Billy Johnson Racing . com

Johnson returns to the WEC for 2018 in the #66 Ford GT

DEARBORN - Ford Chip Ganassi Racing have announced the 12 drivers who will race the four Ford GTs at the 24 Hours of LeMans:

"I'm looking forward to joining Stefan Mucke and Olivier Pla again in the #66 Ford GT this year at Spa and LeMans." said Johnson "There have been a lot of changes in the off season and there are a few new GTE-Pro cars and manufacturers that will make the championship extremely competitive with a much larger car count. It will be an exciting year and I'm looking forward to being a part of it with high hopes for some strong results for the #66 car."

Johnson finishes 22nd in MENCS Debut

"It was truly special to make my Cup debut in the #43 for Richard Petty Motorsports" said Johnson. "While it wasn't the result we were looking for, we overcame a few issues early on in the race and ran in the top-10 before losing radio communication late in the race."

"The checkered flag actually caught me off guard since I was expecting the race to go on a bit longer. Never the less, it was a great experience and I learned a lot. I look forward to another opportunity to get behind the wheel of one of these cars. The racing is very competitive.

Johnson makes NASCAR Cup debut driving the iconic #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Fusion

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Richard Petty Motorsports announced Monday that IMSA Ford driver Billy Johnson will pilot the No. 43 Smithfield Ford at Sonoma Raceway and fill in for the injured Aric Almirola. Fresh from competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Johnson will make his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend, but this isn’t the first time he worked in NASCAR. Johnson made five starts in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and scored a career-best eighth-place finish in Montreal in 2012.

A road course specialist, Johnson has 10 years of road racing experience. He worked with Almirola on his road course racing at the Ford Performance racing school at Miller Motorsports Park in a curriculum he developed with other instructors at the school. He has worked with over 20 Ford drivers to improve their road racing skills in the last six years.

“It is going to be awesome. It will be my first NASCAR Cup race and to debut in the 43 car, one of the most iconic numbers to ever race in NASCAR, is a huge honor,” said Johnson. “Richard Petty Motorsports is a great organization. To have the chance to make my Cup debut for the King is surreal, and I appreciate them putting me in the car.

“I have run a lot of XFINITY races, but this will be my first Cup race. It is awesome that RPM and everyone at Ford Performance has the confidence in me to take on Sonoma. I have run pretty well in the XFINITY road course races I have done, so I hope that translates into a good showing this weekend.”

“We are so excited about Billy Johnson making his Cup debut. He drove great for us in Le Mans this past weekend, has been a champion for us in the past in the GT350, and he’s been one of our development drivers for a while,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance.

“To be able to put him in a Cup car, at the highest level of NASCAR, in the iconic No. 43 Fusion, and to let him show his skills at Sonoma, well, we couldn’t be happier for him to have this chance.”

Richard Petty Motorsports has success at Sonoma. The team has one win, two poles, three Top Fives and nine Top 10s. Kasey Kahne scored a win in 2009 and a pole in 2010, while Marcos Ambrose won the pole in 2012. Since Almirola’s injury, the team has worked with drivers Regan Smith and Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.

“It’s been important for us to put ourselves in the most competitive spot while Aric is recovering,” said CEO Brian Moffitt. “We’ve worked with Ford and Smithfield to put the best driver available in the car each week. Both Regan (Smith) and Bubba (Wallace) have done a great job for us the last five weeks. We feel that Billy’s experience on a road course will help us be competitive this weekend.”

Suspension Failure results in 10th place finish at LeMans

The #66 Ford GT was leading the category four hours in with Billy Johnson (US) behind the wheel after Stefan Mücke (GER) started eighth, but 10 hours later a rear suspension problem sent their team-mate Olivier Pla (FRA) into the gravel and the No. 66 to the back of the pack.

"It was awesome to lead the GTE-Pro class for quite some time" said Johnson. "Everything needs to go right for 24 hours and LeMans pushes cars, drivers, and the team to the limit. Unfortunately this wasn't our year and a suspension issue caused us to go many laps down and put us out of contention for the win."

Source:
http://performance.ford.com/series/ford-gt/news/articles/wec/2017/06/ford-gt-takes-second-at-le-mans.html

Podium Finish in WEC Round 2 at Spa

SPA, Belgium – The GTE Pro cars came in two-by-two at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium today. This time it was Ferrari that took the win and second place, closely followed by two Ford GTs in third and fourth, then two Porsches and two Aston Martins.

It was the No. 66 Ford GT crew of Stefan Mücke (GER), Olivier Pla (FRA) and Billy Johnson (US) that stood on the podium after six hours of hard racing. After starting the race in second place they looked like strong contenders for the win with Pla enjoying a close fight with the sister Ford GT of Harry Tincknell (GB) and the two Ferraris in the opening stages. Johnson suffered at the hands of an LMP2 car that spun him around on his out lap and was later penalised for doing so and ultimately an unfortunately timed Full Course Yellow put paid to the No. 66 crew’s fight for the win.

