Chad Johnson celebrates his 2008 AMA Arenacross Series win with the Bad Boy/TUF Racing/Honda team.

had Johnson comes from a place in America with some of the harshest winters on record, Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It’s a beautiful place, and tough, strong Americans like to live there. But, it is not a place where you can ride motocross year round, so you wouldn’t expect great champions to come from Wisconsin, unless they’re on skates. But the cold winters never bothered Chad Johnson or his motocross career; he just went south to race when winter set in. But he always came back to his home state.
     So, it was only fitting that Chad Johnson would capture his second Toyota AMA National Arenacross Championship at the series final weekend in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Johnson, who won the AX Championship in 2006, once again has the #1 plate on his bike via a good starting technique, blazing speed when needed, and consistent performances throughout the 2007-2008 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series.
     Johnson began his quest for the 2007-2008 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, 2007. From there the series goes to 15 different arenas and 14 states, five months and more than 30 main events. It may be the most demanding schedule for a motorcycle racer there is and one of the toughest titles to win. Now, Johnson has done it twice.
     The Toyota AMA Arenacross Series win for Johnson comes with an additional benefit to the AMA #1 plate. Toyota, the series’ title sponsor for the past three years presented Johnson with the keys to a brand new Toyota Tacoma 4x4 pick up truck. It’s the second one he’s won in three years. The new truck is just another bonus for the hard-working family man from Wisconsin.
     “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 (Dave is the head honcho over at TUF Racing) put together to get me on the Bad Boy/TUF/Honda team was also a big help. Winning it in front of my family and friends here in Wisconsin just made it that much better.”
     We talked recently with the newly crowned Arenacross Champ upon his return from distant Estonia, where he was, of course, racing. We found Chad to be a grateful, talented, hard working rider who really enjoys being a racer.

Parts: Chad, congratulations on winning your second Arenacross Championship.
Chad Johnson: Thanks, it was really great to get the first one, and now just as great to get the second one. It’s taken a lot of hard work by me and the entire team. My Bad Boy Power Drink/Thor/Cernics.com/TUF Racing Honda has been working awesome for me this year. We’ve been getting some decent starts, and staying consistent, that’s what it takes to win the Arenacross title.

Parts: What was your strategy to take the title?
Chad: Once I got into the points lead, I got more conservative, just trying to stay consistent and trying to stay on two wheels. I haven’t been taking any unnecessary chances, or bumping anyone. I’ve just been attempting to ride as clean and smooth as possible. From Pikesville on it didn’t really matter if I won or not; it just mattered that I stayed consistent.

Parts: Is consistency the key to winning an Arenacross title?
Chad: I really think that is the key to winning any championship. Whenever you have a series that is fifteen races long, it just takes consistency. You simply cannot win one race and be on the ground the next; you have to be up near the front every time.

Parts: You’re from one of the coldest, snow-bound states in the union, how did you grow into such a skilled racer?
Chad: Probably because my parents worked so much and took me anywhere that I needed to go. They sent me to Florida in the wintertime; anywhere there wasn’t snow so that I could ride, they were always driving me everywhere. They often drove all night to get me where I needed to go; they just pretty much pinned it around the clock. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have this Championship.

Parts: What are your plans for the rest of the season?
Chad: I just got back from Estonia where I rode their National championship. But, for the rest of the year I am just going to do some MX Schools and work for my parents unless I get some more overseas offers. I’m just going to go home for the summer and work for my parents’ concrete business. My parents own a company, and I worked for them all this past summer actually. They manufacture burial vaults and septic tanks, sell landscaping products, run forklifts, drive big trucks, and make concrete block deliveries. I’ve got a wife and two kids and I like to take care of them. So when I’m not racing or getting ready to race I work. My parents are great people, and they’ve got a good business they run. I’ll hang out with the family, play on the boat for a little bit, and then get ready for next season.

Parts: What are your plans for next season?
Chad: I plan on defending my title with the Thor/Honda TUF Racing team again in 2009. We plan to start testing some new setups in July so you really don’t have that much time off the bike. We have some pretty innovative engine combinations to try out this year and I am very excited to try them out. I think the other teams will have some catching up to do.

Parts: How long have you been involved with Parts Unlimited?
Chad: I have been with Thor since I started with TUF in 2001 when I was a rookie in the Arenacross series. I think TUF has used Thor or Moose every year since they started back in 1996 so I am expect we will be back with Parts Unlimited again in 2009.

Parts: Any closing thoughts, Chad?
Chad: I appreciate all the help from everyone; my wife and girls, my parents, and all those at Thor, Parts Unlimited, Bad Boy, Cernic’s Racing, and TUF Honda–Dave Antolak, Chris Hunter, Tracin Zing, and my mechanic Nate Vick. It takes a good team to go out there and win–you definitely cannot do it by yourself!