To cross a busy road is tough, but to cut through an active race track, that too on feet, is just wild. The scorching heat and radiant sun were casting their influence on the Daytona Beach road course. But instead of the waves crashing against the banks, it was the high-octane growl of the powerful engines under the hood of stock cars in 1956 that kept the spectators hooked to the race.

It was during the final moments of the clash when Junior Johnson’s #55 Chevrolet violently barrel-rolled several times before coming to a halt. But that’s not it, as it was Johnson’s quest to get back to the pit area safely that caused a huge ruckus, and he almost got run over. Yes, almost!

Junior Johnson’s Daytona fiasco that went down in the books of NASCAR history

When someone ventures into the realm of NASCAR, they’ve got to prepare themselves for unavoidable wrecks and flips that are an integral part of the sport. But what to do when the car does multiple somersaults and still doesn’t land on its four wheels? 

Well, that’s exactly what happened with Johnson’s #55 car, as it flipped multiple times before landing and leaning on two wheels. However, the moment his car stalled after the crash, that’s where Junior’s presence at the moment came in handy, and in a bid to avoid getting wrecked by rivals rushing to the checkered flag, he hurried out of the car. But the question that pops up is that despite being a car with fixed doors, how on earth did Junior pave his way out of his Chevy?

It turns out that Johnson’s #55 car’s rear window glass wasn’t present, and all that was there was a small window space from where the 50x NASCAR Cup race winner worked his way out and eventually, jumped out of the car. However, the real misery was just about to start.

After successfully making it out of his car, Johnson found himself in another dilemma; to cross the racetrack where his rivals were rushing at speeds higher than ever. So, naturally, the task becomes all more cumbersome and a hefty affair for Johnson. But he was hell-bent to return and made his move.

The moment the Daytona Beach road course race was red-flagged, Johnson climbed out of his car and dashed toward the exit. But his pursuit had a major roadblock as Eddie Skinner, in his #96 Oldsmobile, was swooping past Johnson’s wrecked #55 Pontiac, when he almost hit Junior as he tried his way out of the track.

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Junior Johnson would’ve surely thanked the almighty on the day of February 26, as he successfully made his way out of the track, dodging Skinner’s #96 car. A battalion of 3-4 cars rushed through the same race line taken by Skinner, and could’ve ended in a horrific incident, had Johnson not shown quick response. But that crash couldn’t shake Johnson’s guard, and he continued his dominance in NASCAR.

Even the horrific Daytona outing couldn’t subside Johnson’s undying thirst to dominate the stock car racing world 

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When the world thought that the crash could result in Johnson’s last race, little did they know that the legendary racer would come back even stronger and pave his way to becoming the NASCAR Hall of Famer.

After narrowly escaping the life-altering situation, Johnson came back as a force to be reckoned with and went on to win a whopping 6 races during the 1958 season. On top of that, he issued a stern warning to his rivals with his three wins in a row.

Two years after, in 1960, Johnson secured the Daytona 500 title, which was later cited as his maiden superspeedway win. From there, he never looked back and clinched 50 NASCAR wins and 132 wins as an owner. Not only that, his drivers, Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip, together raked in a staggering six series championships through 1976-1978 and in 1981, 1982, and 1985, respectively.

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Junior Johnson’s career in stock car racing was nothing short of extraordinary. However, the legend parted ways with the world and transcended to a world where everyone rests in peace as the saddening news of his passing on 20th December 2019, created ripples in the community. But his legacy is surely immortal.