Billy Johnson qualifies for the Semi-Finals in the 2003 Red Bull Driver's Search SAN DIMAS, CA - Barron Avanti factory driver, Billy Johnson, qualified for stage 3 of the 2003 Red Bull Challenge, by finishing 2nd in a karting event held at Irwindale Speedway on August 19, 2003. Johnson, who campaigns a Barron/Avanti-TM in the Star's of Tomorrow series and won the 2003 IKF Shifter-Kart Grand Nationals in Super Stock CR125 Class, was leading the main event, when his kart suffered from a fuel pick up problem and fell back to second in the final laps. "I'm just happy to finish the race, I didn't think I was going to finish as I was running out of fuel." Said an elated Billy. "Finishing on the podium is all that mattered to qualify for the next stage at Sebring, so second is great!." Stage 3, held in Sebring Florida, will determine which of the 10 finalists go to the F1 track in Estirol Portugal for the final stage. The Sebring event will be run in equally prepared Skip Barber 2 Liter racing cars. Billy Johnson has the 3-day school, a few lapping days and a race weekend under his belt in these cars and feels confident to be invited to Portugal. "I only need to finish top 10, and since I have driven these cars and felt comfortable in them I think I could make it to the final." Continued, Bill Johnson. This is the second annual Red Bull Driver's Search. Last season, JM Racing saw 5 of its drivers qualify for the final 14 spots. Scott Speed, who won the 2001 SuperPro World, 2001 Super National Champion and last season's Rock Island Grand Prix for JM Racing became 1 of the 4 winners of the 2002 search and has been competing this season in the British F3 Championship.