Eddie Johnson was an American racing driver whose long career spanned one of the most exciting and transformative periods in American open-wheel racing.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Richmond, Virginia, USA |
| Born | 10 February 1919 |
| Died | 30 June 1974 |
| First Grand Prix | 1952 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last Grand Prix | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
| Years Active | 1952–1960 |
| Current/Last Team | Trevis |
Born in Richmond, Virginia, Johnson later grew up in Los Angeles, California, where his connection to motorsport began early. During his school years, he was acquainted with future Indianapolis 500 winner Johnnie Parsons, who would go on to win the famous race in 1950.
Johnson built his reputation competing in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, taking part across the 1950–1952 and 1955–1966 seasons. Over his career, he made 33 Championship Car starts and became a regular presence at the Indianapolis 500, competing in the legendary event every year during that period except the first two seasons of his Championship Car career.
A reliable and determined competitor, Johnson achieved nine top-ten finishes, with his strongest result coming in 1959 at Trenton, where he secured an impressive third-place finish. In the later stages of his racing life, he became known for his perseverance and adaptability, often arriving at Indianapolis without a confirmed drive before being recruited by teams searching for a capable driver to help qualify a difficult car.
Johnson also earned a unique place in Indianapolis 500 history in 1965, when he became the final driver to compete in the race using a naturally aspirated Offenhauser-powered roadster. He successfully brought the car home and was classified in tenth place, marking the end of an iconic era for the famous front-engined machines.
After years of proving himself as a dependable and courageous racer, Johnson’s life was cut short on 30 June 1974 when he died in a plane crash near Cleveland, Ohio. The National Transportation Safety Board later determined that the accident was caused by pilot error, citing an attempt to continue visual flight in unsuitable weather conditions and excessive structural stress placed on the aircraft.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 9 |
| Race Starts | 9 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 7th |
| Best Race Finish | 6th |
| Retirements | 1 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 2 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 9 |
| Reached Q3 | – |
| Q2 Eliminations | – |
| Q1 Eliminations | – |
| Did Not Qualify | 2 |
Points
| Points Scored | 1 |
| Points Finishes | 1 |
| Most Points in a Single Season | 1 (1960) |
| Seasons with Points | 1 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Trevis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24th | 16th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1953 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14th | 7th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1954 | Pawl | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29th | 22nd | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1955 | Trevis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32nd | 13th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1956 | Kuzma | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32nd | 15th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1957 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20th | DNF | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1958 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18th | 9th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1959 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24th | 8th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1960 | Trevis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7th | 6th | 1 | 1 | 24th |
