Racing is in Johnny Benson’s blood. His father, Johnny Benson Sr., raced before his son was born, and the younger Benson followed in his father’s footsteps. Benson Sr. collected seven track championships at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway from 1971 to 1978. He retired from racing in 1981 to help pave the way for his son, who embarked on his own racing career in 1982.
Benson raced in the Midwest for eight years before being signed to drive an American Speed Association (ASA) car for Throop Motorsports in 1990. There he was teamed with legendary driver Bob Senneker. Benson finished eighth in the final points standings and won Rookie of the Year honors that season.
Benson won the 1993 ASA Championship on the strength of five victories and 10 pole positions. During that same season, Benson made his NASCAR debut when he competed in the Busch Series race at Michigan International Speedway, his home track.
In 1994, Benson and his wife, Debbie, moved to North Carolina, as Johnny had agreed to drive for BACE Motorsports in the Busch Series. Benson amassed one victory that season, finished sixth in the championship standings and was named Rookie of the Year. Benson and BACE Motorsports continued their success in 1995, capturing the Busch Series Championship after winning two races and finishing in the top five on 12 occasions.
Benson continued his climb up the NASCAR ladder in 1996. He drove Chuck Rider’s No. 30 car to the NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year title that year. He then joined MBV Motorsports in 2000, a pairing that yielded 14 top-five finishes and 32 top-10 finishes in three seasons. Benson also captured his first Cup Series victory at [Rockingham] North Carolina Speedway in 2002.
Benson began the 2004 season as pilot of the Phoenix Racing car in the Busch Series. He amassed one top-five finish and four top-10 finishes in 11 starts before being released a quarter of the way through the season. He was not unemployed for long. Known for his keen eye for talent, Bill Davis quickly hired Benson to drive the No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Benson competed in the final 13 races of the season, scoring an impressive five top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes. Benson’s strongest showing of the year came when he finished second to fellow Toyota driver Todd Bodine at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
His strong showing in 2004 made Benson and the No. 23 BDR team an early-season favorite for the 2005 Craftsman Truck Series title. Despite misfortune early in the season, the team finished the year with a string of strong finishes. Benson and crew totaled six top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes en route to a 10th-place finish in the championship standings.
The chemistry between Benson and crew chief Rick Ren, who joined the team in late 2005, was strong, and the team again had great expectations for 2006. The No. 23 team’s hard work was rewarded with five victories, 13 top-five finishes, 17 top-10 finishes and the runner-up position in the championship standings. Always a fan favorite, Benson also received the series’ Most Popular Driver Award.
Crew Chief Trip Bruce led Benson to an earth-shattering year in 2007. With four wins, 12 top-five finishes and 19 top-10 finishes, Benson finished third in the NCTS Championship points. He capped his season in fine fashion with a victory in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Benson was named the series’ Most Popular Driver for the second consecutive year and became only the second driver to win the award on multiple occasions.
With a year under their belts, Benson and Bruce will again be a team to look out for in 2008. They will try to capture another dominating season and attempt to bring Bill Davis Racing its first NASCAR Championship.