John Gerloff started his racing career in 1974, driving hobby stocks.  Soon he was racing late models, winning the season championship at Sunset Speedway in 1983.  At the end of the 1984 season, John took his first ride in a sprint car and the die was cast.  By mid-1986, he was driving for legendary car owner, Gary Swenson. Gerloff won a point title at Midwest Speedway, one at I-80 Speedway and a total of six championships at Eagle Raceway, driving for Swenson. 
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​   John won the 1988 Jackson (Minnesota) Nationals and the 1993 Short Track Nationals in Little Rock, Arkansas.  He also scored big wins at Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Jefferson in South Dakota; Sedalia and Moberly in Missouri; Knoxville, Spencer and Oskaloosa Iowa, and victories throughout Nebraska.  In 1996, John scored two wins during Florida Speed week (one each at Volusha County Speedway and East Bay Speedway), driving for Mike Masonbrink. 

​   In 1997, John moved to Denver, Colorado and was soon driving for Rick Lowery.  Gerloff won a pair of point championships at Rocky Mountain National Speedway in 1998 and 1999.  After a few years racing in Colorado, John retired from driving, but stayed involved building high performance racing engines.  In 2011, Gerloff had the chance to drive a 305 sprint car and he won his second night out at I-76 Speedway in Ft Morgan, Colorado.  He then promptly retired, again!