Steven Johnson steps down from racing for 2013

Steven Johnson has stood down from full-time racing this year in the V8 Supercars Championship in order to ensure the Dick Johnson Racing team can continue racing.

The 38-year-old will step down allowing another driver, due to be announced shortly, to take over the second seat at the Queensland-based outfit, which will reduce to a two car programme this season with Tim Blanchard already confirmed at the team.

Speaking to the Australian Sunday Telegraph, Johnson said:

“It was a really tough decision because I would love to be out there driving a V8. I wanted to be on the grid, but let’s face it, I’d much rather see the team succeed and have a future than me being in the car.

“I could have gone on, but the team’s future would have been in doubt.”

He added:
“It not all just about me, it really killed dad to tell me that I did not have a full-time job in the car. He is as disappointed as I am, but at the end of the day I would rather do this than see the team collapse in six or 12 months.”

The team, which ran four cars for Johnson, Dean Fiore, James Moffat and Steve Owen last season, the latter using the racing entitlements contract (REC) of Paul Morris Motorsport, will slim down to two cars this season. With the departure of title sponsor Jim Beam, the team will be run under their traditional moniker of Dick Johnson Racing this season, with new title sponsors Wilson Security and Advam on the No.12 and No.17 cars respectively.

“It will be an unusual feeling watching the two DJR Falcons roll out into pit lane next week without the Johnson name on the side,” said former driver now General Manager Steven Johnson, “but I know both our drivers will do a great job for our team this year. We have the most loyal and passionate fans on pit lane and I really want to show the Advam and Wilson Security teams what it means to be part of our large DJR family. I know our fans will all get behind our 2013 partners and drivers.”