“We had a really good fight with the Ferraris at the beginning of the race today,” said Pla. “Unfortunately I lost a position when I got stuck in traffic through Eau Rouge but there was nothing I could do. Because of this we decided to stay on the same set of tyres for the second half of my double stint, which wasn’t easy as the track was still very green. It wasn’t so bad in the end as we took third place, despite losing time with a Full Course Yellow, and we weren’t too far from the Ferraris.”

Never a man to be happy with third place, Multimatic Vice-President Larry Holt summed up the thoughts of the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team after the race.

“I’m never happy if we don’t win,” said Holt. “In reality we had a problem with both cars. We had the fuel issue with the No. 67 at the first stop and unfortunately #66 was in the pits when the Full Course Yellow happened which probably cost us around 40 seconds. Without those two issues I think you would have seen two Fords and two Ferraris battling it out for the win.

“P1 and P4 at Silverstone and P3 and P4 here at Spa racks up the points and proves that we can be competitive with Ferrari going into Le Mans. Before we had our issues it was a great race so if you want to see another great Ford vs Ferrari battle at Le Mans it’s looking pretty good.”

The next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours.

4th Place Finish in WEC Season Opener at Silverstone

Yellow flags once again took a turn for the worse for Johnson, Pla, and Mucke.

At the start of the WEC season opener at Silverstone, Stefan Mucke kept the No. 68 in the front of the pack while the No. 67 sister car suffered from mechanical issues that found themselves nearly a lap down and 30 minutes off the pit sequence of the rest of the field.

During Johnson's stint, the skies opened up as typical in British fashion, and Johnson extended the race lead over the rest of the field despite remaining on slick tires. As the track dried out, the No. 7 Toyota P1 car fount its way into the wall which brought out a long Full Course Yellow and eventually a very rare Safety Car which erased Johnson's 30-second lead as well as the 90-second deficit of the No. 67 Ford GT.

During the Safety Car, the majority of the field pitted for fuel behind Johnson, and the 67 Ford GT's off-sequence strategy due to the early race troubles put them in ideal position relative to the rest of the field. During the remaining hours of the race, the 67's strategy turned out to work in their favor and put them in a 40-second lead over the rest of the field, and the No. 68 was disadvantaged due to not pitting from the lead which found them at the back of the queue.

Despite a damper issue early in the race which didn't hurt the No. 68's outright speed too much, Olivier Pla fought hard to bring the car home in 4th place

Top 5 Finish in the 12 Hours of Sebring

After a last minute decision to field a 3rd Ford GT for the 12 Hours of Sebring, Johnson who was again joined by teammates Olivier Pla and Stefan Mucke in the No. 68 Ford GT to finish fifth in the 65th running of the famed and grueling race.

Johnson led the race for much of his last two hour stint with just over two hours remaining in the race. Pit strategy and a full course yellow flag did not work in the favor of the trio of Ford GTs, which found themselves in the back of the queue and disadvantaged after the full course yellow. In the remaining hour of the race, Stefan Mucke fought hard to bring home the No. 68 home in a top 5 finish.

Johnson teams up with Pla & Mucke in the #68 Ford GT for the Rolex 24

Johnson rejoins his 24 Hours of LeMans teammates Frenchman Olivier Pla and German Stefan Mucke to compete in the 2017 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in Ford's four car effort driving the No. 68 Ford GT.

Billy Johnson to Drive in Ford Chip Ganassi Racing's Four-Car Effort in the 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona

DEARBORN, Mich. -- Not since last summer’s Le Mans 24 Hours have all four Ford GTs in the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing stable competed for the same prize. That will change at the 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona in January, where the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship teams will unite for one goal -- winning the coveted top step of the podium of a 24-hour race on American soil.A full four-car effort in the Rolex 24 is a continuation of the historical trail the current Ford GT team has been following, one that was blazed by the original GT40s of the 1960s. Those earlier cars won the most important endurance racing titles around the world, including the Rolex 24, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Ford Chip Ganassi Racing may have ticked off one box in that legendary list in the debut year, but there is still work to do.

“It would be easy to just talk about what we’ve already done with this Ford GT but really we’re focused on the future,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. “We didn’t have the strongest race at the Rolex 24 last year but we have a season of learning experiences behind us with this program now and we’re proud that when we come back to Daytona in 2017, we’ll come with all four Ford GTs.”

The Ford GT program won six races and started from the front of the grid eight times in 2016, with victories coming at Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, Mosport, Le Mans, Fuji and Shanghai.

