Steve Johnson, at first glance, doesn't appear to be a fierce defender, at least not physically. Johnson took to social media in the days leading into the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals to defend a team that appears to need no advocate. 

Johnson stepped up for Vance & Hines amid heavy criticism and alleged improprieties related to blocks, cases, bodies, and fuel. 

"It wasn't so much defending Vance & Hines as it was defending the entire process of the sanctioning body," Johnson explained. "Vance & Hines stepped up and made cases when the cases weren't made anymore. When Suzuki wanted a body, Vance & Hines did it. They have resources, they have depth. And the fuel, the fuel didn't have anything to do with Vance & Hines, and I wanted it off their shoulders."

If anyone has earned the right to speak out, it clearly is the 38-year Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran Johnson, who once had his bike sent to an event in a shipping crate. 

"What was being said, in my perspective, was wrong," Johnson said. “All of it was wrong. The million dollars a year in trying to insinuate that Vance & Hines is in NHRA's pocket and NHRA's corrupt, all that stuff drove me crazy and nobody said anything after two weeks."

Johnson was as stern as one can be. All he needed was a platform to tell the "other" side of the story. 

With his gripes written in his head, Johnson first attacked the rumor of special blocks and cases. 

"The Suzuki block ran was created in 1985 with the intention of creating 80 horsepower," Johnson said. "The inline valve four-cylinder bikes now deliver in the range of 400-plus horsepower. The cases they run are now discontinued, forcing teams to search the junkyards for extras and replacements."

And as Johnson sees it, Vance & Hines got lambasted for filling a need with a better product.  

"It was a need and demand, and our class was going to go away without them," Johnson said. "That is not an advantage, it is sustainability. 

Then came the debate of the new Hayabusa bodies. This season, Suzuki wanted to celebrate the 25th anniversary and understandably redesigned a body to fit with its marketing direction. 

"It was said the Suzukis would get new bodies, new cases and special fuel, and that was a narrative to say how unfair this is," Johnson said. "They get all of this stuff and the V-twins don't. It's not unfair, it was a necessity."

The Suzuki combination had been running bodies that in some cases dated back to 1996. 

"Suzuki is in the business of trying to sell brand-new motorcycles," Johnson said. 

Johnson said before the current bodywork, multiple versions of the Hayabusa were produced and some were simply unsafe. At best, Johnson said, the bodies were heavy, and "not made right."

Johnson pointed out that Suzuki had asked for a better design, and Vance & Hines stepped up, using advanced technology to create a new design. 

The new carbon-fiber body by Vance & Hines was not made to have an advantage, but instead a marketing program for the manufacturer and with the blessings of NHRA.

"At the end of the day, these were available to everyone who wanted to buy," Johnson said. "You can't see my emotion on my face when I'm talking about this. It wound me up because this is my family. They might not like me a lot of times or sometimes, but this is my family. And when somebody says something wrong in my eyes, I'm going to say something back at them. And again, it wasn't so much defending Vance & Hines, it was defending the process of what we have."

Johnson pointed out the parts are available if someone wants to purchase them. There's only one, he said, that isn't, and the reason why is completely understandable. 

"There's no rule that says they have to sell the manifold," Johnson said. "You want the manifold, make it yourself."

Johnson said he has nothing to gain in defending Vance & Hines outside of preserving the integrity of Pro Stock Motorcycle that he feels takes a beating with each allegation. 

"I buy their crankshaft and a cam sprocket and cam chain from them," Johnson said, pointing out he could buy other parts or engines. "I have carburetors. I'm the only one that runs carburetors out here. And MSD ignition, I'm the only one that has that. So I don't even think there's anybody out here with a Monster cylinder head.

"I'm on my own boat and I like it this way. I'm learning a lot, but I just wanted the facts stated. They tried to get the fans to listen to their rhetoric and then try to pressure NHRA to make a decision based upon fan appeal, and I hated it. I wanted the fans to know the truth through my perspective."