Greater than a 12 months has handed since Jake Johnson introduced Ole Blue again to Victory Lane on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, a win that arrived at Monadnock Speedway in New Hampshire.
Rather a lot has modified for Johnson since that day, however his dedication to successful in Modifieds stays unwavering. Now part-time within the collection with JMA Motorsports, Johnson is about to make his second Modified Tour look with this system in Saturday’s J&R Precast 150 at Massachussets’ Seekonk Speedway.
Johnson‘s first begin with JMA earlier this season at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park noticed him qualify on the surface pole earlier than he was eradicated in a wreck with 9 laps to go. Regardless of the Thompson race ending in disappointment, Johnson stated the cohesion he and JMA displayed that weekend has offered him loads of optimism forward of Saturday‘s race.
“We‘ve had a fairly good 12 months to date,” Johnson stated. “In every single place we‘ve proven up with my household automobile or the No. 07 automobile, we‘ve had loads of velocity. I‘m excited to get again within the No. 07, as a result of [even though] Thompson was tough, we confirmed good velocity.
“These guys are deserving of run, and I believe we will put one collectively [at Seekonk].”
Johnson was having fun with a profession season on the Modified Tour final 12 months earlier than he sustained a tough crash within the second race at Thompson. After the wreck, Johnson parted methods with Boehler Racing Enterprises and didn’t return to the collection for the remainder of 2024.
As Johnson was crafting a 2025 racing schedule along with his household automobile, JMA co-owners Mike and Justin Albernaz reached out to him about competing in choose Modified Tour occasions. Johnson jumped on the supply to race with JMA, which now assists his personal program in different Modified occasions across the northeast.
The Albernaz household‘s involvement in motorsports extends far past Modified competitors. Mike operated CJ Racing within the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection from 1999-00, when he fielded entries for a wide range of drivers like David Starr, Lonnie Rush Jr. and 2008 Modified Tour champion Ted Christopher.
Mike‘s hands-on strategy to racing was handed right down to his grandson Justin, who additionally serves because the crew chief for the No. 07 Modified. The addition of Johnson to JMA‘s program has been invaluable for the youthful Albernaz, who praised the willpower his driver shows each on and off the monitor.
“[Jake] is 100% targeted on racing,” Albernaz stated. “His thoughts is in it, and he‘s not solely apprehensive about driving it, he‘s apprehensive about getting the automobile proper. He‘s very gifted behind the wheel. He‘s aggressive at instances, however that‘s what you want to get the job finished typically.”
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One facet of the partnership between Johnson and JMA entails the crews from each applications engaged on the identical automobile. Combining sources made the duo stronger and strengthened the expectations Johnson and the Albernaz household have for the Modified Tour, which is to win a race collectively.
Thompson showcased that Johnson and JMA may maintain their very own with the full-time Modified Tour operations throughout the board. The 2 sides are desperate to shake off the late-race crash from Thompson and make the most of their collective information by placing collectively a whole weekend at Seekonk.
Particularly since it is a hometown affair for practically everybody concerned at JMA.
“Seekonk was most likely the primary one which bought placed on the listing simply because [JMA‘s] store is about three minutes away,” Johnson stated. “Seekonk is about 10 minutes from my home, so it‘s a particular place for us as a result of it‘s our house turf. We all the time run good there, and [JMA] used to run good there once we did open racing at Seekonk.
“It made loads of sense for us to circle Seekonk.”
Numerous journeys to Seekonk through the years have offered Albernaz loads of perception into all the basics essential to prevail. The power solely being 0.333 miles in size means laps will click on of quickly Saturday night. That emphasizes the significance of acquiring stable monitor place in qualifying.
Albernaz doesn’t see qualifying being an issue for Johnson at Seekonk given how briskly he was within the No. 07 at Thompson. The problem for Albernaz shall be designing a setup that responds nicely to Seekonk‘s distinctive traits and places Johnson in the most effective place to upset the Modified Tour regulars.
“[Seekonk] is a really powerful monitor to get round,” Albernaz stated. “It‘s very throttle-sensitive and this race goes to be all about saving tires. That‘s going to be the largest speak within the storage most likely for all the race. With Jake‘s laps on the monitor and our experience with what number of races we‘ve run there, I believe we needs to be fairly good.”
A Modified Tour win at his household‘s house monitor can be an emotional, cathartic second for Albernaz. Mike loved quite a few Seekonk victories with drivers like Eddie St. Angelo, Vinny Annarummo and Mike Christopher Sr.; now Justin needs so as to add to his household‘s legacy on the monitor with JMA’s first win.
Johnson is targeted on not solely serving to JMA safe a Seekonk checkered flag, but additionally on validating his expertise to the remainder of the Modified Tour area. Prevailing at Monadnock in Ole Blue final 12 months was a milestone second, however Johnson is aware of he can accomplish a lot extra.
“I don‘t need to be referred to as the man who simply gained one [Modified Tour] race as a fluke,” Johnson stated. “If I may go win two or three Tour races, I believe it will solidify that [Monadnock] wasn‘t luck. The No. 07 is overdue for a win. They‘ve been tremendous robust in every single place they go, so I‘d like to try this for them, as nicely.”
With their chemistry persevering with to develop each week, Johnson and JMA are able to make an announcement of their second Modified Tour race collectively this weekend by incomes a victory in entrance of their hometown crowd.