“Even with the success we had last season winning six races, I think we have some unfinished business in Daytona,” said Chip Ganassi, owner, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, who with the 2016 Le Mans win became the only team owner in history to win the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Rolex 24 At Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and the Le Mans 24 Hours. “The Rolex 24 last year was our first big test to see where we were with the program, and although we didn’t win, I can tell you that we learned a lot. We also learned a lot in Le Mans working with all four cars through the 24 hours. I’m excited we have another opportunity to assemble the full lineup for Daytona. The opportunity to compete with all four cars at the same time, in a race as prestigious as Daytona, is very special.”

Ford Chip Ganassi Racing will again campaign four Ford GTs full time for its second year of competition -- two in the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and two in the global FIA World Endurance Championship.

NanoProMT partners with
Johnson for 2017

Nano Technology Lubricant manufacturer, NanoPro MT partners with Johnson for 2017 and sponsors the No. 68 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT for the 24 Hours of Daytona.

"I'm really excited to have NanoProMT join me again for 2017" said Johnson. "They are a new company, but their products were developed for multi-million dollar aircraft and I have won a lot of races with experimental versions of their products. It's amazing that they now offer the same technology to the consumer available at any AutoZone. Be sure to check them out!"

NanoProMT is a Nano Technology company created from the development of superior lubricants for the US Army. These revolutionary Nano lubricants, greases, and additives not only reduce friction but increases heat transfer, which further reduces longevity, friction, and wear.

www.NanoProMT.com/team

Johnson Becomes the Winningest Driver in IMSA's CTSCC History

The victory at the Road Atlanta season finale not only clinched the Manufacturer, Team, and Driver Championships for the No. 15 Ford-Multimatic Shelby GT350R-C and drivers Billy Johnson and Scott Maxwell, but it marked Johnson's 23rd career CTSCC win, breaking the tie to become the Winningest driver in series history.

"I've been in the series for 10 years now and had the privilege to drive for some great teams, and with great co-drivers and won a lot of races." Johnson reflected. "It's been a long road working my way from ST [the Street Tuner class] to GS, from part-time rides to full seasons, to finally be in the position to go after championships, and then to finally win a championship. It's nice to come full circle in that".

Multimatic Motorsports, based in Markham, Ontario, Canada, with Billy Johnson and Toronto’s Scott Maxwell sharing the duties behind the wheel found success throughout the year but truly stood out as a premier team in the second half of the 2016 season.

While Maxwell has been with Multimatic since its founding in 1992, Johnson joined the team only recently. “It’s been an honor to drive for Multimatic since I moved over there in 2014,” Johnson said. "In terms of how well [Scott and I] work together, we don't have to fight different things in the car. We always say the same thing in terms of how the car's handling and what we want out of the car. I think we're really efficient at developing and improving the balance of the cars better than anyone else, so that's been a huge advantage."

After finishing eighth in the point standings last year, after starting the season in the Ford BOSS 302R and debuting the brand new Shelby GT350R-C mid-season, Maxwell and Johnson positioned themselves well after the first two races in 2016 with a win at Daytona and a second-place finish at Sebring. A pair of fourth place finishes followed for the team at Laguna Seca and Watkins Glen.

In the meantime, the new-for-2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport had been performing well, particularly in the hands of co-drivers Cameron Cassels and Trent Hindman, who scored three consecutive wins between Sebring and The Glen in the No. 12 Bodymotion Racing Cayman. The No. 33 CJ Wilson Racing Porsche of Danny Burkett and Marc Miller also began to pick up steam.

However, the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the fifth race of 10 for the Continental Tire Challenge, proved to be crucial for the No. 15 Ford as the team captured a commanding win at its home track on July 9. Maxwell scored his 13th career pole the previous day, a series record, while the win was number 19 for Johnson.

The hometown victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park sparked an incredible run for Multimatic. Clever pit strategy led to wins in the next two races at Lime Rock and then Road America, where Johnson earned a last-lap win after the leading car ran out of fuel. After three consecutive victories, Maxwell and Johnson found themselves leading the standings by 23 points.

A second-place finish at Virginia International Raceway would be the last time in 2016 in which another GS competitor bested Maxwell and Johnson. Maxwell secured both poles at Circuit of The Americas and the season-ending Road Atlanta race, bringing his career and series record total to 16. Johnson then closed out wins at both tracks to become the winningest Continental Tire Challenge driver with 23 career victories.

Johnson & Maxwell WIN the 2016 IMSA CTSCC Championship!

BRASELTON, Georgia (September 30, 2016)

The Ford Shelby GT350R-C earned its first championship title in its first full year of competition, thanks to a dominant season from Multimatic Motorsports in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge this year.

Drivers Billy Johnson and Scott Maxwell ran the table at the final race weekend, the Road Atlanta 150, earning their sixth win of the year driving in the No. 15 Ford Shelby GT350R-C after starting on pole for the sixth time. With that win, the duo clinched the Manufacturers’, Team, and Driver's championship for Ford and Multimatic among a field deeply filled with Porsches.

