“ spread the word ” about the business . This led to seemingly every racecar in the area sporting the words “ Matt Johnson Performance Center ” in everything from shoe polish to high-dollar graphics on its flanks . In turn , MJPC became the biggest speed emporium in the area almost exclusively through word of mouth .

That didn ’ t stop Johnson from stopping by the local drag strips on any given race day and dropping off non-contingent merchandise , gift certificates , apparel , and even cash for the promoter to distribute as he saw fit to the racers and fans . Johnson sponsored a variety of programs

and classes at multiple area tracks over several decades .

In 2008 , Matt Johnson was a member of the first class of inductees into the St . Louis International Raceway / Gateway International Raceway Hall Of Fame , a track at which he attended opening day five decades earlier . While he considered the ceremony one of his greatest moments , nothing ever swayed Johnson from his love of family . Even after retirement , Matt loved nothing more than to tow a race car to the track on a warm summer evening and sort out the performance of an Outlaw 10.5 Nova campaigned by his grandson , Billy Matt . His second grandson , Justin , also races . Only recently , Matt became a great-grandfather with the births of Billy ’ s two daughters , Lanie and Paisley . Ironically , daughter Kim ’ s children ,

Cameron and Clayton , are health professionals at area emergency rooms .

Matt was undergoing dialysis treatments when he became ill . On Sunday , November 15 , 2020 , hundreds of Matt ’ s friends , students and customers staged a well-publicized street machine parade outside Matt ’ s hospital room . The event was covered by local television and , through that exposure , many people got one last glimpse of a smiling Matt Johnson standing at his hospital room window waving to the assembly below .

Matt got a kick out of being a great-grandfather and readily admitted to generally having a great life . Hopefully , Matt understood how many thousands of lives were affected by Matt simply being the person he was . So many owed him so much yet he asked only for honest friendship .

There will never be another Matt Johnson . - BRET KEPNER DI

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRET KEPNER , MIKE KELM , THE JOHNSON FAMILYA