NORM JOHNSON'S BIOGRAPHY

Norm Johnson, off-road racer, publicist, sculptor, and journalist.

Norm studied journalism at San Diego Junior College with aspirations of becoming a reporter. And now, years later, he has made his living as a journalist. His columns on Las Vegas entertainment, Las Vegas racing events and Las Vegas' famous personalities gives readers a special insight into the "Entertainment Capitol of the World".

Norm's writing talents are well known. While working for the Copley News Service, Norm was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the Watts riots in Los Angeles.

In 1965, he moved to Las Vegas and worked at the Las Vegas Sun as a sports writer before becoming a featured Las Vegas entertainment columnist..

Besides writing tourism related columns, Norm's second love is auto racing. He has raced off-road for 14 years, winning many awards. He founded the famous, albeit extinct, Mint 400 Off-Road Race. Norm initiated the race while working in public relations for Del Webb's Mint Hotel in downtown Las Vegas. The race grew in popularity for over 20 years. It was the Mint 400 that inspired Hunter S. Thompson to Las Vegas and helped give birth to one of Thompson's most famous books, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Norm served as a consultant on the 1998 movie version of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" while it was being filmed in Southern Nevada.

Norm has one other great passion and that's in the field of art. His sculptures of horses were considered his best work, until he entered the realm of the sea, where he has now created an ongoing series titled SeaLife. These bronzes can be seen on his website and are for sale at sculpturesbynorm.com.