Reagan’s Christmas Pardon for Junior Johnson Stuns NASCAR History
On December 26, 1985, President Ronald Reagan granted a presidential pardon to NASCAR figure Junior Johnson, erasing a federal moonshining conviction that dated back to June 1956. Johnson had been convicted for illegal moonshining tied to his father’s still, received a 20-month sentence but was released after 11 months. By the mid-1980s he was long retired from driving; the pardon was a symbolic closure that Johnson cherished, saying it made him feel “like I’m finally finished with what happened.” He framed the document and called the pardon one of the happiest moments of his life.
Johnson’s transition from moonshiner to racing legend helped shape stock car history. He credited his early illicit driving for teaching him how to handle a car at speed, then pivoted to NASCAR where he became a competitive driver before retiring and focusing on team ownership. He founded Junior Johnson & Associates in the late 1950s, a team that later relaunched in the 1960s and produced race winners and championships. Drivers such as Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip drove for the organization, with Yarborough helping secure championships in the early 1970s.
Though Johnson never won a NASCAR championship as a driver—his driving career was relatively brief and sporadic—his impact as an owner and mentor was enduring. His team provided exposure and opportunities for regional talent and remained active through the end of 1995, when it was sold to Brett Bodine and Johnson stepped away from active involvement. Johnson’s cultural footprint extended beyond the track: he lent his voice to the 2017 Pixar film Cars 3 as the character Junior ‘Midnight Moon,’ and his story became part of NASCAR lore.
Johnson died in 2019 at age 88, but the 1985 presidential pardon stands out as a notable postscript to his life and career—a public absolution that he and many fans viewed as a final clearing of the slate. The pardon did not change his on-track record, but for Johnson it represented personal vindication and a formal end to a chapter that had shadowed his early years.
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