Ted Johnson
Ted Johnson founded the World Of Outlaws Series.
Born on Feb. 5, 1934, in Beloit, Wisconsin, Johnson developed a passion for motor sports early in his childhood as he watched his father race motorcycles.
Johnson left his job as a china salesman in 1978 and formed the dirt-track racing circuit. He spent the better part of the next three decades giving it organization and credibility. Johnson also raced Sprint cars.
Prior to the formation of the World of Outlaws series, sprint car racing was disorganized and confusing to fans because racers would go to whatever track would pay them the most -giving the cars and their drivers the nickname ‘outlaws.
In 1984, Johnson declared that the cars in the WoO series would run only have winged cars. This move helped grow the series and make it more affordable by making the cars more aerdynamic and less likly to flip and creating a larger space for sponsors to put their logos.
In 2004, Johnson sold the WoO series to Dirt Motorsports but remained as a consultant.
Ted Johnson died in Otcober 2006 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 72.