The Ford Shelby GT350R-C was an immediate success when it debuted on pole at its first race in 2015, then went on to win two races in its first partial season. The domination continued this year.

"We're very pleased with how the Shelby GT350R-C has performed on the track since its debut," said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. “It’s just another proof point where we have used the race track as a laboratory to help develop an outstanding performance car for the street. Congratulations to Scott, Billy, Multimatic and the whole Ford Performance team on their efforts this year.”

Maxwell put the No. 15 on pole on Thursday in competition that was separated by only tenths of a second. It’s their first championship title together for the Toronto-based team, and Johnson’s first ever in Continental Tire competition.

"It was the longest 45 minutes of my life," said Maxwell, who had to complete a minimum drive time of 45 minutes to earn his half of the drivers’ championship. "The car was fine, I was just trying to go around an not get involved in any trouble."

"With Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson in a Ford Shelby GT350R-C, my sheepdog could've run that race an won it," said Multimatic’s Larry Holt with a laugh. "That's not to say anything about the competition. The competition in the series is fantastic, and we had to fight for every win this year. It's just Scott and Billy are so good and that car is so good. It was an unbelievable year. Every single piece of the team is good, from the car to the partnership with Ford and we're excited to see what next year brings."

COTA marks 5th win of the season

AUSTIN, Texas (September 16, 2016) – Courtesy of Ford Performance – A nearly flawless drive by co-drivers Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson Jr. in their Multimatic Motorsports Ford Shelby GT350R-C led them to a very important IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge victory today at the Circuit of the Americas.

It was the fifth victory of the season for the GT350R-C duo and put them on the cusp of winning the series title. They are 31 points ahead of the second place CJ Wilson Racing Porsche effort, with a maximum 35 points available at any race. There is one race to go in the series, in two weeks at Road Atlanta. Maxwell put the Shelby GT350R-C on the pole Thursday, and took the lead off the start, setting a strong pace early before turning it over to Johnson. The team only lost the lead during pit stops, but with 39 minutes left they were in a strong battle with the CJ Wilson Racing car. However, with 19 minutes left, the Porsche suffered a suspension issue, leaving Johnson with a more than 40-second lead, and he cruised to the win.

The second GT350R-C from the C360R team finished a strong third, after running in the top four all day.

Maxwell/Johnson scored their fifth victory of the season in a race they started from the pole position, only losing the lead during pit stops. The victory gives them a 31-point lead in the championship with one race to go at Road Atlanta in two weeks.

SCOTT MAXWELL: “It’s was pretty uneventful. The first hour is really just for setting up for the last hour and trying to relay as much information as I could to Billy and the team. Things like what the car was doing and how it was changing and any concerns. I was able to lead the entire stint but it did take a lot of restraint trying to keep the brakes and the rear tires under me. It’s so slippery for everybody out there so it’s just trying to minimize mistakes which is so easy to do and was fairly successful in doing that. Billy got in a car that was in pretty good shape, other than we had a minor gear box issue that we overcame pretty quickly.”

BILLY JOHNSON: “All I have to say is Scott is not taking enough credit for his performance, he checked out during his stint and put some time between him and the 33 car. Every little bit counts to run these races. We haven’t had the outright pace and the speed pretty much all season. It’s drives like Scott’s in the first stint, it’s our awesome pit stops and pit strategies that bump us ahead. It’s a team effort and every person who has been a part of this program, whether they’re over the wall, or on the box, or back in the shop help make sure our car is reliable. It takes every single little bit of all that effort to put ourselves in a position to have wins like that. Scott and I do what we do and manage traffic pretty well, but I want to thank everyone who is a part of this program for all that they do because they’re the heroes behind this success.

SM: (ON LEADING THE CHAMPIONSHIP BY 31 POINTS WITH ONE RACE TO GO) “We will just keep our mindset the same as the previous nine races, we go to win. We’re not going to take any unnecessary chances, and I’m sure we’ll figure out how far into the race we have got to get before we know if it’s clinched or not clinched, so we will be careful until that point. If we’re fortunate enough to do it during the race, we will just go for it as usual. There’s no sense in changing things up now for the championship. We want to be aggressive but smart and today was a perfect example of that.”

GT350R-C Wins Thriller at Road America for 3rd win in a row

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 6, 2016) – Courtesy of Ford Performance – Multimatic Motorsports’ Billy Johnson and Scott Maxwell stood on the top step of the winners’ podium for the fourth time this season and the third time in a row after winning the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Lime Rock, and now Road America.

In the closing laps of the race, just when it looked like the Multimatic team would have to settle for p2, the leader ran out of fuel on the final lap and Johnson, who closed out the race after Maxwell started on the pole, was there to pounce. It was Johnson’s first career win at Road America.

