Slick Johnson

Slick Johnson
Birth name	Julius David Johnson III
Birth date	February 23, 1948
Birth place	Florence, South Carolina, U.S.
Death date	February 14, 1990 (aged 41)
Death place	Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Death cause	Basilar skull fracture and crushed chest caused by racing accident
Total cup races	68
Years in cup	8
Best cup pos	23rd (1980)
First cup race	1979 Carolina 500 (Rockingham)
Last cup race	1987 Holly Farms 400 (North Wilkesboro)
Cup wins	0
Cup top tens	7
Cup poles	0
Total busch races	1
Years in busch	1
Best busch pos	138th (1983)
First busch race	1983 Mello Yello 300 (Charlotte)
Busch wins	0
Busch top tens	0
Busch poles	0

Julius David "Slick" Johnson III (February 23, 1948 – February 14, 1990) was an American stock car racing driver. A veteran of short track competition in the Carolinas, he competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series during the 1980s; his best finish in the series, second, came in a non-points consolation race at Daytona International Speedway. He was killed in a racing accident in an ARCA race at Daytona in 1990.

Career

A native of Florence, South Carolina,^[1] Johnson started his racing career on dirt tracks at the age of sixteen; his racing career was interrupted due to his spending time in the military, however he returned to competition in 1968 at Cooper River Speedway;^[2] Johnson also competed at other tracks in the Carolinas during the late 1960s and 1970s including Sumter Speedway.^[3]

Moving up from local competition during the 1970s, Johnson made his first start in NASCAR Winston Cup Series competition in 1979 at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina, finishing 27th in his first race in the series. He would go on to compete in a total of 68 Winston Cup Series races between 1979 and 1987, posting a best finish of eighth on two occasions, both in 1980, at North Wilkesboro Speedway and at Rockingham.^[4] Johnson also finished second, to Tim Richmond, in a non-points consolation race for Daytona 500 non-qualifiers at Daytona International Speedway in 1982.^[5]

Johnson also competed in a single Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race in his career, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1983; he started nineteenth and finished 28th in the event.^[6]

He was not related to Jimmie Johnson, also Joe Lee Johnson and Junior Johnson

Death

In 1988 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Johnson was injured in a severe crash during a practice session.^[7] Following his recovery, Johnson returned to racing in the ARCA Permatex Super Car Series season-opening 200-mile race at Daytona International Speedway in 1990. Starting last in the forty-car field, Johnson was involved in a crash on the race's 76th lap that left him with a basal skull fracture and crushed chest; Johnson had been hit by three other cars during the course of the accident.^[7] Transported to Halifax Medical Center in critical condition, Johnson died three days later; he was the 23rd racing-related fatality at Daytona, and the first stock car driver to be killed since Joe Young in 1987.^[8]

The accident in which Johnson was involved, in which paramedic Mike Staley was also injured one lap later, was featured in an episode of Rescue 911 that aired on November 13, 1990 on CBS.^[9]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	NWCC	Pts	Ref
1979	Satterfield Racing	87	Chevy	RSD	DAY	CAR 27	RCH	ATL	NWS 24	BRI	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	TWS	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS				42nd	431	^[10]
1979	Johnson Racing	51	Chevy																													CAR 10	ATL 13	ONT	42nd	431	^[10]
1980		53		RSD	DAY 14	RCH	CAR 30	ATL 10	BRI 26	DAR 25	NWS 9	MAR 9	TAL	NSV 25	DOV	CLT 32	TWS 30	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV 13	POC 31	TAL 19	MCH	BRI	DAR 15	RCH	DOV	NWS 8	MAR 24	CLT 40	CAR 8	ATL	ONT	23rd	1851	^[11]
1981		53		RSD	DAY	RCH	CAR 25	ATL 34	BRI	NWS	DAR 32	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	TWS	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI										65th	216	^[12]
1981	Ulrich Racing	40	Buick																							DAR 35	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	RSD	65th	216	^[12]
1982	Hylton Motorsports	48	Buick	DAY DNQ				CAR 18	DAR 26			TAL 12																							29th	1261	^[13]
	Hylton Motorsports	48	Pontiac		RCH 17	BRI 21	ATL			NWS 30	MAR 10
	Ulrich Racing	40	Buick										NSV 25	DOV 16	CLT 18	POC 29	RSD	MCH 30	DAY 34	NSV 28	POC	TAL 32	MCH	BRI	DAR 32	RCH	DOV	NWS	CLT DNQ	MAR	CAR 19	ATL	RSD
1983	Billy Matthews Racing	42	Buick	DAY DNQ																															38th	705	^[14]
	Satterfield Racing	18	Buick		RCH 27	CAR 23	ATL 34	DAR 29	NWS 25	MAR 28	TAL	NSV	DOV	BRI	CLT 24	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC 37	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR 27	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT
	Cronkrite Racing	96	Chevy																												CAR 20	ATL	RSD
1984	Jimmy Means Racing	52	Pontiac	DAY	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	RSD	POC	MCH DNQ	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI											NA	0	^[15]
1984	Satterfield Racing	18	Chevy																						DAR 36	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	ATL	RSD		NA	0	^[15]
1985	Gray Racing	31	Chevy	DAY 20	RCH																														48th	343	^[16]
	Spohn Racing	05	Ford			CAR 15	ATL 21	BRI	DAR 36	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	DOV	CLT 17	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI
	Spohn Racing	51	Ford																				DAR 29	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR
	Blue Max Racing	27	Pontiac																											ATL QL^†	RSD
1986	Gray Racing	54	Chevy	DAY QL^‡	RCH	CAR	ATL QL^‡	BRI	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL	DOV	CLT	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	RSD			NA	-	^[17]
1987	Hamby Motorsports	12	Olds	DAY	CAR	RCH 19	ATL		NWS 19		MAR 30																MAR 25								47th	444	^[18]
	Hamby Motorsports	12	Chevy					DAR 12		BRI 14		TAL 15	CLT	DOV	POC	RSD	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV
	Fillip Racing	81	Ford																									NWS 32	CLT	CAR	RSD	ATL
1988	Sadler Brothers Racing	95	Chevy	DAY	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	CLT	DOV	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL DNQ	GLN	MCH DNQ	BRI	DAR DNQ	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT DNQ	NWS	CAR	PHO	ATL			NA	-	^[19]
^† - Qualified but replaced by Tim Richmond · ^‡ - Qualified but replaced by Eddie Bierschwale

