Respected racing driver Grant “Grunta” Johnson will make his long-awaited return to Ute racing when he makes his Tyrepower V8 SuperUte Series debut at the Perth Super440 later this month (July 31-August 2).
The Perth local has long been regarded as one of the most successful drivers from the original V8 Ute Racing Series, having competed for seven seasons while claiming the 2007 and 2010 championship titles. He also finished third overall in 2008, runner-up in 2009, and fourth in 2011. That year saw reigning V8 SuperUtes champion David Sieders – one of only two current drivers who has raced against Johnson in utes, the other being Adam Marjoram – finish second in the points.
Since selling his Holden VE Commodore in 2012, Johnson has remained active in motorsport, most recently contesting the past two Bathurst 6 Hour events in a BMW M3 alongside former V8 SuperUtes driver Amar Sharma.
The 52-year-old has also won seven straight WA state championships since 2015 in Saloon Cars (in addition to the two earned in 2006 and 2007), plus three Australian Saloon Car Championships (2016, 2019 and 2022) plus the 2019 WA State NC Champion title in a Torana XU-1.
Now, after more than a decade away from Ute racing, Johnson is set to make his Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes debut in front of a home crowd in the #7 EFS 4×4 Accessories Isuzu D-MAX while regular driver Cameron Crick continues to focus on his health.
“These newer V8 SuperUtes definitely seem to be getting back to the spectacle the fans can really get behind,” said Johnson. “I’ll just have to remember how to change gears with a clutch and gear stick again though!
“I wasn’t really sure if I ever wanted to steer the new generation Ute, but I’ve been excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to race in front of a home crowd. I spent the past weekend getting accustomed to the D-Max at Queensland Raceway and settled in great. Big shoes to fill in Perth though and I hope Crickey is back soon.”
Johnson said adapting to the physical characteristics of the current-generation LS3-powered V8 SuperUte to be his main challenge.
“It’s probably getting used to the weight of the V8 SuperUtes that will be the biggest relearning curve. At over 1,900 kilograms, stopping, turning and accelerating can be tricky on the edge. The tyre degradation can be an issue for many interstate drivers too at Wanneroo Raceway, so keeping the tyres in good condition is key to consistent laps.”
While realistic about the challenge of returning against a highly competitive field, Johnson is eager to see where he stacks up against both the category’s established stars and its emerging talent.
“It’s exciting to be back and compare myself to the new and old Ute drivers. Expectations are always high, so hopefully we have some luck and meet them for the EFS Racing team.”
Round 3 of the Tyrepower V8 SuperUte Series will be part of the Bosch Power Tools Perth Super440 at the MotorMall Wanneroo Raceway, supporting the Repco Supercars Championship from July 31 to August 2. Tickets are on sale now here.
V8 SuperUtes Image Credit: MTR Images