Johnny Mancuso Biography

Johnny Mancuso is a second generation native Houstonian who started American Speed, a Harley-Davidson repair and high performance shop making hot rod and custom bikes, from his home after losing a job because he spent too much time away from work to race. He began racing cars in 1965 when he was 15 years old. He and his brother had a 1956 Chevy with a 292 cubic inch engine. It was his high school car, and he took it to the drag strip on weekends. He continued to race cars from 1965 to 1970, and in 1970, he formed a partnership with George Owens (now deceased). Through this partnership and in a 1968 Chevy Nova, he won the National Hot Rod Association's Gator Nationals and Spring National Modified Eliminator back to back.

His interest in car racing waned as he became more interested in motorcycle racing. The motorcycle could ride on the street as well as a race track, and in a car, he felt like he was in a box. A motorcycle was out in the open with more of a sensation of speed. He bought his first new Harley in 1972 and began occasional drag racing. In 1977 he built a gas burning Harley drag bike. He went to his first national event for motorcycles in 1978 at the Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he won his class. He continued developing his gas bike until 1980 when he built his first fuel drag bike.

In 1979 he met John Thompson, a customer, and the two developed a friendship that became a partnership in 1981-1982. They bought an abandoned Texaco gas station and land and modified the building, and in February, 1983, opened American Speed in that location. Later in 1983, they bought American Harley-Davidson, expanded the current location, and put them under one roof From 1983 to 1988, Mancuso did little racing, instead spending his time building with John Thompson, Mancuso Harley-Davidson. In 1989 he built a double engine bike and continued to devote limited time to a reduced racing schedule until 1993.

In 1993, Mancuso became actively involved in the racing circuit where he set both ends of the record - 7.62 elapsed time and 185.29 mph. He ran the bike through 1994, discovering that double engine bikes were no longer competitive and that single engine bikes were the way to so He built a single engine top fuel bike in 1995. It was completed in the middle of 1995, and he ran a few races that year. He was more aggressive in pursuing racing in 1996 and in developing his bike.

By 1997, he became much more active in the racing circuit and tried to make enough national events to be in points contention. He finished 1997 in second place in points and established a new world record for ET (elapsed time) and MPH (miles per hour) that stood until the end of the 1998 season. He is the 1998 ADBA and IHRA World Champion.

Johnny lives on a 100 acre ranch in Plantersville, Texas, about 35 miles northwest of Houston where he raises and rides Paint and Quarter horses. He is a member of the Valley Lodge Trail Riding Association, The Ranchers Ride, and has participated in the annual trail ride and parade associated with the Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo. Johnny was a charter member and past director of the TFHRA (Top Fuel Harley Racers Association), a life member of HOG (Harley Owners Group) and a member of Houston Area # 1 HOG of which he is the sponsoring dealer. He is the second member of the ART (Advanced Racing Technology) 200 MPH Club, and a current member of AHDRA (All Harley Drag Racing Association), NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) and IHRA (International Hot Rod Association) and holds a Top Fuel Motorcycle license in each of these sanctions.

Mancuso Harley-Davidson sponsors an event each year for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, March of Dimes and SIRE ( Self Improvement through Riding Education, a therapeutic horseback riding program for children and adults with disabilities) Johnny also serves on the advisory board for SIRE.