Eddie Johnson (racing driver)
Template:Short description Template:For Template:More citations needed {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters | check | ignoreblank = y | unknown = Template:Main other | preview = Page using Template:Infobox F1 driver with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | embed | child | subbox | name | Name | image | Image | image_size | upright | image_upright | alt | caption | birth_name | birth_date | birth_place | death_date | death_place | relations | relatives | nationality | Nationality | years | Years | teams | Teams | Team(s) | team | Team | engines | Engines | current_team | current team | Current team | 2025 Team | 2026 Team | car_number | car number | Car number | races | Races | championships | Championships | wins | Wins | podiums | Podiums | points | Points | poles | Poles | fastest_laps | fastest laps | Fastest laps | first_race | first race | First race | first_win | first win | First win | last_win | last win | Last win | last_race | last race | Last race | last_position | last position | Last position | last_season | last season | Last season | bf1_years | bf1 years | BF1 Years | bf1_races | bf1 races | BF1 Races | bf1_championships | bf1 championships | BF1 Championships | bf1_wins | bf1 wins | BF1 Wins | bf1_podiums | bf1 podiums | BF1 Podiums | bf1_points | bf1 points | BF1 Points | bf1_poles | bf1 poles | BF1 Poles | bf1_fastest_laps | bf1 fastest laps | BF1 Fastest laps | signature | signature_size | signature alt | signature_alt | website | module | module1 | module2 | module3 | module4 | module5 | record template1 | record template2 | record template3 | record template4 | record template5 | career template1 | career template2 | career template3 | career template4 | career template5 | updated | Updated }} Eddie Johnson (February 10, 1919 – June 30, 1974) was an American race car driver.
Born in Richmond, Virginia, Johnson grew up in Los Angeles, where he was a high school acquaintance of 1950 Indianapolis 500 winner Johnnie Parsons. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1950–1952 and 1955–1966 seasons with 33 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in all of those years but the first two. He finished in the top ten 9 times, with his best finish in 3rd position, in 1959 at Trenton. Late in his career, Johnson frequently came to Indianapolis without an assigned car only to be signed on to a team which needed a driver to put a struggling car in the race.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1965, Johnson became the last person on the track in the Indianapolis 500 mile race with a naturally aspirated Offenhauser in a roadster. Johnson was flagged to finish in 10th place.
Johnson died in a plane crash near Cleveland, Ohio. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled the probable cause was pilot error, specifically attempting to fly visually in unsuitable weather and structurally overloading the airplane.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Indianapolis 500 results
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| Year | Car | Start | Qual | Rank | Finish | Laps | Led | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 81 | 24 | 133.973 | 30 | 16 | 193 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1953* | 2 | - | - | - | 7 | ? | ? | Running |
| 1954** | 2 | - | - | - | 22 | ? | ? | Retirement |
| 1955 | 83 | 32 | 134.449 | 32 | 13 | 196 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1956 | 81 | 32 | 139.093 | 32 | 15 | 195 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1957 | 43 | 20 | 140.171 | 28 | 25 | 93 | 0 | Wheel bearing |
| 1958 | 61 | 26 | 142.670 | 26 | 9 | 200 | 0 | Running |
| 1959 | 19 | 8 | 144.000 | 9 | 8 | 200 | 0 | Running |
| 1960 | 22 | 7 | 145.003 | 10 | 6 | 200 | 0 | Running |
| 1961 | 33 | 10 | 145.843 | 12 | 18 | 127 | 0 | Crash T4 |
| 1962 | 32 | 18 | 146.592 | 23 | 25 | 38 | 0 | Magneto |
| 1963 | 88 | 21 | 148.509 | 22 | 20 | 112 | 0 | Crash BS |
| 1964 | 84 | 24 | 152.905 | 11 | 26 | 6 | 0 | Fuel Pump |
| 1965 | 23 | 28 | 153.998 | 32 | 10 | 195 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1966 | 54 | 29 | 158.898 | 28 | 7 | 175 | 0 | Stalled |
| Totals | 1930 | 0 | ||||||
| Starts | 13 |
|---|---|
| Poles | 0 |
| Front Row | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Top 5 | 0 |
| Top 10 | 5 |
| Retired | 6 |
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* shared drive with Jim Rathmann
** shared drive with Rodger Ward
- During his Indy career, Eddie Johnson drove 4,825 miles without leading a lap. Only Chet Miller and Dick Simon completed more laps at Indianapolis without leading a lap.
World Championship career summary
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Eddie Johnson participated in 9 World Championship races and scored 1 World Championship point.