"I left the decision whether to push or conserve and when, to the team" Johnson said. “I was just doing as I was told, and that was to go as fast as I can. Then I was getting a little nervous when I saw cars running out of fuel, pitting and pitting earlier than us, but the Multimatic Ford team had the strategy down and had everything figured out. Kudos to the team for having a great strategy and making us do what we needed to do to be in position to win.”

This is the seventh podium of the year for the Ford Shelby GT350R-C, between Multimatic and the No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology/Children’s Tumor Foundation Ford Shelby GT350R-C fielded by C360 Racing and drivers Paul Holton and Pierre Kleinubing. Holton and Kleinubing’s day ended early after heavy contact left the No. 76 on its side in Turn 12 soon after the green flag. Holton was uninjured.

“The Ford Shelby GT350R-C is just a fantastic car," Johnson said. "I love driving it. Both Scott and I worked on the development of both the street and race car, and are privileged to be racing the GT350R-C. It's a hell of a race car and it's pretty good at drifting too." On Friday, Maxwell earned his 14th career pole, a record in the series. Johnson and Maxwell leave Road America having extended their points lead 228 to 205 in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge points.

" Every win is important, but now that we're into the second half of the year and the championship is narrowed down to two or three cars, this is a really big win," Maxwell said. "Our objective, really, today, was just to be ahead of the No. 33 Porsche (second in points). Even towards the end, when we were running second with Billy and Mark (Miller) in third, I thought it was a pretty good day, but at the end it all switched around when the leader ran out of fuel."

"It's a fantastic points day for us, and to win here makes it all the better. Road America is one of my favorite tracks, and I haven't won here in about 15 years, so it's a great feeling."

4th Place Finish in LeMans Debut

Making his LeMans Debut, Billy Johnson finishes fourth in the No. 66 Ford GT with co-drivers Olivier Pla and Stefan Mucke after a dramatic and controversial race.

The Trio's No. 66 lost two laps after being black-flagged and required to fix a number board backlighting, meanwhile the No. 82 Rizi Ferrari did not pit to fix a similar lighting problem or to serve a penalty given for not complying to their own black-flag, which would have likely seen a podium result for the No. 66 Ford GT.

Johnson was chosen as one of two American racing drivers to pilot one of the four factory Ford GTs racing in the hotly contested GTE-Pro category. Johnson stepped up to the challenge and the No. 66 Ford GT was one of the fastest GTE-Pro cars all race long. Johnson also set a new track record during his stint which stood for hours until Indy 500 winner and 4-time series Champion Scott Dixon bested Johnson's time by 0.068 seconds, setting a new track record with a time of 3:51.582

"I'm honored to have been chosen as one of two American to drive for such an important American brand in such a historic setting as the 50th anniversary of Ford's iconic 1-2-3 finish with the Ford GT and to be apart of the car's development and join in Ford's return to LeMans and win it." Johnson said "Word's cannot describe what this opportunity has meant to me and how great it is to have overcome all odds in creating a brand new car from nothing in such a short period of time and to win the most prestigious race in the world really speaks to the hard work and dedication to everyone involved.

"It was awesome to set the GTE-Pro track record and hold it for a while. Unfortunately Scott [Dixon] beat my time in the last hour or two of the race, but I can't think of a more accomplished and nicer guy to have done it."

No. 66 Ford GT drivers Olivier Pla, Billy Johnson, and Stefan Mucke at the LeMans Driver's Parade.

SPA PROVIDES EXTREME TEST OF ENDURANCE FOR FORD GT CARS

MAY 7, 2016 | By Ford Performance Staff

The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team had its biggest test of endurance yet at the WEC 6 Hours of Spa on Saturday. The #67 Ford GT fought hard throughout the race and took a triumphant second place at the checkered flag. The best result yet for the WEC Ford GTs was tempered by the fact that with just over one hour of the six-hour race remaining, the #66 Ford GT crashed heavily exiting Eau Rouge. German driver Stefan Mücke was behind the wheel and it was an anxious moment for the team before his voice came over the radio.

“Everything is okay,” said Mücke after having precautionary tests at a local hospital. “I feel okay and it is good to know we have a strong car. Thank you to the team for building me a safe car.”

The team will now take the car back to the UK for a full investigation whilst also continuing its preparations for Le Mans.
The sister No. 67 Ford GT had a very different race, finishing in second place and taking the best result yet for the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing WEC team.

“The most important thing is that Stefan is okay,” said WEC Team Principal George Howard-Chapell. “Typically, he is more concerned with the car than himself. We need to look at the data to find out what happened but at the moment we suspect it was a puncture. On the flip side it is fabulous to get second place, which was a fairly unexpected result. It’s good that it has followed on from the victory for the U.S. team last week and a great result for the lead into the Le Mans 24 Hours.”

The race started well for the No. 66 Ford GT as Frenchman Olivier Pla had a strong opening stint, fighting his way through to third place by passing two Aston Martins. Billy Johnson was up next and he continued the good work before handing the car to Mücke.

