Junior Johnson was a legendary American NASCAR driver and team owner, often credited as one of the early superstars of the sport. Known for his aggressive driving style honed from his days as a moonshine runner, he won 50 races before retiring to become an even more successful team owner. Johnson's life was famously chronicled by Tom Wolfe in the 1965 Esquire article "The Last American Hero Is Junior Johnson. Yes!". He was part of the inaugural class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010, cementing his legacy as an icon of motorsports.