Herm Johnson

{{more references needed|date=August 2025}} '''Herman Austin Johnson''' (March 4, 1953 – December 10, 2016), was a driver in the CART Indy Car series, born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He raced in seven seasons (1979–1985), with 35<ref>35 starts do not include the 1982 Indy 500, as it was not a CART race that year.</ref> career starts. He drove in the Indianapolis 500 in 1982 and 1984. He finished in the top ten eight times, with his best finish in 6th position in 1982 at Atlanta.

In 1976, Johnson won the SCCA National Championship at Road Atlanta and was the 1977 USAC Mini-Indy Champion. Johnson had two serious pit fires in 1981 roughly a month apart from each other. Johnson's father suffered a fatal heart attack, just days before the 1982 Indianapolis 500.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PYFQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JBIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3512,5803947&dq=herm+johnson+father+indianapolis&hl=en |title=Johnson Says Dad was along |access-date=2016-09-20 |archive-date=2020-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421220439/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PYFQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JBIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3512,5803947&dq=herm+johnson+father+indianapolis&hl=en |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also during this race, Rick Mears bumped into the back of his car on a lap 183 pit stop. For his next race Johnson, who ran a business painting helmets, trimmed the back edge of his rear wing with the message "Rick...if you can read this, you're too close."

Johnson suffered a serious crash in practice for the 1986 Indianapolis 500. Johnson suffered injuries to his back and neck, and the crash effectively ended his Indy car driving career. After his recovery, Johnson was known to occasionally compete in sports car and ice racing events.

Johnson resided in Eau Claire, running a custom painting business, 'Just Herm Designs'. The shop has done work for several Indy 500 winners, IndyCar, and NHRA Champions, as well as amateur racers. The shop specializes in custom paint jobs for helmets, race cars, and motorcycles. Johnson also served as a performance driving instructor<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.birperformance.com/viewpage.aspx?ID=87 |title=BIR Performance Driving School Instructors |access-date=2008-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224085027/http://www.birperformance.com/viewpage.aspx?ID=87 |archive-date=2013-12-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref> at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota.

On December 10, 2016, Johnson died from liver and renal failure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/137110-herm-johnson-1953-2016 |title=You are being redirected... |website=www.racer.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215022446/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/137110-herm-johnson-1953-2016 |archive-date=2016-12-15}} </ref>

==Racing record==

===SCCA National Championship Runoffs===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year !! Track !! Car !! Engine !! Class !! Finish !! Start !! Status |- | 1975 || Road Atlanta || Lola T324 || Volkswagen || Formula Super Vee ||style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 || 2 || Running |- | 1976 || Road Atlanta || Lola T324 || Volkswagen || Formula Super Vee ||style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 || 3 || Running |}

===Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! Pos ! Points |- | 1977 ! Austin Johnson | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TRE {{small|16}} | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MIL {{small|2}} | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MOS {{small|3}} | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| PIR {{small|1}} | | | | | | |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''1st''''' |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''500''''' |- | 1978 ! Austin Johnson |style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| PIR1 {{small|16}} |style="background-color:#DFFFDF"| TRE1 {{small|5}} |style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| MOS {{small|14}} |style="background-color:#DFDFDF"| MIL1 {{small|2}} |style="background-color:#CFEAFF"| TEX {{small|7}} |style="background-color:#DFFFDF"| MIL2 {{small|5}} |style="background-color:#DFFFDF"| OMS1 {{small|5}} |style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| OMS2 {{small|22}} |style="background-color:#FFDF9F"| TRE2 {{small|3}} |style="background-color:#DFFFDF"| PIR2 {{small|5}} |style="background-color:#DFFFDF"| '''''4th''''' |style="background-color:#DFFFDF"| '''''773''''' |- | 1979 ! | TEX1 | IRP | MIL1 | POC | TEX2 | MIL2 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIN1 {{small|19}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIN2 {{small|11}} | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''30th''''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''24''''' |}

