It is rare to see one rider/racer with one manufacturer for 30 years but even more rare to see a manufacturer stick around with one rider for that long as well (I can only think of one other guy that has been with one manufacturer his whole life, that man is Doug Dubach). This is a testament to what kind of person Johnny is. I talk about being a “good person” to my kid a lot as we need more of that with our current crop of kids today. Johnny is a prime example of that. You won’t last 30 years being an A-hole (well at least, not all the time).

Another thing I geeked out on was all of Johnny's Honda Baja race machines that Johnny (and his other team members) have raced over the years! Johnny has won Baja 11 times! In a row, I might add! Eleven times! Some of you may say, “well some of those wins were had because there was lack of other factory presence. To me that is BS, because there is more to Baja than just your competition. There is that one SOB called: THE DESERT! She will bite and has bitten so many of our off-road heroes over the years. Johnny has faced/lived those dangers for years! 

You don’t get a 30-year career in our sport without having a solid foundation at home and it was nice to listen to Johnny talk about his wife Faye and all she’s sacrificed in her life/career for Johnny to be successful. Dirt bike racers are selfish humans, and you need a stronger woman behind you if you plan on being successful. The Campbells found a winning blend and it showed in that speech yesterday. 

I don’t get moved much, but this event moved me. I live dirt bikes! To see another guy who has done that tenfold and get honored for it was pretty freaking cool. Congrats to Honda (as well as the late Bruce Ogilvie) and Johnny for finding each other back in the day in that dusty ol’ Baja desert. Off road racing is better for it.

Johnny finally got to bring his first ever Baja winning 1997 628 home yesterday, where it belonged. It was really special for me (being that I was a Honda off-road fan since I was eight) to see Johnny get the accolades from all his work over the years from his peers. 

American Honda sent out the following press release and accompanying photos:

Honda Celebrates 30-Year Partnership with Johnny Campbell

EL CAJON, Calif.

• Off-road legend is known for winning Baja 1000 11 times
• Campbell continues to work with Honda as a team owner, coordinator and more

In a special event held yesterday east of San Diego, American Honda celebrated its 30th year working with Johnny Campbell. Off-road media and personalities gathered at beautiful Chocolate Mountain Ranch to socialize with Campbell, check out several of his old race bikes, enjoy a taco lunch and ride 2023 models Campbell helped develop, including the CRF450X, CRF450RX and CRF250RX. As a token of their appreciation, Honda presenTed Campbell with the 1997 XR600R that he rode to his first win in the SCORE International Off-Road Racing series.

After racing Hondas as a privateer for several years, Campbell originally joined Honda in 1992 as an off-road racer aboard the XR600R. His first big win was the 1995 Nevada Rally, but he would become best known for his success racing in SCORE. He won the Baja 500 in 1997 as a teammate to Bruce Ogilvie (a Honda manager who would go on to become Campbell’s mentor), and then topped the Baja 1000 the same year, with teammates Tim Staab and Greg Bringle. He went on to collect a record total of 11 wins in the Baja 1000, and five in the Baja 500. He also competed in the 2001 Dakar Rally, finishing eighth overall and first privateer.