The Last American Hero Is Junior Johnson. Yes!

essay by Wolfe

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July 20, 2026

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Tom Wolfe's essay, "The Last American Hero Is Junior Johnson. Yes!", is a seminal work of New Journalism that profiles Junior Johnson, a legendary NASCAR driver and innovator. The essay highlights Johnson's roots in moonshine running and his subsequent career in stock car racing, where he developed the influential "drafting" technique. Wolfe's distinctive style, characterized by vivid descriptions and a focus on subcultures, brought the world of NASCAR and its "good ol' boy" ethos to a wider audience. The essay is celebrated for its literary merit and its contribution to understanding American culture and identity through the lens of motorsports.12

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Junior Johnson
…Wolfe’s landmark 1965 essay “The Last American Hero Is Junior Johnson. Yes!” (The article, credited as a key work in the burgeoning field of the “New Journalism,” coined the term good ol’ boy.) Johnson was a member of the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.
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…Wolfe’s landmark 1965 essay “The Last American Hero Is Junior Johnson. Yes!” (The article, credited as a key work in the burgeoning field of the “New Journalism,” coined the term good ol’ boy.) Johnson was a member of the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.
Read More