Toledo Speedway

One of the early pioneers of short track racing flies around Toledo in the early 1970’s…the driver? Johnny Benson Sr. of Grand Rapids, MI. Long known for his success on both dirt and asphalt, the elder Benson was a standout Super Modified pilot in his early days. Benson was one of the pioneers of car building, both open wheel and stock cars.

His son, Johnny Benson Jr., would follow in his father’s footsteps and become a great driver in his own right, capturing Late Model wins, the ASA championship and later on the NASCAR now-Xfinity title. Jr. has also been at the wheel of a Super Modified.