===Complete CART Indy Car Series results=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! Pos ! Points ! Ref |- ! 1979 ! Mergard Racing | PHX | ATL | ATL | INDY | TRT | TRT | MIC | MIC | WGL | TRT | ONT | MIC |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| ATL 7 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| PHX 13 |colspan=3| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 24th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 98 !<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1979/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1979 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |- ! 1980 ! rowspan=2| Menard Racing |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ONT 14 |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| INDY DNQ |style="background:#cfcfff;"| MIL 17 |style="background:#cfcfff;"| POC 11 | MDO | MIC | WGL |style="background:#cfcfff;"| MIL 11 |style="background:#cfcfff;"| ONT 13 |style="background:#cfcfff;"| MIC 13 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MXS 14 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| PHX 8 |colspan=5| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 24th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 272 !<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1980/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1980 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |- ! rowspan=2| 1981 | PHX |style="background:#efcfff;"| MIL 22 |style="background:#efcfff;"| ATL 22 | |style="background:#efcfff;"| MIC 33 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| RIR 7 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIL 13 | MIC |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| WTG 9 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MXC 8 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| PHX 9 |colspan=6| !rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 17th !rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 38 !rowspan=2|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1981/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1981 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |- ! Cannon Racing |colspan=3| |style="background:#cfcfff;"| ATL 17 |colspan=13| |- ! 1982 ! |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PHX 19 |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| ATL 6 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL 23 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CLE 13 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIC 34 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL 16 | POC |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| RIV 22 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ROA 17 | MIC | PHX |colspan=6| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 26th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 24 !<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1982/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1982 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |- ! 1983 ! | ATL |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY DNQ | MIL |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CLE 16 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIC 24 |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ROA DNQ | POC | RIV |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MDO 17 | MIC | CPL | LAG | PHX |colspan=4| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 42nd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 0 !<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1983/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1983 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |- ! rowspan=3| 1984 ! Menard Racing | LBH | PHX |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| INDY 8 |style="background:#cfcfff;"| MIL 18 | POR | MEA | CLE | MIC | ROA | POC |colspan=7| !rowspan=3 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 32nd !rowspan=3 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 5 !rowspan=3|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1984/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1984 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |- ! Pace Racing |colspan=10| |style="background:#efcfff;"| MDO 23 |colspan=6| |- ! Jet Engineering |colspan=11| |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| SAN DNQ | MIC | PHX | LAG | CPL | |- ! rowspan=2| 1985 ! Menard Cashway Lumber | LBH |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| INDY DNQ | MIL | POR | MEA | CLE | MIC |colspan=10| !rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 39th !rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 1 !rowspan=2|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1985/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1985 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |- ! Leader Card Racing |colspan=7| |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| ROA 12 | POC |style="background:#efcfff;"| MDO 24 | SAN | MIC | LAG | PHX | MIA |colspan=2| |- ! 1986 ! Team Menard | PHX | LBH |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| INDY {{small|DNQ}} | MIL | POR | MEA | CLE | TOR | MIC | POC | MDO | SAN | MIC | ROA | LAG | PHX | MIA ! NC ! - !<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/johnshe01/1986/R|title=Herm Johnson – 1986 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |}

=== Indianapolis 500 results === {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- ! Year ! Chassis ! Engine ! Start ! Finish |- | 1980 | Lightning | Offy | colspan=2|Failed to Qualify |- | 1981 | Lightning | Chevrolet | colspan=2|Failed to Qualify |- | 1982 | Eagle | Chevrolet | 14th | 9th |- | 1983 | March | Chevrolet | colspan=2|Failed to Qualify |- | 1984 | March | Cosworth | 9th | 8th |- | 1985 | March | Cosworth | colspan=2|Failed to Qualify |- | 1986 | March | Cosworth | colspan=2|Practice Crash |}

== Notes == <references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Herm}} Category:1953 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Champ Car drivers Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:Sportspeople from Eau Claire, Wisconsin Category:Racing drivers from Wisconsin Category:SCCA Formula Super Vee drivers Category:Formula Super Vee Champions Category:SCCA National Championship Runoffs winners Category:Deaths from kidney failure