The No. 67 Ford GT also had a strong start in the hands of Marino Franchitti but 40 minutes into the opening stint the Scotsman received a tap from behind that sent him into a spin and to the back of the GTE Pro field. He quickly recovered and completed his stint before Andy Priaulx jumped in for his run, which saw the #67 steadily rise up the order, taking fourth before Harry Tincknell took over. The young Briton had a great on track battle with Mücke before the accident happened and handed the car over to Franchitti in third place for the run to the flag.

Despite mounting pressure from a charging Aston Martin, Franchitti held on to third and then took second place when the #51 Ferrari ran in trouble.
“We had some great strategy calls from the pits today,” said Franchitti. “We said we would be pleased to get a podium finish here so to take second place is great. That result was for the team who have worked so hard for these past few months.”

The next race for all four Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GTs is the Le Mans 24 Hours, which takes place on 18-19 June.

- See more at: http://performance.ford.com/series/road-racing/news/articles/2016/05/spa-provides-extreme-test-of-endurance-for-ford-gt-cars.html#sthash.JUfVa92A.dpuf

Positive Start to the WEC Season for Ford GT Cars - Silverstone

“Considering it was the first race with a new car and a new team we had a clean run,” said Raj Nair, executive vice president and chief technical officer, Global Ford Product Development. “We’re very happy that the car ran well mechanically. We had a couple of issues; we were caught out on safety car timing and we lost radio with Olivier (Pla) towards the end of the race, which had an impact on strategy. This is a great start though and a good stepping stone to the Le Mans 24 Hours.”

Both Ford GTs got away well at the start of the six-hour race with Stefan Mücke holding onto third position in the #66 car with Andy Priaulx close behind in #67.

“I really enjoyed the start,” said Mücke. “It’s always exciting to start the first race of a new season and to take the start in the Ford GT was a special moment. We have found a good balance and as the Ford is easy on its tyres we were able to double stint and this really helps with our strategy.”

Priaulx got a tap from behind halfway around the opening lap but kept his focus and quickly settled into his race rhythm.

“The car ran faultlessly and I was able to get into a good rhythm straight away,” said Priaulx. “Our first pit stop, which was the first racing stop for the team, was spot on. I know we are a new team but it feels like we have been doing this for a while. We can drive the Ford GT with confidence and combined with our strategy this makes us strong.”

Billy Johnson and Marino Franchitti took over the #66 and #67 Ford GTs respectively for the middle section of the race. Franchitti had a ‘moment’ when he was hit by an LMP1 car but he quickly recovered.

For the final two hours, the Ford GTs were handed over to Harry Tincknell and Olivier Pla who both delivered their usual rapid run.

“That’s the most laps I have driven in the Ford GT!” said Tincknell. “I really enjoyed it and I’m happy with fourth, although a podium would have been nice. I didn’t really focus on position though, I just drove as fast as I could and made sure I looked after my tyres. This was also my first ever world-class GT race so I had to quickly learn how to deal with the prototypes flying past me. We learned a lot this weekend and that is what we came here to do so thanks to the team who all worked incredibly hard.”

The next race for the WEC Ford GTs is the 6 Hours of Spa, which takes place on May 7.

- See more at: http://performance.ford.com/series/road-racing/news/articles/2016/04/positive-start-to-the-wec-season-for-ford-gt-cars.html#sthash.EhhYJIpU.dpuf

Billy Johnson to drive the
No. 66 Ford GT at LeMans

Ford Chip Ganassi Racing has assembled a talented team of racing drivers from across the globe, ready for its return to the Le Mans 24 Hours, 50 years on from taking outright victory at the world’s greatest endurance race.
Each of the four Ford GTs will have a team of three drivers to take on the demands of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which takes place on June 18-19.

“We are pleased to have a very strong driver lineup for our return to the Le Mans 24 Hours,” commented Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president and chief technical officer, Global Product Development. “We’ve assembled a talented and experienced team on all fronts, and we are all focused on creating a new chapter in Ford’s history at Le Mans.”

The No. 66 Ford GT will be raced by a formidable lineup featuring German, Stefan Mücke, Frenchman, Olivier Pla and American, Billy Johnson, while Scot, Marino Franchitti, Guernsey-based, Andy Priaulx and Englishman, Harry Tincknell form a very strong squad in the No. 67 Ford GT.
Tincknell is already a Le Mans winner as he took the LMP2 victory in 2014 in what was his fourth ever sports car race. He will join the team for the first two WEC races at Silverstone and Spa before going to Le Mans.

