Johnny Rutherford was born in Fort Worth, Texas and is a three-time Indianapolis 500 champion. Johnny began his racing career driving "Modifieds" at the Devils Bowl Speedway in Dallas, Texas in the Spring of 1959. After two years driving Modifieds, Johnny started driving Sprint Cars with IMCA and led the point standings for most of the 1962 season up until the time he joined USAC and began his 315 race championship career with his Championship victory at the Hoosier 100 in 1962.

Johnny drove in twenty-four Indianapolis 500s beginning in 1963. Johnny drove for the entire season of 1987, made his last Indy start in 1988 and drove in his final race in any Indy car at the 1989 Pocono 500.

Johnny surprised everyone at Indianapolis in 1970 when his four lap time was only 1-100th of a second slower than pole winner Al Unser-the closest battle for the pole in Indianapolis 500 history.

Johnny won the Indianapolis 500 in 1974, 1976 and 1980 and was on the pole for the "classic" in 1973, 1976 and 1980. Johnny was the Olsonite "Driver of the Year" in 1980 as the national Indy series champion for both USAC and Championship Auto Racing Teams.

Johnny fulfilled a life-long ambition when he won the 1974 Indianapolis 500. He was the second fastest qualifier with a speed of 190.446 mph, but was forced to start behind the first day's qualifiers in 25th position. Johnny took over the lead from pole winner A.J. Foyt on Lap 65 and waged a battle with A.J. until A.J. dropped out of the race at Lap 142. Johnny ran every race on the Championship Trail and won the Ontario 100, the Milwaukee 150 and the Pocono 500. Johnny finished as the runner-up to Bobby Unser in the point standings and became the first driver in history to win two 500-mile Championship races in the same season and captured the 1974 Jerry Titus Memorial Award.

Johnny became the tenth two-time winner at Indianapolis and the ninth driver to win from the pole position when he qualified for the 1976 Indy 500 with a speed of 188.957 mph and was leading when the race was halted because of rain and later ruled complete.

Johnny became the sixth three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 1980. He earned the pole position with a qualifying speed of 192.256 mph and led the race for a total 118 laps. Johnny completed 1,452 out of a possible 1,542 laps on the Championship circuit and earned four other victories along with three second place finishes. Johnny won the USAC's National Championship, the CART Championship, was named the Olsonite Driver of the Year and was the Jerry Titus Memorial Award winner.

In 1986, Johnny won the Michigan 500 on August 2nd (his 27th career championship victory) and, after starting 12th at Indianapolis, completed 198 laps and finished eighth. Johnny's victory at Michigan put him in sole possession of fifth place on the all-time Indy Car victory standings.

In 1988, Johnny qualified for his twenty-fourth Indianapolis 500 at a speed of 208.442 mph and started 30th. Johnny suffered an accident in Turn 2 on his 108th lap and finished twenty-second. Johnny's twenty-four starts at Indianapolis is second only to A.J. Foyt's thirty-one starts and his total of 315 champion starts is second only to A.J.'s 333 starts.

Johnny officially retired from automobile racing in 1994 and worked on behalf of the Auto Racing Organization based at the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his duties included driving the pace car at selected Indy Racing League events, working with new drivers and making public appearances promoting the League as well as serving as a consultant to League Executive Director Jack Long.