AEROFLOW SPORTSMAN CHAMPIONSHIP RACER SPOTLIGHT
Fresh from smashing sixes and taking wickets for the Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League, Sammy Jo Johnson now does her running on the dragstrip. Following a successful professional cricket career, the 33-year-old Sydneysider has discovered a new competitive passion — this time at full throttle – and fronting up at the NDRC Aeroflow Sportsman Series next weekend at Willowbank’s Pro Alcohol Nationals.
“I played for the NSW Women’s Cricket Team as well as the Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash, I was lucky enough to have a 15-year professional career travelling to places like India and England to play before finishing my career on a high with a WNCL Title win for NSW and three WBBL Championship wins,” said Sammy.
“But beyond those accomplishments, the lifelong friendships I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned about resilience and hard work have set me up for success after cricket — lessons I now apply in my career and in racing as well.
“My first experience of drag racing was when I was 17 in 2010 at an eighth mile event at Casino Airstrip, my friends and my Dad encouraged me to have a go because I have always loved my cars and always wanted to give racing a go – so I entered in the Summerland Drags event and had a blast.I didn’t make my first quarter-mile pass until 2023 at Sydney Dragway, where I raced on a few occasions through the remainder of the year at street meets before deciding to enter the NSW Track Championships in Super Street for the 2024 season.”
“My Dad always inspired me to be involved in cars and said give everything a go no matter what. We lost Dad back in 2012, he never saw me race on the quarter mile, so knowing he is watching over always give me lots of inspiration to keep pushing to be better and not to be scared to give something different a go.
Super Street as an entry level bracket to drag racing is the perfect avenue into serious championship competition. Sammy, started with her tricked-up street Commodore before upgrading to a more dedicated track machine.
“My first race car was my street registered 2007 VE SS Commodore with a cammed 6 litre engine and Turbo 400 but started life as a 6-speed manual which I raced my first full season of Super Street in as a manual,” recalled Sammy.
“I now race my 1981 VH Commodore which is the VF GTS Spitfire Green. It’s LS swapped, Turbo 400, 9-inch, Haltech and now for the new season a kit of nitrous has been added to spice things up a bit. The car previously has done 10.60s at 126 mph, but the 2026 season will see us drop into the mid to low 9s and have the choice to run Super Sedan or Super Street.
“I love my Commodores, and building an older one specifically for racing lets me compete in Super Street and get comfortable with bracket racing before upgrading it over time. That way, I can add modifications as I see fit and progress through the classes as I get faster. Plus, who doesn’t love an old-school Commodore?”
Sammy has already tasted success at local events, but her first foray into the highly competitive NDRC Aeroflow Sportsman Championship delivered a harsh reminder of the hard luck drag racing can dish out. Her return at round one of the NDRC Aeroflow Sportsman Series next weekend presents a chance for redemption.
“Winning round 6 of the NSW Track Champs in 2025 has been my biggest achievement. I was able to top qualify, carry through the entire day, make the final and get my first event win. I was also able to claim Runner up in NSW Track Champs for Super Street, which I am very proud to reach this achievement in my second season of racing,” beamed Sammy.
“NDRC in 2025 was a mixed bag for me, Nitro Champs at Sydney I went a couple of rounds but unable to make semis or a final, then the lead up to my first ever Winters was great. My VE Commodore was running great, I had plenty of laps under my belt with some success locally before heading up and hopefully give the Winters a red-hot go. My team and I, Dialled In Racing, travelled up with three cars, I made it to Q1, did my burnout and car felt good, I then staged the car and launched, first into second gear and then bang – never completed a pass at Willowbank!
“I ended up finding later that day the timing chain had let go and blew the engine up. It was a massive trip with a lot of money thrown at it to travel up and to not even do one pass, it was heart breaking. At that point I wasn’t sure if or when I would race again because the only other car I had was my VH at home, but it was just a rolling shell and nowhere near a race car, and the motor and gearbox in the VE were meant to go into the VH after Winters.”
The conversion of the VH into a purpose-built drag car soon came to fruition, and Sammy was invited to the Aeroflow Allstars event, where the NDRC experience left its mark once again — only further fueling her passion for the sport and drive for success.
“To compete in the 2025 Aeroflow Allstars was amazing!” Sammy enthused. “To be on the same day as the biggest and fastest drag cars in the country at my home track and in front of nearly 10,000 people, plus the live stream, was an awesome experience, and it’s something I hope the sportsman brackets continue to get access to more of in the future.
“I love the competition of sportsman racing. People assume drag racing is just turning up, going fast in a straight line and the first person across the line wins — but it’s so much more than that. You have to really know your car and how it performs in different track and weather conditions, while also developing your race craft to win by running perfect passes — knowing when to stay in it and when to lift.
“Super Street has no delay devices, so reaction times are purely driver skill, and when you combine that with the adrenaline rush of going quick down the track, I absolutely love it. Competing against the boys and proving that girls can race too is just the icing on the cake — it’s why sportsman racing means so much to me.”
Like in Sammy’s cricket career, her desire to be the best has carried over into drag racing and the NDRC Aeroflow Sportsman Series that is about to launch.
“I have big — maybe even wild — ambitions,” Sammy declared. “My goal is to be number one in Australia in my bracket. It’s a tough ask, and I’ll be racing against some very good competitors, many of whom have been racing longer than I’ve been alive. But with the practice and seat time I gained last season, and looking at what the 2026 calendar has in store, I don’t see any reason why I can’t challenge the best and be right up the pointy end when we get to the Grand Final at The Bend.
“I Just want to give a big shoutout to my entire team at Dialled In Racing. I couldn’t do what I do without them. Thank you so much Brian, Brett, Shazza, Aidan, Hollywood, Goosey, Kathy and the Pasta Family. Along with all our sponsors and supporters of the program, racing doesn’t happen without your support.”