“At 24, to be driving a Ford GT car at Le Mans exactly 50 years after the famous 1-2-3 finish for the team is incredibly special for me personally,” said Tincknell. “Ford has such an incredible history at Le Mans and I think with this car and team, we can emulate some of that success. We’ll be resuming that fierce battle with Ferrari, but it will be very competitive with all of the manufacturers in the class so we are in for a great fight. There is an incredible drive within the team at the moment and everyone is excited to be back. I’m very proud to be a part of it all.”

Johnson is one of the most successful drivers in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Currently racing the Ford Shelby GT350R-C Mustang, Johnson makes his Le Mans debut this year.

“Ford’s history at Le Mans is one of the greatest motorsport stories of all time, and this return after 50 years is arguably as meaningful and ambitious,” said Johnson. “Having won many races behind the wheel of Fords and having been a part of the development of the Ford GT, it’s truly an honor to be competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours on Ford’s historic return to the race. Like the original, the new Ford GT was built to win Le Mans, and it’s such a fantastic car to drive.”

The No. 68 Ford GT lineup of American Joey Hand and German Dirk Müller will be strengthened by the addition of Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais at Le Mans, with New Zealander Scott Dixon joining Englishman Richard Westbrook and Australian Ryan Briscoe in the No. 69 car.

Bourdais tested the Ford GT during its development phase and competed in the No. 66 IMSA Ford GT at the Rolex 24 with Hand and Müller.

“Le Mans is incredibly close to my heart,” said Bourdais. “I was born there so it is very special to go back as the local boy, as I have done 10 times now. People have not forgotten Ford’s history and heritage at Le Mans, even though it was a long time ago. The excitement around Ford’s return will make Le Mans even more special for us. We have new challenges and new rivalries, and we hope the story comes full circle so that we can repeat history.”

Bourdais and Dixon were recently announced as the third and fourth drivers who will complete the lineup for the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring this week.

“For once I’m the rookie, as this will be my first Le Mans,” said Dixon. “I’m excited to make my Le Mans debut in the Ford GT. I’ve been in the car a few times in testing, so I know we have a great race car here. Like any driver, it is a dream come true for me to race at Le Mans, and I can’t wait to get started. The history of Ford at Le Mans is very well documented, and I’m proud to be part of this very special program.”

“Personally and as an organization, we are thrilled to be racing at Le Mans this year,” added Chip Ganassi. “As a driver, I raced there once back in 1987, and I have been looking to get back there ever since. To be going with Ford and the new GT makes it all the more special, and the talent assembled in this driver line-up just adds to the anticipation.”

Credit: http://racing.ford.com/series/road-racing/news/articles/2016/03/ford-unveils-strong-international-line-up-of-drivers-to-tackle-t.html

Johnson & Maxwell Take 2nd
at Sebring

SEBRING, Fla (March 18, 2016). -- Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson nearly won their second Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race in a row Friday, after starting the No. 15 Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C on the pole at Sebring International Raceway.

Maxwell, who earned the TOTAL Pole Award in qualifying, dominated his opening stint, extending the .2-second lead he grabbed at the green flag over the Rum Bum Racing Porsche to three seconds before the first pit cycle started. Maxwell handed off to Johnson as the battle of the pit strategies began for the leaders in the Sebring 150.

While the No. 15 looked to have a chance for the win, ultimately, the call to make a late-race stop for four tires and fuel gave Johnson enough of a boost to race to the runner-up finish.

“Scott (Maxwell) did a fantastic job,” Johnson said. “He just dominated his stint of the race. The Multimatic/Ford Performance guys had great pit stops, pit calls and strategy and they just gave us a fantastic car. I couldn’t have asked for anything more from the car or set-up wise. The handling was perfect, but it just wasn’t enough for the lighter cars. Given that, it definitely feels like a victory. It was a good points day.”

It was the Ford Shelby GT350R-C’s debut at Sebring, the track notorious for both its history and challenging racing surface.

“This is the first time the car’s been at Sebring, and it’s just awesome,” Johnson said. “The ride and the outright grip are awesome. It’s a fantastic job for (the Ford Shelby GT350R-C’s) debut at Sebring.”

The No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology/Children’s Tumor Foundation Ford Shelby GT350R-C of Paul Holton and Pierre Kleinubing finished where it started at p4.

“We’ve done a lot of damper work,” Maxwell said. “We’ve got it tuned pretty good. We couldn’t quite do it today, but it’s a solid finish. We keep the championship lead, and that’s what we have to keep doing.”

- See more at: http://performance.ford.com/series/road-racing/news/articles/2016/03/mustangs-take-2md--4th-in-ctsc-event-at-sebring.html#sthash.ypkaA0oU.dpuf

Johnson & Maxwell WIN season-opener at Daytona for another historic 1-2 Finish for the Shelby GT350R-C

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Kicking off a weekend looking to make history, Ford Performance celebrated a fast start to the 2016 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship with a victory at Daytona International Speedway on Friday. It was a 1-2 result for Ford Performance as the Rolex 24 At Daytona event weekend started with champagne showers.

