"Our goal is to win the last two races. Just having two wins this year is double our previous season-high, but we want more. My goal this year was five wins and to settle out at four, with wins at Vegas and Pomona [Calif., the final race of the year], would be close to our goal." -- Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson, on his plans for the final two events of the year, starting this weekend at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals.

Team Mopar Driver Allen Johnson Goes to Vegas with 'Guns a-Blazing'

Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T driver Allen Johnson is changing his approach from cautious to cutting-edge heading into the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals this weekend. Johnson and his NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock team will throw everything but the kitchen sink at his Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge as they attempt to capture their third win of the season and first-ever at Vegas. The event is scheduled for Oct. 29–Nov. 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with qualifying in the pro classes set to begin on Oct. 30.

"We're not going to be conservative anymore," said Johnson. "We're going to go for the gusto on every run. I know dad [Roy Johnson, Allen's father and engine builder] has got some race motors apart. We're throwing in some experimental stuff we've been working on for next year.

"We're going to use all of our test technology on two or three motors and have a new approach at Vegas. We feel the changes will be for the better, but we don't know if they're going to last or not. We'll have a backup motor on hand that is proven, just in case."

Allen Johnson and his J&J Racing squad have captured two wins in 2009, at the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka and the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver. The Greeneville, Tenn., native has already surpassed his previous career high for wins in a season and is looking to add even more.

"We would also like to get up to about third or fourth in the points and get a Top-five finish in the standings for Mopar," said Johnson. "We'll be going into these last two events with guns a-blazing and try to win 'em."

The NHRA Las Vegas Nationals is scheduled to take place Oct. 29–Nov. 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, Oct. 31, beginning at 11 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, Nov. 1, beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to http://www.nhra.com.

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