29 replies to this topic

[Jerry Entin]

In addition to being recognized as one of the premier Corvette racers in the US, Delmo Johnson raced his Chevy-powered XK-SS around the Southwest for many years. This shot was taken at Mansfield in 1961.

 

 

Photo: Bob Jackson [From Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3]

 

 

 

I have just learned of the passing of Delmo Johnson

Edited by Jerry Entin, 15 May 2015 - 22:22.

[Jerry Entin]

A regular of the Fort Worth old race drivers reunion, Delmo was the source of many fascinating stories about his racing adventures in the late 50s and early 60s.

 

Photo: Willem Oosthoek 

Edited by Jerry Entin, 15 May 2015 - 22:28.

[Jack-the-Lad]

This is very sad news, but thank you for letting us know.

[JacnGille]

Sad news

[BobGreen]

One the truly great characters in our sport is gone.  Lots of memories and stories.  I met him in 1958 we raced against  him for years all over the Southwest from Hondo to Green Valley and every thing in between. He raced with CVAR for a while and went on to be a Lake Cop chasing boaters on Lake Ray Roberts for a while.  We will never forget his impromptu air show at the Dallas GP in his Mig or his dealings with the Macon Team in the Grand Sport (now in the Collier Museum).

 

We need more like him, dirty black racing suit and all.

 

Bob Green

[63Corvette]

I am very sad to hear this. I have known Delmo for years, and my race car (1963 Z06 Corvette) is painted in his colors in tribute to his 1963 2nd place Sebring effort.

I know he was (sorta) old (about my age) but had no Idea he was near the end. We will miss him and tell his war stories at the R. David Jones get together this Fall.

[Vettefinderjim]

DELMO was one of the great fun people in RACING in the 50' and 60's. Always a happy positive guy, especially around the campfire in the evening. His stories were fantastic, especially the racing of the CORVETTE GRAND SPORT in MEXICO. I will miss him at reunion events..

http://www.racingspo...ohnson-USA.html

 

 

 

Edited by Vettefinderjim, 16 May 2015 - 23:26.

[Jerry Entin]

Bob,

 

Are you the same Bob Green who served as Chief Starter for the SCCA Divisionals at Galveston [July 1961] and Bryan [October 1961]?

[BobGreen]

Not me.  I was working/crewing for  Bill Parham and International Motors then. Our drivers were Bill, R. David Jones and Capt. Paul Hill (USAF).

[Jerry Entin]

While his wife Janet is holding the checkered flag, Delmo receives congratulations from Jimmy Stout for scoring his first victory, in the Novice Race at Mansfield in March 1959.
 
Mansfield was only the second race appearance for Delmo. His first came a month earlier, at Eagle Mountain where his mount was the same 1959 Corvette [nicknamed Blackie]. On that occasion he was still learning the ropes, but soon the black Corvette was a regular BP class winner in the Southwest.
 
Photo: R. David Jones Collection [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 2]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 25 May 2015 - 11:21.

[Jerry Entin]

In between his racing activities, Delmo found time to use his XK-SS/Chevy for some staged racing in the movie State Fair.

 

Photo: Courtesy Jean-Francois Blachette

Edited by Jerry Entin, 19 May 2015 - 22:11.

[Jerry Entin]

The Sunburn Races at Green Valley, June 1961: Delmo Johnson's 1959 Corvette chasing Billy Cantrell's 1957 version.

 

This weekend was one of the few times that Delmo had to concede victory to another Corvette driver. Cantrell finished a few inches ahead of him

 

 

 

 

all research: Willem Oosthoek

Edited by Jerry Entin, 20 May 2015 - 22:13.

[Jerry Entin]

Green Valley, February 1962. Two friends slugging it out, Delmo in his 1962 Corvette called Whitey, Bob Schroeder in John Mecom's Corvette. Delmo beat Bob by inches.


Photo: Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 22 May 2015 - 01:49.

[Jerry Entin]

The Fall Roundup Races at Green Valley, September 1962. Heavy traffic with David Morgan [Lotus 22 FJ] leading Delmo's XK-SS, Homer Rader's Lotus 23 and Ed Sevadjian's Maserati 250S battling over second place.


Photo: Bob Jackson [from Sports Car Racing in the South]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 23 May 2015 - 23:16.

