Notorious NASCAR legend Junior Johnson Got Unimaginable Christmas Gift by President Ronald Reagan in 1985

One of the sport’s biggest names, Junior Johnson, saw his career span from his moonshine days all the way to winning multiple races both as a driver and a team owner. He is one of those drivers who, despite several accolades, hasn’t been able to secure a championship title for themselves. The legend also once received a presidential pardon for moonshining in the past.

Even though Johnson had an illustrious career in racing stock cars, he ended up on the wrong side of the law, mostly because of his moonshining activities early on. At one point, revenue officers arrested him when he had gone to the still to light a fire. However, in the end, because of his overwhelming success in cementing his name in the world of NASCAR, then US president Ronald Reagan gave the legend a presidential pardon and acquitted his former charges.

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Johnson, in 1986, revealed more about the incident. “They (revenue officers) found the place somehow and staked it out. When I got to the still, they came out of hiding and charged me with manufacturing non-tax-paid whiskey.” 

He further added. “I filed a request for a pardon just over five years ago. I hadn’t given up hope that it would come through, though I was told when I filed that it probably would take quite some time.”

How did Junior Johnson get into moonshining?

Johnson’s family originally were farmers, who also had a side business of building high-speed transportation of illegal tax-free alcohol, while evading the cops. As Johnson grew up and became involved in the family business, he started to perfect his craft as a driver, while delivering the product as fast as possible.

Johnson once said, “The good whiskey runners were kind of cocky about it, like good race drivers. I guess I was pretty cocky.” Long after receiving his pardon, Johnson continued to sell moonshine, but instead of his illegal ways, this time around he did it legally. Years later, when asked about his feelings after Reagan pardoned him from his charges, Johnson responded, “Best Christmas gift I ever got.”

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Johnson got inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame during the class of 2010. A few years later, in 2019, the pioneer sadly passed away, aged 88. Johnson has been a huge part of the long history of the sport. The NASCAR community has regarded him as a pioneer and an innovator. Now, years after his death, fans still remember him endearingly. He would forever remain in the hearts and minds of people who watched him race. Or heard stories about him growing up.