"It's more than fun taking part in the Big Block Party each year. It's just a lot of camaraderie with a lot of true blue Mopar folks. It shows Mopar's dedication to the sport. You get a huge crowd of fans and sportsman racers who come out to the event. It's a great feeling, to know that I'm acting as one of the ambassadors for Mopar and helping to reach out to fans and enthusiasts." -- Team Mopar NHRA Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson, above, on taking part in the annual Mopar Big Block Party, which kicks off the 30th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals. Johnson has excelled at Bandimere Speedway in recent visits, claiming a Mopar Mile-Highs victory in 2007 and a runner-up showing in 2008.

Victory at 30th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals is High on Team Mopar Driver Allen Johnson's Checklist

Something about the thin air at Mopar's "home track" of Bandimere Speedeway in Morrison, Colo., must appeal to Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson. The NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock pilot has advanced to the finals of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in each of the last two years, capturing the No. 1 Qualifier Award and the win in the 2007 event. Johnson hopes to make the Mopar faithful happy with his second win in three years this weekend in the 30th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, scheduled for July 10–12.

Johnson just missed scoring back-to-back wins at his primary sponsor Mopar's headline event, losing in the 2008 Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals finals by a mere six feet. The Greeneville, Tenn., native is aware of the significance of the race to the Mopar Nation and says he takes a special joy in his visits to Thunder Mountain.

"It's always huge just to go there and race and be around all the Mopar folks," said Johnson, currently fifth in the Pro Stock point standings, with one win on the year, at the NHRA Topeka event. "To qualify well and do well at the Mopar Mile-Highs is one of the big checkmarks on our list. It's a must-do each year."

Johnson's success may have less to do with the atmosphere at Bandimere than the hard work of his J&J Racing team and Mopar HEMI® power. Johnson and his J&J squad, as in previous years, trekked to Bandimere last week for two days of test sessions prior to the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, putting the Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T—and Johnson—through their paces. The annual pre-event preparation has paid off, according to A.J.

"I think we've just tested so much at Bandimere that we've just hit on a couple of things," said Johnson. "The time we've spent working on the setup on our Mopar Dodge out there has probably been the biggest reason for our success."

The 30th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals is scheduled to take place July 10–12 at Bandimere Speedway. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, July 11 beginning at 10 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, July 12 beginning at 7 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more info on the NHRA, visit http://www.nhra.com.

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