John Vineyard
![VineyardJohn 72Head A 150x150](/images/2016/11/VineyardJohn-72Head-A-150x150.jpg)
At the age of 17, John began racing his hopped-up street-driven Volkswagen. Since Motor City Dragway did not have a suitable class for the car, they created a class just for him, “Bug Modified”. Of course, as the first competitor in the class, he became the track record holder in his first run down the dragstrip!
![VineyardJohn 72Vega 300x196](/images/2016/11/VineyardJohn-72Vega-300x196.jpg)
In 1986 and 1987, John elected to concentrate on a point championship at Ubly Dragway. After a determined effort, John won the track’s Super Pro bracket championship, and then captured the overall track champion point title.
![VineyardJohn 72Roadster A 300x236](/images/2016/11/VineyardJohn-72Roadster-A-300x236.jpg)
In 1994, John made his first concerted effort to chase a National/World point championship, and fared very well with a respectable 11th finish in the IHRA Super Rod category. During the years from 1995 to 2001, John chose to focus on NHRA events, winning a number of National and Divisional events. In addition to his 1996 NHRA Super Gas World Championship, he also finished #2 nationally in 1997 and 1999. He also earned two Divisional titles, two Divisional runner-ups, and also finished in the Top Ten Divisionally every year but one during that seven-year stretch.
In 2002, John made the switch to run in the IHRA Super Rod category, in which he won his Divisional title and the placed 2nd in National/World points. 2003 proved to be even a better year, as John captured the IHRA Super Rod World title and won his Division Super Rod championship!
John Vineyard has secured two World championships, three World championship runner-ups, four Divisional season championships, five National event eliminator titles, two National event eliminator runner-ups, eleven Divisional event race wins, and runner-ups at six other Divisional event races. John was voted the NHRA Division 3 Driver of the Year in 1996.