[Jerry Entin]

The folowing comes from Delmo's Facebook Page:
To all my friends and loved ones,
Thank you so much for all the caring messages on my Facebook. I would love for all of you to attend my funeral on Friday May 29 at 11am at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery. Afterwards, there will be a memorial lunch at The Frontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas Love Field at 1pm. I will miss every one of you.

[Jerry Entin]

A great shot of the quintessential Delmo Johnson, carefree and fun-loving, seen with his XK-SS/Chevy at Hondo in 1960.

Photo: Dr. Willis Murphey

Edited by Jerry Entin, 25 May 2015 - 13:28.

[Jerry Entin]

Longview, Texas, 1960. Heading Bill Fuller's D-type/Chevy, Delmo is ready for action with his XK-SS. He dropped out because the Jaguar overheated.


Photo: Dr. Willis Murphey

Edited by Jerry Entin, 25 May 2015 - 13:31.

[Jerry Entin]

Sebring 1960. The Delmo Johnson/Dave Morgan Corvette #5 pulling away from the Daimler SP250 raced by Duncan Black/Charlemagne Tower.


Blackie was the fastest GT entry in the 1960 12 Hours, with a fastest lap of 3'34"10 which was not even matched by the new aluminum-bodied 250GT Ferraris. A delay of almost two hours to replace a piston dropped the car back to a 35th overall finish.

Photo: Bob Jackson [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 2]
all research: Willem Oosthoek

Edited by Jerry Entin, 25 May 2015 - 20:18.

[Jerry Entin]

Delmo Johnson in his Corvette Sting Ray trying to avoid Richard Macon in his Lotus 23

In spite of the name, the Sunburn Races at Green Valley in June 1963 were a wet affair. Delmo managed to keep his Sting Ray without a scratch after Richard Macon's Alfa Romeo-engined Lotus 23 spun in front of him.

Photo: Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 26 May 2015 - 23:36.

[Jerry Entin]

Green Valley, June 1963. A muddy Johnson Sting Ray, with its 1963 Sebring driver pairing not yet removed.


Delmo claimed that he and Dave Morgan brought two identical Sting Rays to Sebring, just in case one of them would break down. Since the Johnson Sting Ray finished the race, we will never know if a car switch would have gone undetected during the race. After Sebring Morgan sold his Sting Ray to Bill McLaughlin, who also ran it at the June 1963 Green Valley race.
Photo: Bob Jackson [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3]
all research: Willem Oosthoek

Edited by Jerry Entin, 29 May 2015 - 01:50.

[63Corvette]

Green Valley, June 1963. A muddy Johnson Sting Ray, with its 1963 Sebring driver pairing not yet removed.


Delmo claimed that he and Dave Morgan brought two identical Sting Rays to Sebring, just in case one of them would break down. Since the Johnson Sting Ray finished the race, we will never know if a car switch would have gone undetected during the race. After Sebring Morgan sold his Sting Ray to Bill McLaughlin, who also ran it at the June 1963 Green Valley race.
Photo: Bob Jackson [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 2]
all research: Willem Oosthoek

Jerry, it is indeed interesting that Delmo and Dave Morgan brought two (2) 1963 Z06 Corvettes to Sebring. What is even more amazing is that Delmo DROVE the number 42 Z06 from Dallas to a Mansfield, LA SCCA race where I was working corners, and then drove it on to Sebring, where it was intended to be a "spare" car to his #3 "RACE" Z06....if needed. Then, after finishing 2nd in GT in the Sebring 12 hour in the #3, Delmo drove the #42 car BACK to Dallas.

The Mansfield La SCCA race

Edited by 63Corvette, 29 May 2015 - 02:05.

[ReWind]

Obituary by Alan Sevadjian on the Duntov Motors website:

 

Feb 7, 1933 - May 14, 2015

Delmo Leon Johnson, Jr.

I was at Road America when I heard the news. Delmo had been a friend for over 50 years. He was recently confined to a wheel chair, and he died while taking a nap in that chair. First and foremost, I was a fan of Delmo. As a teenager I watched him race a C1 Corvette, a Mini-Cooper, an XKSS, a 63 Corvette and two Grand Sports. His last race as a professional was in my Grand Sport at Sebring in 1965. He ran his last race at only 32 years old. I ran my first at 34.

