'Last American Hero' set to drive Daytona 500 pace car

By The Associated Press
February 7, 2008
07:25 AM EST

type size: + -

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Junior Johnson, who won 50 NASCAR races including the 1960 Daytona 500, will drive the pace car for the start of the 50th edition of The Great American Race on Feb. 17 at Daytona International Speedway.

The 76-year-old Johnson will drive a 2008 Corvette Z06 to get the season-opening event under way.

Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990 and named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers in 1998, Johnson won the 1960 Daytona 500 in only his second start at the track.

Johnson was immortalized by Tom Wolfe in a 1964 article in Esquire. Wolfe coined the phrase "good ol' boy" in his story about Johnson, who was deemed "The Last American Hero."

The article eventually was turned in a movie script -- 1973's The Last American Hero starring Jeff Bridges in a fictionalized version of Johnson, who served as technical advisor for the film.

As an owner, Johnson's cars earned 139 victories and six championships in NASCAR's top division.

Seven-time Daytona 500 winner Richard Petty, the winningest driver in NASCAR history with 200 victories, will be the honorary starter. (read more)

• Daytona also announced that all of its 168,000 grandstand seats have been sold for the historic race, leaving only infield tickets on sale. The crowd is expected to top 180,000.

It's the earliest sellout of the grandstand in modern history, according to speedway president Robin Braig.

• What's Junior Johnson doing today?

Also

POPULAR ALERTS

Create Your Own

Fast Times in Times Square!

	What: Daytona 500 Viewing Party
	When: 2 p.m. ET on Feb. 17

• Join Q104.3FM personality Ken Dashow for an afternoon of racing, contests and prizes including Fathead wall graphics and Sprint Cup Series apparel.
• The first 50 people in NASCAR Officially Licensed apparel will receive a $20 ESPN Zone gift certificate plus a complimentary game card to play each of ESPN Zone's four racing games in the Sports Arena. Offer begins at 2 p.m. on race day and guests must use the certificate to dine on the same day (one gift certificate per household).
• MVP Club members can request a table online, 24-72 hours in advance. Not a member yet? Go to www.mvpclub.espnzone.com to sign up. Request the Screening Room for the Daytona 500 Viewing Party.
• Minimums of $10 per person per hour will be assessed for all parties. For guests who earn a gift certificate by dressing in NASCAR Officially Licensed apparel, the certificate will cover the minimums for two hours.