Steve Johnson will continue to celebrate his 40th season of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle competition with a visit to the Great Lakes State this weekend. After 66 years the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing series will return to Michigan for the running of the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at historic U.S. 131 Motorsports Park. It’s the first of six races in the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Countdown to the Championship, to determine who will become world champions of the NHRA’s celebrated 75th anniversary season.
Johnson finished the eight Pro Stock Motorcycle races of regular season in the Top 10 on the strength of a pair of semi-final finishes. The 12-time NHRA national event winner made an appearance in the GETTRX All-Star Call-Out at Sonoma in July, in preparation for Indy. Then Johnson qualified for his 36th career U.S. Nationals to clinch his spot in the Countdown to the Championship.
The approach to racing during the Countdown doesn’t change much for the rider of the red and white Suzuki.
“We always try to leave the shop with the best bike possible,” explained Johnson. “Our detailed goal is to get back to where we were with the performance of our engines.”
One of the challenges for Johnson will be navigating a racing surface that none of the teams have competed on. The well maintained all-concrete quarter-mile drag strip at U.S. 131 will be hosting its first NHRA national event. While Johnson has never raced at U.S. 131, he has been to the track before with his good friend Larry Dixon and his two-seat dragster.
“I think it’s really good to go to a new track to show people what the NHRA is all about. I don’t think there will be any advantage or disadvantage racing at a new place. When you have the right people, experience and resources you can adapt to anything quickly.”
“It’s the shortest track on the circuit,” continued Johnson, “That’s just one of the little details about a new track that make it challenging. I’ve heard the surface is real smooth. I’ll get on my pit bike and ride down both lanes and I’ll look at the finish line, and then I’ll talk to the track specialist. There are team’s that spend a lot of money at every race to have a specialist give them data and advice before and after every run. We are not at that level so I just do what I can.”
Johnson realizes how important it will be for a good performance at the Great Lakes Nationals.
“Doing well in the first Countdown race sets the tone,” said Johnson firmly. “In my eyes it’s crucial that we do well in Michigan.”
This story was originally published on September 15, 2026.
The post Steve Johnson’s Countdown to the Championship Begins In Michigan first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
