Dirt Track Diaries Vol. 3: Brooke Johnpier- "Pit Pass to Press Pass: Her Rise in Racing Journalism"

When people think of a motorsports journalist, they think of a 50-something-year-old man who drives a pickup truck, has been to practically every dirt track in the continental United States, and has been in the industry for over 20 years. Not a girl in college who’s only been to five dirt tracks in her life and only entered the motorsports journalism scene three years ago.I plan to change that, though.

Hi, I’m Brooke Johnpier. And as you can clearly gather from the introduction, I’m an aspiring

motorsports (and automotive) journalist. I’m currently going to school at St. Bonaventure

University where I’m majoring in Sports Media, and double minoring in Native American and

Indigenous Studies and English. But enough about the now. Let’s get into how I got into this crazy world called dirt track racing.

To make a long story short, my dad took me to my first-ever race when I was eight-years-old at Ransomville Speedway. I was instantly hooked. At the time I was insanely shy and didn’t want to talk to anybody, but that would change as I kept going every week, got to know the drivers (my dad knew most of them), and “came out of my shell.” By going over to the pits every week and hanging out with drivers like Dustin Gorhan, Billy Bleich, Cory Sawyer, and Chad Brachmann, my shyness began to go away and I became more comfortable with myself. It was through this newfound self-confidence that I realized that I had to do something with this for a career. So one day in 6th grade when my teacher asked us

what we wanted to do, I put two-and-two together and realized that my knack for writing and

love for motorsports could be combined. From that day forward I realized that I wanted to be a motorsports journalist.

To pursue that dream and make it happen, I’m currently going to college to hone my skills so I can be the best I can be. Before coming to college I was published in Speedway Illustrated a few times and am still on the staff. I am more than grateful for that because that got my foot in the door and my name out there in this community I love so much. Also, through SI, I became a member of the Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) and have met so many cool people because of it.

Through a fellow student in college, I was at an internship for a year that allowed me to officially cover my first race. It was at Weedsport Speedway and was the Empire Shootout. It was such an amazing experience. Also through the internship, I was able to join the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA). The world of dirt track racing has given me so much and I am forever grateful for it. Not only has it helped me grow as a person, realize what I’m meant to do in life, and make me a more confident person, but it also made me realize the importance of family and friendships. Through the dirt track community I have met so many great people and consider them all to be my friends and family.

Finally, I do what I do because I want to give back to the people and world that has given me so much. I also love dirt track racing so much and want to do it for a living, and make money from something I’m so passionate about. I can’t wait to see where life takes me from here on out!