​SLINGER – Andrew Morrissey was angry with Carson Brown for running him into the wall and wrecking him. Brown was upset with Morrissey for running him over.Ty Majeski was mad at Gabe Sommers for rooting him out of the groove and spinning him. Sommers had a different viewpoint and was at least as livid; he appeared ready to ram Majeski’s car, and Majeski was worried about getting jumped in the pits.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut clear of the chaos, out of the crosshairs of any competitors and not annoyed with any of them either, was Casey Johnson, proving nice guys sometimes do finish first.In the 47th Slinger Nationals, he scored the biggest win of his racing life and in the process became one of the storied events most popular winners.1 / 10Four-time and defending race winner Ty Majeski listens to instructions at the drivers meeting before practice at the 47th Slinger Nationals on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Slinger Speedway in Slinger, Wisconsin.(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)“It means everything to me,” the sweat-soaked but beaming Johnson said as July 14 crept toward the 15th. “I’m not gonna lie. There was a lot of emotion for me when I crossed that line.“I’ve finished second in this race before in a car that I thought should have won this race, and that’s a dagger in your back, you know?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“So to be able to win one … I’m not doing this for that much longer. Who knows how much longer? But I didn’t want to quit without having this one in my hand.”The veteran from Edgerton is the consummate, old-school Wisconsin competitor. He works as hard as anyone and gets more out of less. He races the right way. He’s patient and smart.Johnson has been a driver capable of winning races anywhere for a decade, give or take. He has Midwest Tour titles, an Oktoberfest 200 win at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway and a Dixieland 250 at Wisconsin International Raceway.He’s just easy to overlook in a state that produces NASCAR champions. It didn’t help that he lost a season-plus due to vertigo resulting from crashes and returned at less than full strength.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOh, and as deeply passionate as Johnson is about his sport, he’s similarly dedicated to his family. Johnson’s girls celebrate his wins with vigor.Casey Johnson celebrates with one of his daughters after winning the 47th Slinger Nationals on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Slinger Speedway in Slinger, Wisconsin.There were hugs all around on the Slinger Speedway’s front stretch. The $20,000 top prize will go a long way to helping him race in 2026, as will a few more thousand in lap leader bonus money.The funny thing about this Nationals feature is that for 195 laps of 200, Johnson was never in the conversation.He was, however, persistent.“I mean, we had a decent car,” Johnson said. “We could run top-10 all day, and I knew if I just kept my nose in there, kept the car clean, that we