Who discovered drafting? The story of Junior Johnson and NASCAR

When it comes to NASCAR racing on superspeedways, drafting, a strategy introduced by Hall of Famer Junior Johnson, is one of the most crucial components that drivers use in order to compete and strive for victory. Not touching upon the complex physical principles of the idea, drafting in NASCAR refers to a technique where drivers align their vehicles closely together to reduce aerodynamic drag and speed.

By following closely behind another car, a driver can benefit from reduced wind resistance, allowing them to maintain higher speeds or conserve fuel. This strategy is often adopted by drivers on superspeedway tracks such as Daytona and Talladega.

When exploring this strategy and its pivotal impact in modern-day superspeedway racing in NASCAR, questions come to mind about the origins of drafting. In this article, we explore the details behind drafting, and its mastermind, Junior Johnson.

Johnson, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010, remains one of the most successful drivers to never win a NASCAR championship as a driver. The late North Carolina native won 50 races in the Cup Series, including a Daytona 500 win in 1960, but failed to secure the sport's ultimate prize, the Cup championship.

A successful team owner with six titles and an infamous moonshine runner, Junior Johnson's legacy in NASCAR transcends beyond his success as a driver or a team owner. The late great driver is often accredited for discovering the technique of drafting, which changed superspeedway racing forever.

The story came to be in Johnson's biggest win as a driver, the 1960 Daytona 500. However, as recounted by the man himself when speaking in Junior Johnson: Brave In Life by Steve Waid and Tom Higgins, the driver had no expectations of winning the whole thing.

Initially facing adversity with a sluggish No. 27 Chevrolet, Johnson found himself contemplating an early departure from race week. However, In a twist of fate, during a practice session, Johnson stumbled upon a revelation that would revolutionize NASCAR racing.

This phenomenon, later termed drafting, allowed Johnson to harness the slipstream created by leading cars, reducing aerodynamic drag and propelling him to newfound competitiveness. However, Johnson wasn't aware of it at the time, as he told Waid and Higgins (via Frontstretch):

"To tell you the God's truth, I didn’t know what it was."

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Junior Johnson's discovery of drafting, in his own words

The discovery caught Johnson by surprise, leaving him in a trance as he tried figuring out whether his Chevy was actually better than what he had imagined pre-race. He said:

"I couldn't figure it out. I thought maybe Ray (Fox) had got the car running better. I came in and he also thought he'd fixed it."

Later in the day, Junior Johnson found himself trailing closely behind the late driver Jack Smith's Pontiac during a practice session. Another moment of surprise hit the North Carolina native, as he experienced a significant increase in speed and performance, despite Smith having the fastest car on the track at the time.

"I was running all over Jack when I got down in turn 1, and he had the fastest car at the track. I came to pit road and sat there waiting for some more Pontiacs. I got in with them and stayed up, they couldn't shake me. I knew I was right about the air creating a slipstream."

As the realization hit Junior Johnson, it enhanced his understanding of the aerodynamic principles at play and bolstered his confidence in his strategy. He explained:

"I thought that if I stayed down there (at DIS) and raced, I'd grab people and ride behind them all day and be pretty good at it. I didn't ever, ever think I'd win the race."

By harnessing the slipstream, Johnson achieved an insurmountable lead, effectively "stealing" the race through this phenomenon called drafting. He concluded:

"Round and round he went, and down through the grass. I got so far ahead that even if he'd come back out really quick, he wouldn't have caught me. Basically, I stole the race. I didn't win it."

Through his discovery of drafting, Junior Johnson cemented his legacy in NASCAR in a way that transcends all racing accolades. In this manner, "The Last American Hero" continues to be remembered every instance drivers tread the intimidating waters of superspeedways.