[coverattach=1]Hometown Favorites Allen and Roy Johnson Take Aim at Pair of Mopar®-Powered Wins at Bristol Johnsons Compete Together for First Time Since 1981 at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Auburn Hills, Mich. — The Team Mopar® father-and-son duo of Allen and Roy Johnson hope to have two very special reasons to celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday.
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Mopar Dodge Avenger driver Allen Johnson will seek his first Pro Stock win at his home track of Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway, while his father and engine builder, Roy Johnson, will end a nearly 30-year retirement from competition and attempt to capture the Stock Eliminator victory in his new Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak car at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 18–20.
The two Greeneville, Tenn. natives have raced together since the late 1970s, first driving Super Stock Mopars in NHRA and IHRA competition. Upon his retirement, Roy Johnson focused on building engines for his son Allen, who has competed in a Mopar-powered Pro Stock car since the 1996 NHRA campaign. Allen rewarded his father for his years of hard work and support by surprising Roy with a brand-new Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak vehicle last Christmas. The duo will race together for the first time since 1981 this weekend at Bristol, the “home court” for their J&J Racing team.
“It’s going to be really exciting racing with Dad again,” said Allen Johnson. “The fans have absolutely worn him out the last couple of races. Everybody has been coming up and asking about his Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak.
“It would be huger than huge if we could both get wins on Sunday, and on Father’s Day to boot. His mission is to qualify No. 1 in Stock Eliminator, and my mission is to qualify No. 1 in Pro Stock. Then we can get out there and try to do something good.”
Roy Johnson will compete in the F-Stock Automatic (F/SA) class in Stock Eliminator at Bristol. The 68-year-old engine builder is taking an optimistic and light-hearted approach to his return to racing action
“I feel real good about it. We have the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak all
together,” said Roy Johnson. “We’re going to be okay. The weakest link will be me as driver, because I haven’t had time to make laps. I know I’ll be hearing it from the guys on the team, because I’ve been telling everybody what they’ve been doing wrong for so long, now they’ll be telling me what I’m doing wrong. But it’s all in fun, and that’s the whole point of it, to have fun.”
The Mopar HEMI®-powered pair has lived in Greeneville their entire lives and will enjoy a large rooting section at their home track.
“It’s out of control,” said Allen Johnson, whose J&J Racing shop is only 45 minutes from Bristol Dragway. “I have a suite, then my pro tickets and then what I can get from other people. I’d say we’re going to end up with 50 or 60 tickets we’re going to have to come up with each day.”
The Johnsons have had their share of success at Bristol in the past. Allen scored a Super Stock win at the quarter-mile in 1981, with Roy claiming a Stock win in 1973. The ultimate goal for the duo, as yet unreached, remains a Pro Stock win at Bristol.
“We’ve had pretty good luck in Bristol, but not great luck in Pro Stock,” said Roy Johnson. “But we’re planning on changing that this weekend.”
“I have a good feeling about the race,” said Allen Johnson, currently second in the Pro Stock point standings. “We were the fastest car in the last qualifying session and in the opening round of eliminations at [the previous race] in Englishtown. Hopefully we can carry that over this weekend and get our first Pro Stock win at our home track.”
Johnson to Support Free Will Baptist Ministries at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Allen Johnson will carry decals on his Mopar Dodge Avenger supporting the “Finish Line” program of Free Will Baptist Ministries, headquartered in Greeneville, Tenn. The organization has provided support to young people and their families through residential group homes, family services and foster families since 1939. The “Finish Line” program is designed to assist at-risk male teens with drug and alcohol concerns.
“The programs administered by Free Will Baptist Ministries have helped many people in need,” said Allen Johnson. “It’s a good cause and I’m glad to be able support the organization at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.”
“Allen Johnson and his family have been long-time friends and supporters of the life-changing work of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries,” said Dr. James Kilgore, President and CEO of Family Ministries. “I am thankful for people like Allen and his family,who are willing to give of themselves and give young people an opportunity to rebuild the broken pieces of their lives.”
Johnson’s Statistics of Note
At Bristol Dragway
• Considered the home track for Allen and his father, Roy, both natives of
Greeneville, Tenn.
