ENGLISHTOWN, N.J—Although he scored a second round finish in the NHRA Lucas Oil SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park this weekend, Steve Johnson of Irondale, AL admitted that his heart wasn’t in it.
“We lost one of our own yesterday when Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta died as a result of an accident during qualifying,” he said from his pit area. “I think everyone had a hard time coming out here today to race. Scott was more than a two-time Top Fuel champion. He was one of us, and losing anyone, regardless of the circumstances, just puts everything into a different perspective.
“We talk about racers being part of one big family all the time, but when something like this happens we feel it more than ever. The fans are part of that family, too. I didn’t see many smiling faces out here today, even from the winners. Winning a round, or even a race, doesn’t mean much when something like this happens. I know we’ll get through it, but right now my thoughts are with Scott’s family and the whole Kalitta Racing team. I can only imagine the hell they’re going through, and I just wish there was something I could do or say that would change things, but that isn’t possible.
“We’ll honor Scott in what we do for the rest of the season, but right now it’s a time for mourning and reflection far more than it is a time to think about what we did or didn’t accomplish here this weekend.”
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