Johnstone Brings It Home

Emotional Parker (Long Beach CA) -- Parker Johnstone, driver of the Motorola Reynard Honda Indy car, finished second in Sunday's 22'nd running of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. This was the first podium finish for Parker and the Brix Comptech team, accomplished this feat in the fourth race of their first full season of IndyCar competition. Even though this was the first time on this track, Parker qualified sixth, his best road course qualifying effort to date. His second place points more than doubled his prior IndyCar points total, currently placing him ninth overall.

"I came to this track for the first time in 1979 to watch a Formula One race," remembers Parker. "I cut school and came with my childhood sweetheart and now wife, Sharon. That race ignited me like no other single event to become a race car driver. Here we are, seventeen years later and I am sharing a podium with the Emperor of Long Beach, Al Unser Jr. To be racing with the best in the world, this is what it's all about. This makes it all worthwhile. For us, second is as good as a victory."

"I have been with Honda for eleven years and Doug Peterson and Don Erb for nine. I can't thank them and Motorola, Harry Brix and Firestone enough for the faith and confidence that got us here. In many ways this is a David and Goliath story, and our guys deserve the credit. We have the youngest Lead Mechanic in IndyCar and one of the more experienced race engineers in the business. We have a great collection of talent that has put us here today."

"The last laps were hold the breath time. Little Al was pushing me, and I didn't want to lose second place by putting it into the wall. I would respond and open up a small gap, but he was always right there. For the last twenty laps or so, I felt like I was in a video arcade. Various engine warning alarms kept going off. The crew said to ignore them but I felt like I had to keep on putting quarters in the machine to keep going and after crossing the start/finish line each time, the arcade screen would flash "bonus lap!"

It was not an arcade game. In the land of Hollywood story book endings, it was a dream come true for a high school student and his girl friend. They were spontaneous tears of joy and sincere thanks to believers and dreamers who turned goals into reality for a star struck kid. It couldnt have happened to a nicer guy.

This is IndyCar racing, and Americana at its finest.