Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Saturday 21 december 2019
Junior Johnson,

"The Last American

Hero," dies at 88

JENNA FRYER 1998 after a 14-year career
AP Auto Racing Writer that ended in 1966 and in-
Robert Glenn "Junior" John- cluded a win in the 1960
son, the moonshine runner Daytona 500. He honed his
turned NASCAR driver de- driving skills running moon-
scribed as "The Last Ameri- shine through the North
can Hero" by author Tom Carolina hills, a crime for
Wolfe in a 1965 article for which he received a fed-
Esquire, died Friday. He was eral conviction in 1956 and
88. a full presidential pardon in
NASCAR announced the 1986 from President Ronald
death of Johnson, the win- Reagan.
ner of 50 races as a driver His was first immortalized by
and 132 as an owner. He Wolfe in 1965 and later in
was a member of the in- a 1973 movie adaptation
augural class inducted into starring Jeff Bridges. In this Oct. 16, 2009, file photo, former NASCAR driver and owner Junior Johnson smiles as he
the NASCAR Hall of Fame in As a car owner for drivers speaks to media about being named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame during a news conference at
2010. that included Darrell Wal- Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Associated Press
"From his early days running trip, Cale Yarborough, Bill
moonshine through the Elliott and Terry Labonte, one of American sports' ver that spins the car into a 500, the 50th running of that
end of his life, Junior wholly Johnson claimed six Cup great characters and one quick 180-degree turn and event. "I do miss being in
embodied the NASCAR championships. His last of the best racer and car sends it speeding off in the the garage sometimes, but
spirit," NASCAR Chairman race win as an owner was owners ever. His mountain opposite direction. I just wasn't excited about
Jim France said in a state- the 1994 Southern 500 with man drawl and tricks were Johnson began driving at going racing anymore."
ment. "He was an inaugu- Elliott. legendary," former race age 8, long before he had Johnson was never caught
ral NASCAR Hall of Famer, Waltrip said he grew up promoter Humpy Wheeler a license. on the roads during his
a nod to an extraordinary only dreaming of one day said. "He'll go down as one "I didn't need one anyway," moonshining days, but he
career as both a driver meeting Johnson, but sur- of racing's great ticket sell- he often said with a laugh. was arrested by federal
and team owner. Between passed that by getting to ers." "They weren't going to authorities in 1956 when
his on-track accomplish- drive for his hero. Johnson is credited with dis- catch me." he was caught working
ments and his introduction "He became my boss and covering drafting — using At 24, Johnson turned that at his father's still. He was
of (sponsor) Winston to the made me a champion, I the slipstream of the car in talent to racing and be- sentenced to 20 months
sport, few have contribut- loved that man, God Bless front of you on the track to came a superstar in NAS- but was released after 11
ed to the success of NAS- Jr and his family. You were keep up or slingshot past. CAR in the 1950s and 1960s. months in federal prison in
CAR as Junior has. the greatest!" Waltrip said Using that maneuver, he He walked away from the Chillicothe, Ohio.
"The entire NASCAR family on Twitter. won the 1960 Daytona 500, sport in 1996 to concen- Although a lifelong Demo-
is saddened by the loss of a Johnson also is credited outrunning several cars trate on his other business- crat, Johnson was par-
true giant of our sport, and with bringing the R.J. Reyn- that were about 10 mph es, including a line of fried doned by Reagan. In his
we offer our deepest con- olds Tobacco Company to faster. pork skins and country ham. later years, Johnson often
dolences to Junior's family NASCAR, which then led to As a young man, John- "I had done just about ev- said that the pardon in
and friends during this dif- Winston sponsoring its pre- son built a reputation as a erything in racing that I December 1986 was "the
ficult time." mier series from 1971-2003. moonshiner who could out- wanted to do," Johnson greatest thing in my life."
From North Wilkesboro, "The Last American Hero run the law on the moun- said in an interview with The Johnson is survived by wife
North Carolina, Johnson is gone and so leaves a tain roads like no one else. Associated Press before Lisa, daughter Meredith
was named one of NAS- huge dent in NASCAR rac- He's credited with inventing driving the pace car for the and son Robert Glenn
CAR's greatest drivers in ing. Junior Johnson was the Bootleg Turn, a maneu- start of the 2008 Daytona Johnson III.q

Doping on the rise, but WADA lacks resources to investigate

MONTREAL (AP) — The United States. Russia, which ingly important, with 345
World Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday said it plans to violations found in 2017, the
said Thursday more athletes appeal wide-ranging sanc- highest number on record
are being caught cheating tions imposed by WADA, and a 28% rise compared
but it often lacks the re- placed fifth. to the year before.
sources to investigate. While the number of of- However, WADA's own in-
WADA published statistics fenses is on the rise, the vestigations unit is strug-
showing that 1,804 dop- total number is middling in gling to cope with an
ing rule violations were re- historical terms, ranking be- "acute" lack of resources,
corded in 2017 — the most low 2013, 2014 and 2015. according to an audit pub-
recent year for which statis- Bodybuilding was found lished Thursday.
tics are available — with a to be the dirtiest sport with The audit said the quality of
President-Elect of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Witold 13.1% rise on the year be- 266 violations, followed by work was "exceptional" but
Banka, left, and President of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) fore. track and field and cycling. investigating a vast archive
Craig Reedie, right, speak during a press conference after the Italian athletes racked up Drug tests aren't the only of Russian doping data —
WADA's extraordinary Executive Committee (ExCo) on the Rus- the most violations with tool at WADA's disposal. which WADA later found
sian doping data manipulation, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Mon-
day, Dec. 9, 2019. 171, followed by competi- Investigations of athletes had been doctored — put
Associated Press tors from France and the and coaches are increas- strain on the unit. q