• Qualified No. 6 and advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2009 Bristol event
2010 Season
• Scored his second final round appearance of the season and 19th of his career at
the NHRA event in Topeka
• Earned his eighth career No. 1 Qualifier Award at the NHRA Atlanta event
• Has advanced to at least the semifinals in seven of 11 events this season
• Claimed his 200th career round win at the NHRA St. Louis event
• Advanced to four straight semifinals to start the season in his new Mopar Dodge
Avenger
• Currently ranked second in the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock point standings
• Has a 19-11 round win record through eight events
2009 Season
• Clinched a spot in the 2009 NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Captured two wins, at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver and O’Reilly NHRA
Summer Nationals in Topeka
• Finished seventh in NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock point standings
• Made three finals appearances, scoring a runner-up finish at NHRA Gatornationals
• Captured seventh career No. 1 Qualifier Award at NHRA event in Seattle, reaching
semis
• Made eight semifinals appearances
• Posted a 30-20 round win record for the season
2008 Season
• Finished seventh in NHRA Pro Stock standings
• One of only 10 drivers to qualify for NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Won K&N Horsepower Challenge bonus event at Norwalk, recording perfect .000
reaction time to defeat Greg Anderson for victory
• Powered to three No. 1 Qualifier Awards
• Made eight semifinal appearances
• Posted two straight runner-up finishes at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals and
Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals
• Racked up 28-24 round win record
2007 Season
• Finished career-best fourth in NHRA Pro Stock point standings
• One of only four Pro Stock drivers to qualify for inaugural NHRA Countdown to 1
playoff
• Claimed win at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver
2006 Season
• Finished sixth in NHRA Pro Stock standings, scoring win at Seattle
Career
• Qualified for Countdown to 1 in each of first three years since NHRA adopted
playoff format in 2007
• Claimed seven career NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock wins
• Claimed more than 200 career round wins
• Has a career best elapsed time of 6.549-seconds and a career best speed of 211.73
mph
• Recorded 19 career final round appearances
• Competed in 300th race at 2009 NHRA St. Louis event
• Scored second career win at Atlanta in 2002 and finished eighth in point standings
• Seized first career win in 1999 at Richmond and went on to claim first top 10
finish in standings
• Made NHRA Pro Stock debut in 1996, driving a Mopar-powered Dodge Avenger
NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals is scheduled to take place June 18–20 at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, June 19, beginning at 7 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, June 20, beginning at 4 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
Mopar Brand
Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand.
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original-equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles—a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts maker, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle-car era. The former Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “special parts” for super-stock drag
racers and developed its racing parts division, called Mopar Performance Parts, in order to enhance speed and handling for vehicles both on the road or at the track.
# # #
ON THE INTERNET
Visit Chrysler’s Media Services Web site at http://www.media.chrysler.com for
additional Chrysler and Mopar news. For additional information about Mopar, log on
to Mopar - Authentic Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Accessories, Service & Parts or Mopar Speed - Home.
Auburn Hills, Mich. — The Team Mopar® father-and-son duo of Allen and Roy Johnson hope to have two very special reasons to celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday.
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Mopar Dodge Avenger driver Allen Johnson will seek his first Pro Stock win at his home track of Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway, while his father and engine builder, Roy Johnson, will end a nearly 30-year retirement from competition and attempt to capture the Stock Eliminator victory in his new Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak car at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 18–20.
The two Greeneville, Tenn. natives have raced together since the late 1970s, first driving Super Stock Mopars in NHRA and IHRA competition. Upon his retirement, Roy Johnson focused on building engines for his son Allen, who has competed in a Mopar-powered Pro Stock car since the 1996 NHRA campaign. Allen rewarded his father for his years of hard work and support by surprising Roy with a brand-new Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak vehicle last Christmas. The duo will race together for the first time since 1981 this weekend at Bristol, the “home court” for their J&J Racing team.
“It’s going to be really exciting racing with Dad again,” said Allen Johnson. “The fans have absolutely worn him out the last couple of races. Everybody has been coming up and asking about his Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak.
“It would be huger than huge if we could both get wins on Sunday, and on Father’s Day to boot. His mission is to qualify No. 1 in Stock Eliminator, and my mission is to qualify No. 1 in Pro Stock. Then we can get out there and try to do something good.”
Roy Johnson will compete in the F-Stock Automatic (F/SA) class in Stock Eliminator at Bristol. The 68-year-old engine builder is taking an optimistic and light-hearted approach to his return to racing action
“I feel real good about it. We have the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak all
together,” said Roy Johnson. “We’re going to be okay. The weakest link will be me as driver, because I haven’t had time to make laps. I know I’ll be hearing it from the guys on the team, because I’ve been telling everybody what they’ve been doing wrong for so long, now they’ll be telling me what I’m doing wrong. But it’s all in fun, and that’s the whole point of it, to have fun.”
The Mopar HEMI®-powered pair has lived in Greeneville their entire lives and will enjoy a large rooting section at their home track.
“It’s out of control,” said Allen Johnson, whose J&J Racing shop is only 45 minutes from Bristol Dragway. “I have a suite, then my pro tickets and then what I can get from other people. I’d say we’re going to end up with 50 or 60 tickets we’re going to have to come up with each day.”
