Drag Illustrated Issue 193, March / April 2025 | Page 122

THE 2025 INTERVIEW ISSUE
THE 2025 INTERVIEW ISSUE
when they really set themselves up for success. I try to get the car to where it works good for them, and also get them comfortable in the car and know what we’ re doing and how I’ m racing the car. I feel like comfort within a driver goes a long way.
Your dad, Chris Johnson, works closely with you. What’ s that like, getting to share these experiences with him? That’ s been probably one of the best things. He got me involved in the sport when I was a kid. He was doing it and I was tagging along. I
“ I try to look at everything where it’ s kind of me versus me. How can I better myself with all the different guys that I work with or help? How can I be better this year from how I was last year? What can I learn? What can I improve on?”
STROUD CREDITS THE PRO LINE RACING BRAIN TRUST FOR CONTRIBUTING TO HIS RISE AS A MULTI-CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING TUNER AND CREW CHIEF.
TWO-TIME PDRA PRO NITROUS WORLD CHAMPION JASON HARRIS COLLABORATED WITH STROUD TO SECURE A SECOND
CONSECUTIVE PDRA PRO BOOST WORLD TITLE LAST YEAR.
got bit by the bug at a young age. I was hooked. Us being able to be out here doing it together, it’ s just made it that much more special, especially when we’ ve had events that we’ ve won together. It never gets old. It’ s just as special every time we do it.
Are there any“ firsts” left on your list? An NHRA championship would be probably the one that’ s still on the list. I would definitely like to get an NHRA Pro Mod championship at some point. It’ s the long haul. It’ s the big picture. Last year, we were really good the first half of the year,
and then towards the end of the year when it kind of mattered, that’ s where we had a couple of mishaps. To win the championship just means you’ re on your game throughout the whole season, and that’ s putting the whole package together. I think that really shows in something that’ s as competitive as it is, against all these guys out here that I’ m racing against that
are pretty much the best of the best, it means I can compete with them right there on the same level.
What are your goals for this season? I try to just improve from last season. I try to look at everything where it’ s kind of me versus me. How can I better myself with all
the different guys that I work with or help? How can I be better this year from how I was last year? What can I learn? What can I improve on? Obviously, winning is always in our sport the No. 1 goal, but I feel like if I’ m always trying to make myself a little better, then that’ s gonna help lead towards winning more. I try to focus on my goal. How do I keep getting better? DI
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