Born in Greeley, Colorado, Johnson grew up in Anaheim, California where he attended schools.
Johnson competed in the United States Auto Club National Championship from 1956 to 1959, making six starts.
He also failed to qualify or crashed in practice in eleven more race attempts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1958 and 1959.
[3] Barzda's car had suffered a reported stuck throttle when entering the third turn and, after making contact, flipped over just as Johnson's.
[3] Johnson's Vargo Special was the same racer in which Dick Linder had perished a few months earlier[2][3] and in which Hugh Randall would be killed three years later.