The Johnsons have had their share of success at Bristol in the past. Allen scored a Super Stock win at the quarter-mile in 1981, with Roy claiming a Stock win in 1973. The ultimate goal for the duo, as yet unreached, remains a Pro Stock win at Bristol.
“We’ve had pretty good luck in Bristol, but not great luck in Pro Stock,” said Roy Johnson. “But we’re planning on changing that this weekend.”
“I have a good feeling about the race,” said Allen Johnson, currently second in the Pro Stock point standings. “We were the fastest car in the last qualifying session and in the opening round of eliminations at [the previous race] in Englishtown. Hopefully we can carry that over this weekend and get our first Pro Stock win at our home track.”
Johnson to Support Free Will Baptist Ministries at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Allen Johnson will carry decals on his Mopar Dodge Avenger supporting the “Finish Line” program of Free Will Baptist Ministries, headquartered in Greeneville, Tenn. The organization has provided support to young people and their families through residential group homes, family services and foster families since 1939. The “Finish Line” program is designed to assist at-risk male teens with drug and alcohol concerns.
“The programs administered by Free Will Baptist Ministries have helped many people in need,” said Allen Johnson. “It’s a good cause and I’m glad to be able support the organization at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.”
“Allen Johnson and his family have been long-time friends and supporters of the life-changing work of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries,” said Dr. James Kilgore, President and CEO of Family Ministries. “I am thankful for people like Allen and his family,who are willing to give of themselves and give young people an opportunity to rebuild the broken pieces of their lives.”
Johnson’s Statistics of Note
At Bristol Dragway
• Considered the home track for Allen and his father, Roy, both natives of
Greeneville, Tenn.
• Qualified No. 6 and advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2009 Bristol event
2010 Season
• Scored his second final round appearance of the season and 19th of his career at
the NHRA event in Topeka
• Earned his eighth career No. 1 Qualifier Award at the NHRA Atlanta event
• Has advanced to at least the semifinals in seven of 11 events this season
• Claimed his 200th career round win at the NHRA St. Louis event
• Advanced to four straight semifinals to start the season in his new Mopar Dodge
Avenger
• Currently ranked second in the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock point standings
• Has a 19-11 round win record through eight events
2009 Season
• Clinched a spot in the 2009 NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Captured two wins, at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver and O’Reilly NHRA
Summer Nationals in Topeka
• Finished seventh in NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock point standings
• Made three finals appearances, scoring a runner-up finish at NHRA Gatornationals
• Captured seventh career No. 1 Qualifier Award at NHRA event in Seattle, reaching
semis
• Made eight semifinals appearances
• Posted a 30-20 round win record for the season
2008 Season
• Finished seventh in NHRA Pro Stock standings
• One of only 10 drivers to qualify for NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Won K&N Horsepower Challenge bonus event at Norwalk, recording perfect .000
reaction time to defeat Greg Anderson for victory
• Powered to three No. 1 Qualifier Awards
• Made eight semifinal appearances
• Posted two straight runner-up finishes at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals and
Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals
• Racked up 28-24 round win record
2007 Season
• Finished career-best fourth in NHRA Pro Stock point standings
• One of only four Pro Stock drivers to qualify for inaugural NHRA Countdown to 1
playoff
• Claimed win at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver
2006 Season
• Finished sixth in NHRA Pro Stock standings, scoring win at Seattle
Career
• Qualified for Countdown to 1 in each of first three years since NHRA adopted
playoff format in 2007
• Claimed seven career NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock wins
• Claimed more than 200 career round wins
• Has a career best elapsed time of 6.549-seconds and a career best speed of 211.73
mph
• Recorded 19 career final round appearances
• Competed in 300th race at 2009 NHRA St. Louis event
• Scored second career win at Atlanta in 2002 and finished eighth in point standings
• Seized first career win in 1999 at Richmond and went on to claim first top 10
finish in standings
• Made NHRA Pro Stock debut in 1996, driving a Mopar-powered Dodge Avenger
NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals is scheduled to take place June 18–20 at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, June 19, beginning at 7 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, June 20, beginning at 4 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
Mopar Brand
Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand.
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original-equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles—a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts maker, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle-car era. The former Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “special parts” for super-stock drag
racers and developed its racing parts division, called Mopar Performance Parts, in order to enhance speed and handling for vehicles both on the road or at the track.
# # #
ON THE INTERNET
Visit Chrysler’s Media Services Web site at http://www.media.chrysler.com for
additional Chrysler and Mopar news. For additional information about Mopar, log on
to Mopar - Authentic Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Accessories, Service & Parts or Mopar Speed - Home.
