The passing of Ted Johnson ends a storied chapter in winged sprint car racing. Love him or hate him - and there were an equal number of people on both sides of that fence - Ted Johnson changed the face of winged sprint car racing forever.

Until Johnson came along, winged sprint car racing was a hodge podge of drivers, tracks and races with absolutely no direction. Johnson's World of Outlaws changed all that and his creation became one of the most popular - and successful - racing circuits in the world.

"To underscore how singularly important Ted was to sprint car racing, all you have to do is look at the conflict and disorganization that has befallen sprint car racing since he stepped away from running the series in the last few years," said Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage.

A truer statement about the sport has never been spoken. Since Johnson's departure from running the Outlaws, the sprint car world has been transported back in time nearly 25 years with no clear picture of where it's headed. The formation of the NST hopefully won't be the fatal blow that will send the sport spiraling further downward, splitting cars, teams and drivers into two warring factions.

What sprint car racing needs now more than ever is a clear plan mapped out for its future and a sanctioning body or somebody that understands the sport that will do whatever it takes  for it to survive and prosper.

Someone like Ted Johnson.