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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 8:38 PM CDT
A new generation of competition

By the JG/T-C
editorial@jg-tc.com

CHARLESTON — Over several years the Johns family has been frequenting the race track at the Coles County Fairgrounds, but they are now supporting the next generation on a different sort of track.

Rex and Joan Johns and their family are avid fans of tractor pulls and horse races that have been annual events at the Coles County Fairgrounds for years, and the interest in watching racing has just recently broadened.

Trophies are something that Johns has in common with his grandson, Jordan Johns of West Lebanon, Ind.

In 1965, Rex was pictured in the Charleston Courier behind the wheel of the tractor that pulled him to the winner’s podium at the fair.

Today, Rex accompanies Jordan to local, district, state and national level Hare Scramble races, where Jordan often brings home trophies. Jordan is the solo rider for Johns Racing. He is the grandson of longtime Charleston residents Rex and Joan Johns and Rollie and Lois Spaniol.

Jordan competed in 2008 in the Grand National Cross Country Series, finishing third in his class and qualifying for a national number. This is a national series that is televised on the Versus Network.

Race venues for this series include Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Tennessee. He raced in 12 of the 13 races in this series last year and finished every race he began.

This past winter Jordan raced the Mid South Winter Series. Out of 12 races, he finished first in four of them and placed second in the Light A Class and seventh overall for the series.

He trains daily to improve his skills and to keep in shape for this strenuous sport.

Jordan began riding a dirt bike when he was 3 years old and enjoys riding at the family farm near Charleston, when he has a break in his race schedule.

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