Perseverance pays off for Houston Motorsports Park’s Johnny Walker

[NickHolt]

Perseverance pays off for Houston Motorsports Park’s Johnny Walker

 

Houston, TX (May 21, 2014) - Johnny Walker, who competes at Houston Motorsports Park (HMP) in his low-slung, fire-breathing NASCAR Fiesta Modified, knows the meaning of perseverance.

 

Walker, 51, who lives in Pasadena, has been racing in the top stock car racing divisions in Texas for over 25 years with mixed success, but is on the verge of a breakout season at Houston Motorsports Park this season. Walker has won two of the first three NASCAR Fiesta Modified events this season - the season-opener in March and the prestigious Feista Speedfest event in April.

 

With those wins, Walker takes a ten-point lead in the point standings over rival Zach Knowles going into this Saturday’s Fiesta Memorial Powerfest races at the well-maintained 3/8-mile oval speed plant in Northeast Houston.

 

“I started racing in 1987 in the Texas International Drivers Association Late Model Series with Neil Upchurch,” Walker said. “I ran with the TIDA series off and on for several years, but the best I ever did in the championship standings was sixth place.

 

“In the early 90’s I ran several All -Pro races east of the Mississippi and ran an ARCA series race at Texas World Speedway,” Walker continued. “At that point I thought my racing career was going to take off. But in 1993 I ran out of money and had to go back to work, raising my family and making a living.”

 

Most would have given up their racing career at that point, but not Walker.

 

After a 15-year layoff, Walker - now better able to fund his racing endeavors - decided to make a comeback in 2008.

 

“Jumping back in was the hardest thing I’ve done. The cars are very different than they used to be. The stock car racing industry as a whole had technologically passed me way by,” Walker explained.

“I came back with a Late Model and campaigned it at HMP. Thankfully, my good friend and multi-time champion Greg Davidson helped me with the new technology but it took a year just to get my first win. We finally pulled off a couple of wins before the track dropped the Late Models,” Walker said.

 

With his new-found Late Model success suddenly at a dead end, Walker decided to campaign a NASCAR Fiesta Modified – now the top-tier division at the track - two years ago.

 

“I struggled at first but I never gave up and now we’re achieving the sort of success I have always hoped for,” Walker said. “I never gave up and worked my way through the learning curve and hooked up with some of the smartest, most experienced guys in the sport. The difference this year is the addition of Tommy Owens as my Crew Chief and some great support from Marc and Bailey Currey. Their expertise is definitely what made me much more competitive.”

 

“It seems in racing that everything comes in bunches whether it’s wrecking, breaking or winning,” Walker said. “It seems to stay with you and you have to race your way through the bad stuff. That’s perseverance.”

 

Indeed.

 

Johnny Walker will be competing in the “Fiesta Mart 75” this Saturday at Houston Motorsports Park in the Fiesta Memorial Powerfest event in his black, number 72 NASCAR Fiesta Modified against some of the best racers in the country.

 

In addition, the NASCAR BWFS Coke Trucks will line up for the “BWFS Industries 50,” the NASCAR American Muscle Cars will compete in the “TFE Company 30,” while the wild and wooly EcoStocks will beat and bang in a 15-lap main event.

 

Tickets for the Fiesta Memorial Powerfest are $12, but are only $5 if purchased at Houston-area Fiesta Marts. Children 12 and under are free. And one dollar Cokes, one dollar beer and one dollar hotdogs make for an affordable outing for the entire family and a great opportunity to see some of the best NASCAR short track racing in the South.

 

Houston Motorsports Park is located in Northeast Houston at 11620 North Lake Houston Parkway.

 

For more information about HMP and this Saturday’s Fiesta Memorial Powerfest, visit http://www.houstonmotorsportspark.com, call 281-458-1972 or visit the HMP Facebook page.

[NickHolt]

How about a couple of pics to go with the story?

 

 

 

Both photos by Steve Steinle

[liljoe0804]

Seems like a good guy who has worked hard to get on top in the cars he is running. Much continued success.

[txtom]

One of the nicest guys you will ever run into on or off the track.

[elliottfan]

Believe he still holds the track record at Austin Longhorn speedway. 13.92 seconds in the Blue Lumina at a TIDA race in about 91

[NickHolt]

Johnny has always been fast.. Just seemed to end up on the short end of the stick more often than not...

 

Nick

[rolliepollie]

Really doesn't seem fair to accuse the man of having a short stick. JS