Tommy Johnson Jr Indy IRP test notes 2005-08-24

JOHNSON JR. CONCLUDES INDY TESTING WITH A 4.839-SECOND PASS IN SKOAL RACINGSM CHEVY

CLERMONT, Ind. (Aug. 24, 2005) – Tommy Johnson Jr. blasted his Don Prudhomme-owned Skoal RacingSM Chevy Funny Car to performance of 4.839 seconds at 321.73 mph Wednesday as the two-day open test session concluded at Indianapolis Raceway ! Park.

The six-time NHRA winner opened Wednesday's test session by blistering the I.R.P. quarter mile in 4.839 seconds at 321.73 mph to follow-up his 4.835-second pass from Tuesday evening. The Skoal Racing Monte Carlo then shook the tires on its second attempt as the team was testing a new set of Goodyear tires. On his third attempt, the Iowa native's Chevy rattled the tires early in the run as T.J. coasted to a 10-second elapsed time. Johnson finished the two-day test by driving to a run of 5.138 at 223.73 after clicking off early.

"Our first run was a really good run," Johnson said. "To repeat what we ran last night during the day with the sun on the track, I'm really happy with that. This is the best race car that I've driven in a long time."

"We came here to test some different things and it showed some promise," crew chief Mike Green added. "The worst thing that could have happened is that we put in the tune-up that qualified us No. 2 and No. 3 at the last two races in Brainerd (Minn.) and Memphis. We learned some things these past two days. Any time you run the car, you learn something."

The Skoal Racing crew will return to its Brownsburg, Ind. race shop just a few miles away from I.R.P. to gear up for the 51st annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Aug. 31-Sept. 5, at the multipurpose racing facility.

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