"Mr. Enduro" Magee Hoping for Win

By Ken de la Bastide

(April 26, 2011) – During the 2009 season Cathage veteran driver Johnny Magee put his mark on the Thunder Car Enduro races capturing four consecutive wins.

That string of victories earned the veteran campaigned the title of “Mr. Enduro” at Anderson Speedway during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

When the initial ThunderCar Enduro takes place this coming Saturday, Magee is hoping to return to the winner’s circle. Last year Magee finished 13th and 33rd in the two Enduro races.

Magee said starting position is not as important as might be expected, adding that he only qualified up front for one of the Enduo races and normally starts in the third or fourth row.

“The key to me is traffic,” he said. “You have to be really good about thinking what’s ahead. A good engine is important, but you need a driver that can make the car turn and drive smart."

Evidence of that philosophy is the fact that Magee won the Halloween 200 at Salem Speedway in 2003 after starting last in the 97-car field.

Magee, 37, started racing a Street Stock at the age of 14 at Mt. Lawn and Anderson Speedway and has raced something every year since then. His father was a drag racer and the family always had race cars. Over the years Magee has raced a modified on dirt and ThunderCars in Figure 8 action.

“I raced every Saturday until I had kids,” he explained. “I race now for fun. I’ve won big races and track championships and I don’t have anything to prove an more.”

His full time job is building racing engines for dragsters and oval track racing.