Catchfence

Avondale, AZ (February 26, 2011) - Vision Aviation Racing (VAR) rookie, Justin Johnson, came home 8th in his first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race last night at Phoenix International Raceway in the Lucas Oil 150.

Johnson and his Wounded Warrior Project / Vision Airlines Toyota Tundra started from the 14th position and never fell below the top-15. Mostly happy with the feel of his truck all race long, Johnson reported a slight tight condition early on. “We started out the race and we were pretty decent. The truck started to get a little snug, so I came in and the team made some adjustments in the pits,” said Johnson. “We went back out and I started getting a little free in. Then we made one last adjustment and the truck went back to being a little snug in the center and that was fine with me. I would rather not spin the thing out from being free and cause a wreck in the field.”

Though it was Johnson’s first start in the Series, it was hard to tell. He competed with an average running position of 8.9 and was able to contend with the front runners all night long. Johnson credited his crew saying, “I’ve got a lot of veteran guys on my team that have been in this industry for a long time so I think that helped quite a bit. I couldn’t be happier. We unloaded fast for me, for someone who has never done this before in the trucks and we were fast. A positive attitude around the shop this whole offseason and a positive attitude in the pits helped a lot in getting the Wounded Warrior Project Toyota Tundra upfront today.”

When the checkered flag flew, Kyle Busch wasn’t the only driver celebrating. “You can’t imagine the excitement I am feeling. I didn’t win but man I feel like I won because I am trying to get qualified so I can run Daytona next year and Talladega at the end of this year. So every good race finish and bringing the fenders home in one piece means a lot to me and my Wounded Warrior Project / Vision Airlines Team.”

Vision Aviation Racing –

Vision Aviation Racing is a NASCAR race team located near the metro Charlotte, North Carolina area. Still in its early days, the team has already proven to be a winning platform. In 2011, VAR went to victory lane at Daytona in their first ever Camping World Truck Series start with driver Michael Waltrip behind the wheel. Full time VAR driver, Justin Johnson, won the championship in the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series while teammate Dusty Davis finished a strong second. Overall the Vision Aviation Racing squad earned a win percentage of 74% over the 19-race season. 2011 is the team’s first season in the Camping World Truck Series, led by General Manager, Tom Davis.

Vision Airlines-

Vision Airlines started in 1994 offering aerial tours of the Grand Canyon. Over the past 16 years, Vision Airlines’ fleet expanded to include Boeing 767′s, Boeing 737′s, Dornier 328 and Dornier 228 turbo prop aircraft. Vision Airlines has become one of the premier charter airlines in the United States. The company’s clients include US Presidential candidates, heads of state, countless celebrities, Fortune 1000 companies and some of the world’s most-recognized resorts. The company’s headquarters is located in Suwanee, GA. It also maintains offices in Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY and Miami, FL.

Wounded Warrior Project -

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.

- Vision Aviation Racing Press Release