My first visit to Johnson Chevrolet was in December 1964. I had just bought Grand Sport 003, and I went there to talk to Delmo about driving it at Sebring the following March. Delmo was the sales manager there; his dad ran the dealership. The front door of his office opened to the showroom floor, and he had a back door that opened to the service department. Delmo sat at his desk not saying much as I, at barely 19 years old, tried to act like the big shot car owner. In the middle of my pitch and without a word he got up, walked out his back door into the service department, got on his motorcycle and did wheelies in the middle of the crowded shop floor. He then parked the bike, walked back in, sat down, said nothing, and waited for me to finish.

I was honored to be invited to Delmo’s 50th birthday surprise party in 1983. Although it had been 18 years since Delmo had last raced, the party was all about racing and his racing buddies. There I met Jim Hall, Lloyd Ruby and many others who traveled from all over the country to honor Delmo. The cake was decorated with the likeness of his XKSS, and his black helmet with twin lightning bolts was the table centerpiece.

12 years later Delmo honored me by showing up at my 50th birthday party, also a surprise, this one starting at midnight! I had already gone to bed when the doorbell started going off like crazy and I ran downstairs to find Delmo and about 20 other couples on my front porch, all in their pajamas!

I believe Delmo was an even better pilot than he was a racecar driver. It was a lifelong passion and he was a natural. 20 years ago I bought a plane from Delmo, and part of the deal was 10 hours of flight instruction. It was 10 hours I will never forget! Among other things, Delmo shared with me his unique instrument approach procedure. When the approach calls for a 200 ft minimum altitude to execute a mandatory missed approach, Delmo said that’s when you start looking for the airport, not when you give up!

I have so many great memories of Delmo, and feel a great loss knowing he is no longer with us. That was one unique and special human being.

I will miss him from here on out.
Alan Sevadjian

 

Delmo in 2005 testing our first Continuation Grand Sport

 

Delmo shooting a photographer the bird during Sebring 1964

 

 

Delmo, hung out in his XKSS

[Jerry Entin]

Bill McLaughlin posing with his new Sting Ray.

The newspaper clipping isn't correct. When it was shown to Delmo Johnson, he was clear it was not the car he and Dave Morgan raced at Sebring, but the spare car. It was owned by Dave Morgan, while the Sebring car they raced was owned by Delmo. Delmo may have sold it to McLaughlin on behalf of Morgan, possibly the cause of the confusion.

Photo: Willem Oosthoek Collection

Edited by Jerry Entin, 29 May 2015 - 19:49.

[63Corvette]

Obituary by Alan Sevadjian on the Duntov Motors website:

 

 

Delmo in 2005 testing our first Continuation Grand Sport

 

Delmo shooting a photographer the bird during Sebring 1964

 

 

Delmo, hung out in his XKSS

Hi Alan. Thank you for some very informative and interesting insight into Delmo's personality. I feel sure that at there are many more stories as yet untold.

[Jerry Entin]

Fall Roundup Races at Green Valley, September 1962. Delmo narrowly avoiding Alan's dad, Ed Sevadjian, in his Maserati 250S.



Photo: Bob Jackson [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 30 May 2015 - 18:57.

[Jerry Entin]

Sebring 1963. Delmo was known for his fast getaways during Le Mans starts, as in the 1961, 1962 and 1965 12 Hours. But his 1963 start with the Sting Ray surpassed them all.

He and Dave Morgan finished 16th overall, the top Corvette finishers.


Photo: Flip Schulke [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 31 May 2015 - 11:55.

[bradbury west]

Jerry, Delmo seems to have been a big guy as he appears to sit very high in the SS.

Lovely photos btw.

Roger Lund

[Cappo]

I'll be honest, but, being this side of the pond, Ireland - I never heard of the guy. But, the pictures are excellent and invoke the era in all it's glory. That's for the photos, and may he rest in peace.

[Bob Riebe]

 

 

Edited by Bob Riebe, 01 June 2015 - 03:30.

[63Corvette]

I never raced with Delmo, but he told me that he never had an SCCA license. He raced all of his SCCA races on his FIA license........." So the SCCA couldn't pul his competition license for 'unsportsmanlike driving'" He was a character, and is a legend, and nobody could create.....or tell stories like Delmo.