Junior Johnson ready to race an AU Falcon once again

Steven Johnson will race a Ford Falcon AU once again at the Mountain Motorsport Winton 300 next weekend.

Two decades after racing the AU for Dick Johnson Racing, “Junior” Johnson is joining forces with his podcast partner and two-time Bathurst 12 Hour class winner Matt MacKelden for the 100-lap race.

Not only is Johnson returning to the circuit where he scored a Supercars podium at in 2011, but he will be racing a special vehicle.

He and MacKelden will be driving the last ever Ford Racing Australia prepared AU Falcon race car and bring it back to the track.

Steven Johnson and Matt MacKelden will race a special Ford AU Falcon at the upcoming Winton 300. Image: Supplied

To complete the entry, the Flacon will proudly wear the famous #17 which Johnson carried throughout his 419-race career.

Steven and his legendary father Dick Johnson were already attending the Winton 300 to support third generation racer Jett chase the TA2 Muscle Car Series title.

With his son racing, Steven thought he and MacKelden should jump behind the wheel as well to ensure a busy weekend for the whole family.

Paul Radisich and Steven Johnson famously won the 2001 Queensland 500 with their DJR Ford AU Falcon beached in the sand trap. Image: Motorsport Images

“We were already attending Winton for the final TA2 round, so when the opportunity came up to race in the 300, we thought ‘why not?’” The 2001 Queensland 500 winner said.

“It’s a bit of fun for Matt and I – every time we talk about AU Falcons on The Driver’s Seat (their radio show), we get a big response from our fans, so they’re very excited about us racing one.

“We’re not sure exactly where the car will slot into the field in terms of outright speed, but we’ll be looking to stay out of trouble, get our strategy right and hopefully finish somewhere up the pointy end.”

Steven Johnson on his way to victory in an AU Flacon in the opening race of the 2001 Shell Championship Series round at Calder Park. Image: Motorsport Images

The Falcon XR6 was built under the supervision of Ford’s then-motorsport manager, Howard Marsden, for the 2001 Targa Tasmania.

Steve Hoinville and Greg Foletta steered the machine at the rally and recorded a top-10 finish, but the car owned by Stuart Lanham has been sitting dormant in the Lanham Motor Group recently.

MacKelden said Lanham’s support has helped the entry happen.

Steven Johnson in action at Winton during Supercars’ visit in 2010. Image: Mark Horsburgh/LAT Photographic

“When Stuart heard about the Winton 300, he encouraged Steve and I to have a run in his AU, which has been sitting in his shed,” he said.

“He’s done a lot of work to prepare it for the event and because it was originally built by Ford Motorsport, it’s still in immaculate condition,.

I’ve raced in the Winton 300 once before, back in 2016 when I shared a Hyundai Excel with Andrew Clarke. It was one of the slowest cars in the field but we had a blast.

“Steve and I have never shared a car before, but we’re pretty much the same size so we should work well as a driver pairing.”

The Winton 300 will take place at the famous Benalla circuit from November 18-20.

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