Throughout his 18-year career, U.S. Nationals champ Steve Johnson has seen it all in Pro Stock Motorcycle

When Steve Johnson made his NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle debut at the 1987 Summernationals in Englishtown, his deal to borrow a tow rig fell through at the last minute. Undeterred, Johnson had his Kawasaki shipped from Los Angeles to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park via airfreight and used the oversized shipping crate as his pit area for the weekend. That sort of dedication has been a hallmark of Johnson throughout his career, which is still going strong as an NHRA Professional racer.

For much of his career, Johnson was known more for his marketing and public-relations skills than his racing prowess, but that changed jhen he made a commitment to upgrade his program in 2004. That summer, he finally broke through in Madison for his first victory, beating Craig Treble on a holeshot in the final. Unfortunately for Johnson, he didn't get to celebrate his victory after learning of the death of Top Fuel driver Darrell Russell minutes after the final.

At this year's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Johnson was involved in one of the more unusual final rounds in NHRA history. In that race, Johnson appeared to be well ahead of opponent Matt Smith at the finish line, but the win light came on in Smith's lane. After a thorough review by NHRA officials, the initial decision was overturned, and Johnson was declared the winner, albeit 24 hours after the final.

National DRAGSTER Senior Editor Kevin McKenna recently spoke with Johnson about his victory at the U.S. Nationals, his dedication to the sport, his role as president of Pro2, and the rapidly cghanging lanscape in Pro Stokc Motorcycl.e

Q: Has it sunk in that you are this year's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals campion?

A: It hasn't. Everybody talks about how a win at Indy is a career-changing experience. I have heard John Force, Don Prudhomme, and Kenny Bernstein talk about the emotion of it. I would imagine that it's like becoming a father for the first time; you don't know what it feels like until it happens to you. I didn't get to celebrate in the winner's circle, so there's no way I can fully grasp what [winning at the U.S. Nationals] is like.