Oh man I hate that.
I met Jr. in the elevator going up to the press box at an ASU football game. It was mid 1980s I guess. I worked for ASU and had to work the ball games. The elevator door opened and I stepped in and there was Jr. and another man.
I was shocked but I stuck out my hand and said "Junior Johnson ! I'm glad to meet you".
Since I was a huge Harry Gant fan I just happened to be wearing a Skoal Bandit hat that day. Junior said something about my hat but I can't recall what he said.
Anyway I said "are y'all going to let Harry win tomorrow "? He said "we don't have to LET him win we can't stop him from winning". Which was about true at that time with Harry being on a roll.
By then the elevator door opened and Junior went to do a radio interview.
I was a big NASCAR fan in those days and I'll never forget meeting Junior Johnson.
When I heard the news I told my wife I though every current NASCAR driver should be at the funeral to show their respect for what he had done for their sport.
Not only a self taught mechanical genius, but an all around great gentlemen. To bad the France family didn't listen to him before he left NASCAR because if it weren't for Junior, it's likely NASCAR wouldn't have made it. Rest in peace Me Johnson.
Got a chance to talk to him a few years ago when he spoke at the history museum. It was pretty funny when someone in the audience asked him about Percy Flowers...Junior smiled and said that he don't think he ever met the man. One of a kind.