Daytona 500

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1980	Johnson Racing	Chevrolet	39	14
1982	Hylton Motorsports	Buick	DNQ
1983	Billy Matthews Racing	Buick	DNQ
1985	Gray Racing	Chevrolet	40	20
1986	Gray Racing	Chevrolet	QL^†
^† - Qualified but replaced by Eddie Bierschwale

Late Model Sportsman Series

NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	NLMSC	Pts	Ref
1983		46	Buick	DAY	RCH	CAR	HCY	MAR	NWS	SBO	GPS	LGY	DOV	BRI	CLT 28	SBO	HCY	ROU	SBO	ROU	CRW	ROU	SBO	HCY	LGY	IRP	GPS	BRI	HCY	DAR	RCH	NWS	SBO	MAR	ROU	CLT	HCY	MAR	138th	79	^[20]

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	APSC	Pts	Ref
1983	Satterfield Racing	81	Buick	DAY	NSV	TAL	LPR	LPR	ISF	IRP	SSP	FRS	BFS	WIN	LPR	POC	TAL 8	MCS	FRS	MIL	DSF	ZAN	SND	NA	0	^[21]
1989	Sadler Brothers Racing	95	Chevy	DAY	ATL	KIL	TAL	FRS	POC	KIL	HAG	POC	TAL	DEL	FRS	ISF	TOL	DSF	SLM	ATL 10				108th	-	^[22]
1990	Sadler Brothers Racing	95	Pontiac	DAY 17	ATL	KIL	TAL	FRS	POC	KIL	TOL	HAG	POC	TAL	MCH	ISF	TOL	DSF	WIN	DEL	ATL			102nd	-	^[23]

References

^ Siano, Joseph (February 18, 1990). "Experience Is Lacking". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
^ "Cooper River Welcomes Back Slick Johnson". The News and Courier. June 27, 1968. p. 4D.^{[dead link]}
^ Watts, Dargan (June 30, 1969). "Johnson Tops Sumter Field". The Sumter Daily Item. p. 3B.
^ "Slick Johnson – NASCAR Sprint Cup Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
^ Hinshaw, Lydia (February 13, 1982). "Richmond Slips By Slick For Win". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. p. 4B.
^ "Slick Johnson – NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
^ Glick, Shav (February 13, 1990). "Driver Still Critical, but Course Worker Improves at Daytona". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
^ "Driver Dies of Injuries Suffered in Daytona Crash". Los Angeles Times. February 15, 1990. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
^ "Candy stars in 'Uncle Buck' tonight at 9 on CBS". The Item. November 13, 1990. p. 7A.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1983 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1983 Season Results ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series". TheThirdTurn. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1989 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^ "Slick Johnson – 1990 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2019.

External links

"Daytona". Rescue 911. Episode #208. 10 May 2007. Archived 2021-12-19 at the Wayback Machine.