Chad Johnson Takes Title

Paul Carruthers | March 16, 2008

The following is from Live Nation…

With blazing speed and consistent performances throughout the 2007-’08 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series, Bad Boy/TUF/Honda’s Chad Johnson has again stepped up to the top rung of the premier AMA Arenacross class podium, winning this year’s title this evening in front of his hometown fans tonight at Green Bay’s (Wis.) Resch Center.

“It’s hard to put into words how great I feel right now,” said Johnson. “All the hard work over the summer to prepare for this year paid off. And the last-minute deal Dave Antolak put together to get me on the Bad Boy/TUF/Honda team was also a big help. Winning it a night early, in front of my family and friends here in Wisconsin just made it that much better.”

Yamaha’s Kevin Johnson shot off the gate to win the $750 Toyota Certified Used Vehicle Hole Shot award but was soon passed by Monster Kawasaki’s Kelly Smith. Smith was, without a doubt, the fastest rider in Green Bay tonight and went on to win the main event. Tommy Hofmaster contested for the top three early on but could not keep up with Robbie Reynard, Chad Johnson and Teddy Maier.

Chad Johnson avoided the traffic throughout the night running as his as second at the half way mark. Rockstar Suzuki rider Robbie Reynard passed Johnson to finish second dropping the Bad Boy Honda rider to third.

Johnson’s third place finish insured him the championship with on night of racing remaining.

In the AMA Arenacross Lites class, Kawasaki’s Shane Sewell outlasted Honda’s Kurtis Mccabe and Kyle Brown to win the main event.

The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series win for Johnson comes with an additional benefit to the AMA No. 1 plate. Toyota, the series’ title sponsor for the past three years, will present Johnson with the keys to a brand new Toyota Tacoma 4×4 pick-up truck,  the second one he’s won in three years.

“Chad Johnson began his quest for the 2007-‘08 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series championship with a win at the first stop of the series at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, back in November,” says Paul Czaplicki of Toyota. “Now here we are, 15 arenas, 14 states, five months and more than 30 main events later and Chad Johnson is now the new Toyota AMA Arenacross Series champion. All of us at Toyota would like to congratulate Chad on his tenacity, determination and competitiveness. All things that make a champion, and Chad Johnson is certainly that: A champion.”

Johnson acknowledged Toyota’s generosity and added with a laugh: “Yeah, I might have to build another garage here. Toyota’s involvement with arenacross is excellent. And their trucks are the best. When the day finally comes when I decide to retire from racing arenacross, I’ll have no problem paying for a Toyota on my own. They’re perfect for the motocross lifestyle.”

Paul Carruthers | Editor

Paul Carruthers took over as the editor of Cycle News in 1993 after serving as associate editor since starting his career at the publication in 1985. Carruthers has covered every facet of the sport in his near-28-year tenure at America's Daily Motorcycle News Source.