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FEATURE I JACK JOHNSON'S 1979 SCORE BAJA 500 WIN
tiplied tenfold. Disappointment
faded quickly in the presence of
something truly extraordinary.
Everyone there felt it—including, in
a bizarre footnote, drug lord Pablo
Escobar and his brother, who
happened to be at the finish line
watching it all unfold.
For Jack, that day was about
more than trophies or headlines.
Against the best teams in the
sport.
Nothing like it had ever been
done before. Nothing like it has
happened since.
Brent and I finished eight
minutes back on adjusted time.
As we shook hands, I felt a deep
sense of awe. Whatever respect I
had for Jack before that race mul
-
It was proof of something he'd
always known: greatness comes
from within. A personal victory
only he could fully understand.
In the years that followed,
Jack continued to build a career
defined by wins, respect and
quiet confidence. He became
more than a champion. He
became a symbol—a reminder
that the greatest battles aren't
always against others, but
against fear, doubt and limits we
place on ourselves.
When people speak of Jack
Johnson today, one story rises
above all others: that incredible
day in 1979 when one man, riding
alone, showed the world what
absolute belief could accomplish.
The desert remembers.
And so do we.
CN
(Above) Our June 20, 1979,
issue covered the Baja 500 and
Johnson's historic Ironman win.
PHOTO: DALE BROWN (Below) Scot
Harden (left) with his brother-
in-law, Jack Johnson.
