Allen Johnson Saturday report
Racing series NHRA
Date 2010-06-26
Team Mopar®'s Allen Johnson to Start No. 2 at Norwalk
Stout Qualifying Run Puts Dodge Avenger on Top of Track Speed Chart
Norwalk, Ohio --
Team Mopar® NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson will ride the crest of his track record top speed in qualifying as he starts eliminations Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals from the second spot.
Johnson powered his Mopar Dodge Avenger to a Summit Motorsports Park track record speed of 209.30 mph during a 6.602-second run Friday night. Jeg Coughlin was a tick quicker at 5.592 to claim the No. 1 qualifying spot in a 16-car Pro Stock field separated by less than one-tenth second. Mopar-powered Avenger driver V. Gaines qualified No. 6.
Johnson, who is currently second in the NHRA Pro Stock standings, pulled double duty Saturday in the K&N Horsepower Challenge. He defeated Ron Krisher in the opening round before bowing to eventual winner Greg Anderson in the semifinals. Johnson won the special event in 2008 and hoped to double up this weekend. Instead, he'll set his sights on winning the bigger prize Sunday.
"We know we have one of the fastest and quickest cars in the field," Johnson said. "The Mopar Dodge Avenger is running great and the HEMI engines are making plenty of power, so it is just a matter of me going out there Sunday and doing my job as a driver. We'll see if we can't just get us a win."
The Greeneville, Tenn. native is one of the hottest drivers on the circuit, with two runner-up finishes, eight semifinal appearances in 12 events and two No. 1 Qualifier Awards, including one last week at his home track of Bristol Dragway. He will square off against Shane Gray in the opening round Sunday when eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
-source: mopar
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