A few weeks ago we announced the loss of an industry icon, good friend, and truly nice human being. Todd Gartshore was the face of Baer Brakes and a whole lot more. It’s the more part that matters, and is why a Todd Gartshore Memorial Spirit of the Event Award was created and presented at this weekend’s Heidts Performance Car Challenge. As the “Mouth of Pro Touring”, “Buddha of the Bullhorn”, or the countless others I have been dubbed with over the past few years, I’ve come to know a lot of really great competitors and sponsors, many of whom I consider friends. I am not alone. This community we call hot rodding brings a lot of people together, and Randy Johnson is just one of them.

When Jimi and Wally from FM3 Marketing came to me on Friday and told me that they had decided to do a memorial trophy in Todd’s name I was very excited. Event’s like Hot Rod Magazine’s drag week have spirit awards, and they are often times the most coveted. Add to that Todd’s name, and this was going to be great. 

Starting off the weekend we had no idea who would be awarded the trophy, but as the weekend got moving our list started growing. This sucked. How do you choose? We watched competitors thrash, help eachother, coach eachother, break records, break parts, and yet somehow never break their spirits. And while there were a few competitors that would have been deserving of this award on this particular weekend, there was one who stood out above all others, and here is his story.

Randy Johnson is a regular dude. Sure he drives a crazy fast, super good looking, orange Camaro. And he also owns a custom shops. DNZ Customs in Wisconsin. But he also works a day job maintaining phone systems for AT&T UNDER GROUND!!! All this to keep your iPhone connected. Can you hear me now? Sorry wrong phone company. Whatever.  

Anyway, Randy breaks his balls all week to come home and spend time with his kids, the D and Z in DNZ Customs, and wife before going out in the shop to thrash on someones project. All the while keeping his own junk running after weekends of Autocross and Roadcourse action. 

So it came as no surprise to us that when we rolled into Heidts for the Open House and QA1 Barbecue before the Road Rally on Friday of the Heidts Performance Car Challenge, that Randy was thrashing on his car. He had just installed new upper control arms fron Heidts that gave him a bit better front suspension geometry so he could take advantage of the insane grip he was getting from the new IRS from Heidts that is installed in the rear of his Camaro. 

The installation led to an alignment, the alignment to trying to cleanup for the open house, and finally to eating before cruising 60 miles to the host hotel. I’m tired already and we haven’t even started racing yet. 

Randy’s weekend started out great with nice runs on the road course, but soon went sideways when the 700 lbft at the wheels supercharged LSX decided it wanted to take out some fo the rear driveline parts. Randy could tear up a crowbar. This was the beginning of the middle for Randy. Yep, beginning of the middle. A long drawn out middle that had Randy thrashing, along with a few friends, more than actually driving. It seemed like every time Randy fixed the car something else broke this weekend, and during it all I’m up on the Roadster Shop transporter, announcing the event and giving Randy crap. Each time he came in with a new problem we would play a game of charades so I could announce what was wrong. As usual, Randy worked hard and fast, but always had a smile on his face and something funny to say or do to make us all laugh. It is this kind of determination to finish, while still having fun, that represents Todd Gartshore. 

Randy thrashed and thrashed and ultimately fixed his car and ran each and every event. He repaired it during each event as well, but he finished, it drove into the trailer under it’s own power, and he finished well. 

Our most sincere congratulations go out to Randy Johnson, and everyone that thrashed with him. Todd would be proud.

To read more about Todd, click here.