Allen Johnson Confident Heading To Sonoma

Team Mopar Driver Johnson Carries Momentum into Sonoma
Allen Johnson looks to break into top-five in points as the regular season winds down

Team Mopar® NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson is hitting his stride at exactly the right time as the Countdown to the Championship closes in. Four events remain in the regular season, as the three-race Western Swing continues this weekend with the 24th Annual Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals, July 29–31 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Johnson reached the finals of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo. last weekend, after earning the top spot in qualifying. On the way to his second final-round appearance of the season, the J&J Racing driver and owner recorded the top speed for the event, along with having the lowest elapsed time and best reaction time.

“We feel like we have our momentum back,” said Johnson. “We have a very good car right now. The Mopar power under the hood is awesome and the Dodge Avenger is going down the track very strong. We are back in our groove like we were before we left Bristol. We’re going to go to Sonoma with our heads held high and go for the win.”

Allen Johnson, Team Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Avenger

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson

The Team Mopar veteran was the No.1 Qualifier at Infineon Raceway last season, advancing to the quarterfinals, setting the top speed and low elapsed time for the event along the way. Johnson, who has been one of the strongest qualifiers in Pro Stock this season, has been among the four fastest drivers in qualifying in each of the last four years at Sonoma. He has reached at least the quarters in each of his last five visits to the venue. Johnson has advanced to the semifinals four times in his career at Infineon Raceway, reaching the final round once, with that coming in 2000, as he looks for his first win at the track.

“You have really good air conditions there, because the track is at sea level,” explained Johnson. “You have a lot of horsepower, which we always do anyway with this Mopar. The main thing is to control that horsepower so that you get down the track straight. We have a very good handle on our new chassis this year and we feel very good about Sonoma.”

The native of Greeneville, Tenn. moved up two spots in the Pro Stock standings to sixth after his strong weekend at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver and is now just four points out of the top-five with the NHRA Countdown to the Championship drawing near. The top-10 drivers at the end of the regular season will earn a spot in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, with each having their points reapportioned at the beginning of the six-race shootout.

“I definitely want to be in the top-five when the Countdown rolls around,” said Johnson. “After last weekend and how strong we were, I’ve probably changed that now and want to be in the top-three or four. We feel pretty good right now as the regular season wraps up and we get ready for the Countdown.”

By: team mopar