Team Mopar(R) NHRA Pro Stock Driver Johnson Bows Out in Quarterfinals at Bristol
Mopar(R)J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T NHRA Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson's quest for victory at his home track of Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway will have to wait another year. The Greeneville, Tenn. native was dealt a quarterfinals loss by Greg Anderson at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on Sunday, May 17.
Johnson, sporting a new front end on loan from Pro Stocker John Nobile due to damage suffered in a crash during testing last week, had his customary strong outing during qualifying, posting his Mopar HEMI(R)-powered car in the sixth spot. Johnson knocked out Mopar-powered Pro Stocker Larry Morgan in the first round, recording a stellar .015 reaction time off the starting tree (.000 is perfect) to go along with a 6.689/206.70 pass.
In the second stanza Johnson was in trouble early, with Anderson first off the starting line as Johnson's Mopar Pro Stocker got a bit loose after takeoff. Johnson took the loss with a pass of 6.735/206.95 to Anderson's 6.648/207.78 run.
Johnson's Mopar-powered Pro Stock partner, Johnny Gray, also advanced as far as the quarterfinals at Thunder Valley, defeating Greg Stanfield before losing to Jason Line. Dodge Stratus R/T pilots Rickie Jones, David Beckley and Ronnie Humphrey also made the show at Bristol but were unable to advance out of the quarterfinals.
Johnson is now fifth in the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock point standings, with Jones ninth and Gray tenth. Next up is the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan., May 29-31. For more information on the NHRA, visit http://www.nhra.com.