moved by the support we received this last weekend it just made the whole experience much more meaningful. If you have a chance please follow us on facebook at Jordan Johnson #21J Racing. There are lots of great pictures from the Championships and even a helmet camera video from our 340 Super Stock final. Have A Blessed Day!! #21J Jordan Johnson vintage Ice oval racing.
- 2013-2014 Race Recap #3 THE WINTER SPECTACULAR
30 years ago there was a very special race event in Alexandria, MN called the Dayco Spectacular. Last weekend a group of very special gentlemen called 10GDP put on the biggest and best snowmobile race event in the upper Midwest in over 30 years. This three-day event brought together some of the best race teams to compete for the titles of “The Winter Spectacular Champion”. Just a bit more history about this race, in the mid 70’s all of the major snowmobile manufactures brought all of their best drivers and race equipment to the high flyin’ half mile race track to race for the Hetteen Cup and the title of the Spectacular’s best. Fast forward to last weekend, the 10GDP group brought together the current day Champ Pro teams and the top Vintage snowmobile race teams.
On Friday, Jordan Johnson Racing had the huge honor of entering the racetrack, that has so much history of snowmobile racing, in order to qualify for the championship races on Saturday. Here is the simple break down of our qualifying race day.
340 Super Stock Liquid Cooled - 1st
440 Super Stock Liquid Cooled - 1st
340 Free Air/Liquid, Cooled 440 Fan Cooled
WINTER SPECTACULAR RACE - 1stOn Saturday the excitement and nerves were almost too much to handle. Why so much pressure? Jordan Johnson Racing was going to be racing in front of the biggest race crowd that we have ever seen in the 9 years of our racing career, plus the total prize money, epic trophy and Spectacular winners jacket were without a doubt the biggest prizes we have ever had a chance to win. The first race of the day just happened to be the biggest race for our race weekend, called the SPECTACULAR. 10 laps of flat out, big time snowmobile racing on the high flyin’ half mile. This race will be tough to truly capture in words because of all the drama we had to deal with. Right from the green flag, going into corner one in six place, Jordan had to try and out run the leaders going down the backstretch. Coming out of corner four and crossing the start line Jordan somehow found himself in the lead. Then a red flag came out two laps later with Jordan in second, which caused some major stress. When Jordan came back towards the pit are we noticed the ski loop was broke. On a red flag the only person who can do any work on the sled is the driver. If Jordan does not fix our sled we are automatically disqualified from the race. So Jordan and I talked about what we could do to fix the sled. After a few seconds of discussion, Jordan lifted the hood, took out the bottom pin that held the brake pads on the brake caliper, and stuck it in the ski look to hold it in place. Without some quick thinking, we never would have been able to continue the rest of the race. After the restart there, were 8 laps of racing left. Jordan got a great start going into corner one, and once again is leading the race. Then the second place sled finds a line right above Jordan, which allows him to have faster corner speed. From when on, Jordan follows the leaders line and settles in for the next 6 laps to take home a hard earned 2nd place SPECTACULAR finish.
In the 340 Super Stock Liquid class Jordan was once again up against some of the best super stock sleds in the Midwest. When the snow dust settled, Jordan took home yet another very solid 2nd place finish. Then the last race of the day for Jordan Johnson Racing, we took out our 440 SRX to race in the 440 Liquid Super Stock race. Just in this class there was a total 6 drivers that have earned the title of World Champion in the past two years. Can you say “Very tough competition?” Not getting the best start, Jordan shoots off into corner one in 5th place, not really where any driver really wants to be. Heading down the back straight, Jordan was able to pass 3 different drivers to fall into 2nd place. Jordan pushed as hard as he could to try to get up to the 1st place driver, but was one sled length away from making the race a very tight finish and yet again coming in 2nd place.
Race family, Jordan Johnson Racing came home with 3, count them, THREE, second place finishes to top off what will go down as the best race event that we have ever had the pleasure to race!!!
- Race Recap #5 2014
Hey Jordan Johnson race family! If I were to ask you this question, I would be very impressed if you know the answer. “Do you know where Strathcona, MN is located?” If you have no idea, Strathcona is located about 265 miles north west of St Joseph, MN. Strathcona has a population of 44 people, and is 35 miles straight north Thief River Falls, MN. So you ask, “Why would Jordan Johnson racing head that far north for a snowmobile race?” “The Strathcona Cup” is one of the longest running snowmobile events in the country, racing 47 consecutive years. Our trip had one general purpose in mind and it was to race at a track that has history that is down right legendary! Also, the entire Westlund family, who organizes the event, was so influential in giving Jordan Johnson racing one of the first events that Jordan ever raced. When we drove into the racetrack and being able to see the huge smile on the faces of Armand and Nathan Westlund, it really made the whole trip complete! So Jordan decided, being we made the trip we might as well unload the sleds and see how we stack up against the race teams from the far north. In half of the races we had to run a heat race to advance to the finals. Very simple, we had a great run in all the heats, advancing us directly into the finals, so I will fast forward to the final results.
Open Super Stock = 1st
440 Super Stock = 1st
440 Fan Super Stock = 1st
4440 Fan Mod =1st
340 Super Stock = 3rd
Open Super Mod = 3rdWhen the final checkered flag flew for the race day both, Jordan and I felt very happy and pleased with our race results. Also, it was a great feeling that both of our race sleds were still running and Jordan was safe! Anytime we go to a new event and race against race teams that we have never competed against, it is a bit nerving. So heading into the awards ceremony Jordan Johnson racing new that we had a possible chance to win the high points for the day, in other words, the “Strathcona Cup”. The final numbers when all totaled up put Jordan Johnson racing in second place only, 3 points away from winning the Strathcona Cup. A pretty amazing effort, for our first time at this legendary event!
Check out this AWESOME helmet cam aboard our 440 SRX Super Stock! This weekend we decided to try a new angle and put the camera on backwards on top of the helmet! Here is the link to You Tube of the race!