The action heated up between Damion Gardner and Chase Johnson after the feature concluded. On the cool-down lap Gardner squeezed Johnson into the turn two wall at slow speed. Gardner then exited the car and got into Johnson’s face. The exchange lasted less than a minute before officials intervened.
Earlier in the race, Gardner and Johnson rubbed wheels while fighting for second. As Johnson shot his car inside Gardner’s, Johnson’s right-rear wheel hopped over Gardner’s left front. The pack behind him piled up, with one car turning over.
All this action occurred last Saturday during the USAC CRA Sprint Car Series race at Santa Maria Raceway in Nipomo, California.
Damion Gardner, His Perspective
“I have a problem with a lack of respect,” Gardner, 48, of Concord, California, said. “It’s a problem in today’s racing era. I’m an older guy and we had respect for each other back when I started racing.”
Last season, at Bakersfield Speedway in California, the two tangled.
“I was leading, and he ran into me on the straightaway,” Gardner said. “After he drove through me, he said, ‘That’s just racing,’ and left it at that.”
Gardner has a problem with drivers inconsiderate of those who make a living in the sport.
“When I started out in 410 sprint cars, I realized that if I ran into a Brent Kaeding, he might not be able to feed his family that week,” said Gardner. “When the economy goes bad, the kids will go home. Their daddies will run out of money.”
Damion Gardner simply requests respect.
“Now, I’m perceived as an old bully,” Gardner said.
Chase Johnson, His Perspective
“There was craziness between [Gardner] and me, on and off the track,” said Johnson, 25, of Penngrove, California. “After the race, he was wild, cussing at me. I didn’t leave my car because that’s the rule [you don’t leave your car while it’s on the track].”
Johnson blamed Gardner for the on-track incident.
“In the third turn, I got ahead of him early,” Johnson said. “He passed me, so I went to the top. Three or four laps later, I got back under him, and he chopped me. It was unfortunate because it ruined both our chances to win the race.”
Johnson finished fifth, Gardner 12th.
“[Gardner] never came by in the pits, and I was over it,” said Johnson.
Johnson reflected on the tumultuous relationship he’s had with Gardner.
“He was one of my childhood racing heroes,” Johnson said. “I did have complete respect for him — we raced side-by-side multiple times. Unfortunately, that’s not the case anymore.”
USAC’s Perspective
USAC CRA Sprint Car Series race director and coordinator, Tony Jones, knows the history between Johnson and Gardner.
“People wanted [Johnson] disqualified,” said Jones of the Bakersfield Speedway incident. “He didn’t crash [Gardner], he put a bumper on him and went for the win. This is racing.”
Jones explained the driving styles seen today.
“The guy on top wants to chop the guy on the bottom,” Jones said. “The guy on the bottom wants to get that edge. In this situation, you are going to crash. You have to give each other room. Today’s drivers don’t want to race, they want that spot.”
He further went on about how drivers used to communicate.
“Back in the day you would walk up to the other driver and say you didn’t appreciate the way he ran you,” said Jones. “Drivers need to police themselves. If there is a problem, you have to talk to each other and put it to rest.”
Jones said he would not publicly announce any action he takes from the Damion Gardner-Chase Johnson incident at Santa Maria Raceway.
“My call on this is no one’s business, except the drivers’ and USAC CRA’s.” Jones said. “I don’t see numbers or names when I make a call — I see sprint cars on a racetrack. What happens is all black and white to me. I respect everyone who straps into one of these things.”
The Outside Groove Director of Photography has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
