Lakeland Ricky Johnson Preview

Sussex, WI – The 1999 ASA ACDelco Series ended on a high note for Ricky Johnson. Johnson was honored as the 1999 ASA Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie-of-the-Year Award winner. Since then, things have been too quiet. Johnson would like to change that.

The 2000 ASA ACDelco Series revs up this weekend at the USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida. For Johnson, he would like nothing better than to drive his No. 22 Nationwide Auction Systems Chevrolet Monte Carlo to his first career win in the series. Then again, he's just happy to be racing again. "I'm excited for this season to get going. It's been tough to just sit at home and wait for this weekend to come around," Johnson said. "We've tested a few times, but it's just not the same as being at the track and being in 'race mode.'"

"The first race of the season is often indicative of how well a team is going to do during the season. We're going to be one of the teams to beat and I want to come out of Lakeland with a good finish," Johnson explains. Johnson's No. 22 Nationwide Auction Systems team becomes the veteran team of the two-team operation for Herzog Motorsports as rookie driver, Mark E. Dismore, joins Herzog Motorsports in Jimmie Johnson's old seat to pilot the No. 44. Paul Christman moves over from the No. 44 team, where he served as car chief in 1999, to become crew chief of the red, white, and blue No. 22.

After testing at the facility, Johnson commented on his thoughts for the race. "The race will be action-packed. The track is fast. It's not very conducive to passing since the preferred line is at the bottom. Hopefully, we'll be up front from the beginning and not have to worry about passing cars unless we're lapping them. Lakeland is a good track and with all the new faces coming to ASA, the race should be exciting. It's going to be a good race. I'm ready to go."

Nationwide Auction Systems, founded in 1978 and headquartered in the City of Industry, California, is the world's largest professional auctioning corporation specializing in governmental, utility surplus and private industry. Nationwide's auction commodities include, but are not limited to, automobiles, light, medium and heavy duty trucks, construction equipment, aircraft, boats, precious metals, scrap metal, entire business liquidations, commercial and residential real estate, vacant land, industrial plant equipment, electronics and jewelry.

Herzog Motorsports is a successful, championship-winning race team. Based in Los Angeles, California; St. Joseph, Missouri; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Herzog Motorsports will again field two teams in the 2000 ASA ACDelco Series.

The 2000 ASA ACDelco Series fires up Sunday, March 26 at the USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida. The 200-lap race starts at 12PM EST and is broadcast live on TNN.