[coverattach=1]Johnson looks for first 2010 win at United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Auburn Hills, Mich. — Team Mopar® NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson is coming off perhaps his best race of the season, a runner-up finish at the NHRA Topeka event in which the Greeneville, Tenn. native undoubtedly had the car to beat on race day. Johnson hopes to keep that momentum rolling with his first 2010 win of the season at the United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. this weekend.
The Team Mopar veteran qualified No. 2 at Topeka and had the quickest and fastest pass in three of the four elimination rounds, with current points leader Mike Edwards needing a holeshot win in the final to defeat Johnson’s NHRA Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger. The Team Mopar veteran is confident his HEMI®-powered Mopar is now at least the equal of Edwards’ car in the horsepower department.
“I think we’ve got him [Edwards] caught,” said Johnson. “It’s whoever makes the best run that’s going to get the win. It’s a challenge for us. We take it as a serious challenge, and we mean to equal or better him in the races left before the Countdown playoffs.”
Johnson and his J&J Racing crew, who won the NHRA Full Throttle Hard-Working Crew Award at Topeka, spent two days last week testing at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway in order to maintain and improve upon the gains made at Topeka.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the engine guys, the crew guys, the clutch guys,” said Johnson of his J&J squad. “Everybody did an awesome job at Topeka to earn the Hard-Working Crew award; now we need to keep that performance going at Joliet. We tested quite a bit at Bristol last week, breaking in two new Mopar HEMI engines that look like they are just as good as the ones we ran at the last two races.
“We’ve got the added horsepower we’ve found and moved it into our backup engines. We’re just trying to get the car more consistent and not let up. Hopefully we can go to Joliet and qualify No. 1 and win the race.”
Johnson’s Statistics of Note
At Route 66 Raceway
2010 Season
2009 Season
2008 Season
2007 Season
2006 Season
Career
United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals
The United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals is scheduled to take place June 3–6 at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, June 5, beginning at 11 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, June 6, beginning at 4 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
Auburn Hills, Mich. — Team Mopar® NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson is coming off perhaps his best race of the season, a runner-up finish at the NHRA Topeka event in which the Greeneville, Tenn. native undoubtedly had the car to beat on race day. Johnson hopes to keep that momentum rolling with his first 2010 win of the season at the United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. this weekend.
The Team Mopar veteran qualified No. 2 at Topeka and had the quickest and fastest pass in three of the four elimination rounds, with current points leader Mike Edwards needing a holeshot win in the final to defeat Johnson’s NHRA Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger. The Team Mopar veteran is confident his HEMI®-powered Mopar is now at least the equal of Edwards’ car in the horsepower department.
“I think we’ve got him [Edwards] caught,” said Johnson. “It’s whoever makes the best run that’s going to get the win. It’s a challenge for us. We take it as a serious challenge, and we mean to equal or better him in the races left before the Countdown playoffs.”
Johnson and his J&J Racing crew, who won the NHRA Full Throttle Hard-Working Crew Award at Topeka, spent two days last week testing at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway in order to maintain and improve upon the gains made at Topeka.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the engine guys, the crew guys, the clutch guys,” said Johnson of his J&J squad. “Everybody did an awesome job at Topeka to earn the Hard-Working Crew award; now we need to keep that performance going at Joliet. We tested quite a bit at Bristol last week, breaking in two new Mopar HEMI engines that look like they are just as good as the ones we ran at the last two races.
“We’ve got the added horsepower we’ve found and moved it into our backup engines. We’re just trying to get the car more consistent and not let up. Hopefully we can go to Joliet and qualify No. 1 and win the race.”
Johnson’s Statistics of Note
At Route 66 Raceway
- Qualified No.4 in 2009 at the Joliet race
- Advanced to the quarterfinals, losing to Kurt Johnson
2010 Season
- Scored his second final round appearance of the season and 19th of his career at the previous 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 nine 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 17-9 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 200 career round wins
- 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
United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals
The United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals is scheduled to take place June 3–6 at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, June 5, beginning at 11 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, June 6, beginning at 4 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
