Like father like son - Derbyshire's 10-year-old autograss competitor and his dad win first round trophies on journey towards British championship titles
Motor racing is in the blood for George Johnson who has won his first big trophy – at the young age of 10.
George and his dad Dan brought home silverware from Ireland after winning their respective classes in round one of the British Autograss Series. They have to win a further four rounds to be crowned junior and adult national champions.
Dan said: “I am really proud of George and overwhelmed at how good and calm he is in the car. It's just amazing. He was one of the youngest, so for him to win a British round is quite spectacular.”
George raced to victory ahead of 50 opponents, some of whom were 15 and 16 years old.
The talented young driver competes in a space-frame buggy with a 1.2 Vauxhall engine, which is capable of reaching 50-60 mph. He narrowly missed out on becoming the youngest ever M.A.P. open champion a month ago in Evesham. Dan said: “He was winning with a lap to go but a 15-year-old just came on the inside and muscled him out.”
George, who lives in Barlborough, took his round one trophy to St Peter and St Paul’s School in Hasland to show to pupils at his school.
His love of motor sport started at the age of seven and he raced a MicroF2 on stock car tracks in Buxton and Skegness. Dan said: “George stopped doing this last year to race the autograss.”
Dan was the same age as George is now when he began grasstrack racing. “I wasn’t as good as George,” he admitted. He moved onto Formula 1 stock car racing at the age of 16 and in the ensuing 16 years was crowned British champion, national champion, and Gold Cup champion in Holland. Dan returned to grasstrack racing four years ago.
“Stockcar racing is contact – a bit like banger racing – and grasstrack isn’t,” said Dan, 36. “I've hurt my ribs before and knocked myself out, but not on grasstracking. Grasstracking can be dangerous; if you hit each other’s wheels, you can roll multiple times.”
In autograss racing eight cars per race have to qualify through heats to reach the final where they do eight laps of an oval track.
Dan competes in a 600bhp space-frame car that resembles an old-fashioned Mini pick-up. His vehicle weighs just 650kg which is very light compared to its horsepower and can reach 100mph on big tracks.
Both Dan and George will compete in the next round of the British Autograss Series at Blyton Park, near Gainsborough during the last weekend in June. Dan said: “Blyton Park is our home track – we’re members of the Scunthorpe Autograss Club.”
Skilful handling of cars has passed down through the generations of the Johnson family. Dave Johnson, who is Dan’s dad, was a successful Formula 1 stock car racer. Dan said: “My dad used to race years and years ago. He came third in the world final. He didn’t start until he was about 16 or 17 when he used to do banger racing.”
Nowadays, Mr Johnson senior is happy to watch his son and grandson on their drive to be the champions of their sport.