The No. 15 Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C of Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson took a commanding win in the Daytona event on Friday after leading a race-high 29 laps, with the fellow Ford machine of young Paul Holton and Pierre Kleinubing coming home in second place with the No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology / Children's Tumor Foundation / Spyder Active Sports entry.

The win is the third IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge victory for the Ford Shelby GT350R-C since making a dramatic debut midway through the 2015 season.

Starting from the front row for the two-hour, 30-minute race, the No. 15 Multimatic entry driven by Maxwell lined up directly ahead of the second row-starting No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology/Children’s Tumor Foundation/Spyder Active Sports with Holton behind the wheel.
Maxwell raced in podium position through every lap of his 26-lap stint before turning the car over to Johnson as he took on four tires and fuel. Johnson remained the top-two for the remainder of the race, battling it out with the No. 13 driven by Matt Plumb. A long pit stop for four tires and fuel for the No. 15 on Lap 47 allowed for Plumb to take the lead but not for long.
Stealing the show from the pole qualifying team, the No. 15 Multimatic entry driven by Johnson was able to edge out Plumb with 30 minutes to go after chasing him down for several laps.

But the race for the win wasn’t over just yet.

Holton opened the race and pushed the Mustang Ford Shelby GT350R-C through the first half, with Kleinubing taking control through the final laps. He pushed all the way to the finish, coming up just over two seconds short of the win but still earning Ford a 1-2 finish.

“It was my first race in this car, and it’s a very different car to drive, for me,” Holton said. “I’ve driven both ST and GT cars, but nothing with that kind of torque and that small of a tire. The Continental Tires are really good. We had a really green track because it was raining all week and this was the first dry day. I didn’t have a single dry lap going into that race, so as we went on, the track got grippier and grippier and then greasier and greasier, so it was quite a handful! The car changed a lot. The track changed a lot over the course of the race, but the car is awesome. I can’t give the Mustang enough praise. It’s going to be a really good car for the (Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship) this year.”

After playing a key role in developing and winning with the Ford Performance Shelby GT350R-C in 2015, Johnson was ecstatic to open the year with a checkered-flag run and lead the Ford 1-2.

“It was great to see two Ford Performance Shelby GT350R-Cs on the podium after all the hard work everyone’s done getting the car to where it’s at,” Johnson said. “It’s the first time the car’s competed at Daytona and we’re really happy to be in victory lane with the car and a 1-2 finish for the GT350R-C. Scott (Maxwell) did a fantastic job on the first stint and I just can’t thank him and the team enough for all the hard work and good job they do.”

The No. 57 Lira Motorsports/Ford Performance driven by Michael Lira and Cameron finished seventh after a well fought run to round out the Ford Performance stable.

Credit: http://racing.ford.com/series/road-racing/news/articles/2016/01/multimatic-shelby-gt350r-c-wins-ctsc-opener-in-first-appearance-.html

About Billy:

Billy Johnson is an American professional race car driver competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) for Ford Chip Ganassi Racing in the #66 Ford GT and the 2016 IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS champion for Ford/Multimatic Motorsports in the #15 Ford Performance Shelby GT350R-C with co-driver Scott Maxwell.

With 23 wins to his name, Billy is the winningest driver in CTSCC history. In addition, Billy has multiple GT class podium finishes for Turner Motorsports, driving the BMW M3 in the IMSA GTD Class.

Johnson is a test driver for Multimatic and Ford Performance and helped develop the LeMans winning Ford GT racecar, Championship winning Shelby GT350R-C, Mustang GT4, FP350S racecars, as well as street cars including the GT350, GT350R, and Ford GT.

He has been called to drive in numerous endurance races including the 24 Hours of LeMans in the #66 Ford GT, 24 Hours of Daytona in the #77 Doran Racing Ford Daytona Prototype, the 12 Hours of Sebring in the #007 Aston Martin Vantage to the #64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 to the #97 Turner Motorsport Z4 GT3.

Johnson is also a road-course specialist in the NASCAR Xfinity series and is hired by Ford to teaching advanced techniques to Ford's Sprint Cup and XFinity drivers on road course racing.

Driving for Roush Fenway Racing with a career-best 8th place finish in the #60 at Montreal in 2012, Johnson made his oval racing debut at Loudon in 2013 in a Nationwide car finishing an impressive 15th position on the lead lap. He also led laps in the #16 at Road America.

Billy is an 8-time track record holder in Time Attack events driving an assortment of cars but most notable for piloting the FXMD Turbo NSX, the fastest Time Attack car in the country.

Billy currently resides in Lake Worth, FL.

Upcoming Events:

24 Hours of LeMans - June 17-18, 2017 - LeMans, France

Billy Johnson & FX Motorsports Development re-set the Buttonwillow Track Record by ~3 seconds (1:37.520) as confirmation of fastest time attack car in the country.