The JCR/Honda Story

The Man behind the development of JCR/Honda Johnny took his years of racing knowledge and experience, recruited the most talented Off-Road racers in the business and set about the task of winning championships. American Honda was so impressed they entrusted JCR with the future of the company's Off-Road racing success.

"American Honda is enthusiastically placing its full support behind the formation of this new team," said Bob Gurga, assistant vice president of Honda's motorcycle marketing in a January 2008 press announcement. "And thanks to the vast amount of experience and the winning tradition that Johnny Campbell brings to these efforts, American Honda is extremely confident in the success of JCR, and is proud to have them carry the Honda banner in off-road racing." Campbell spent 2006 and 2007 in the dual roles of racer and Off-Road team coordinator, taking over team-coordination duties from Honda's Bruce Ogilvie, a multi-time Baja champion himself. The new responsibility allowed Campbell to share his wealth of experience and winning tactics with his teammates while handling pit logistics and team strategies. It was the perfect training regimen to prepare Campbell for the launch of his own team. It was bound to happen. Honda's desert racing legend Johnny Campbell--the 10-time Baja 1000 winner with a boatload of SCORE and BITD (Best in the Desert) titles--has formed his own racing team, aptly named Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR).

Campbell is also recognized as a one of the industry's top development riders and during the gestation period he played a large role in racing development of the CRF450X. If winning the 2008 and 2009 SCORE 250, 500 and 1000 are any indication of future success, then Honda made a wise decision when it selected JCR to carry forward the company's formidable desert racing legacy. Campbell is quickly learning what it takes to run a team from his new headquarters in San Clemente, California. "There are many aspects of the business that are new to me, but I'm getting the hang of it. It takes a team effort from the business side as well as the racing side to win championships, and we're developing the best team possible." JCR's goal is to keep the #1 SCORE plate they earned for Honda last year, no small feat for a new team, and finish 5th or better in the extremely competitive 2008 WORCS series. Driven by the same competitive fires that have earned him a record 11 Baja 1000 titles, there's no doubt that more titles are on the horizon for JCR team owner Johnny Campbell.