Las Vegas, NV – Lady luck was on the side of Johnny Ahten at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Ahten and his Island Renovations / Combust Filters dragster ended up on a very favorable side of the eliminations ladder after qualifying fifth. A semi-finals bye was a welcome sight and a half-track run set things up for an exciting final round. It was at this point that lady luck decided to wonder off and grab something from the concession stand.

“All and all it was a great weekend,” Ahten said. “We all wanted another Wally, but it’s tough to complain. The hard work of our guys really showed. The Stump Puller was strong all weekend, and this was with our backup motor. To qualify with a 5.340/268.17 felt really good.”

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Las Vegas, NV –  Johnny Ahten is looking to the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals as an opportunity to just go racing. The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is not an easy racetrack and Ahten was there competing in the LODRS Regional race last weekend. and all did not go as planned. A tire smoking Friday qualifying attempt was followed by a safe 5.48/258 first run on Saturday. In the final round of qualifying, a 5.464 /258.76 run put the Island Renovations / Combust Filters Dragster in the #5 spot and a first round match up with Megan McKernan.

In Sunday’s eliminations, Johnny was off the line first and headed to victory, or so he thought. Both cars had problems and had to pedal. McKernan got the win and the Ahten crew had a long and somewhat quiet ride home. The rest is history and small chunks of shinny metal.

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Las Vegas, NV – Johnny Ahten and the Ahten Racing Team are currently in Las Vegas, but not to hit the casinos and slot machines. The Island Renovations / Combust Filters Team are there for the LODRS Regional Spring race at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There are certain similarities between Drag Racing and gambling. The odds are considered and a wager is made on the tune-up. Smoking the tires at the hit and rolling snake eyes do feel eerily similar.

The jubilation of a big jackpot windfall is greeted with high-fives and shouts of joy. Hot streaks can be quite the ride, and Johnny Ahten is on one of his own. Out of the last six races they have attended, Johnny and the Stump Puller have been to three final rounds. It may not be worthy of a complimentary luxury suite or the cover of National Dragster, but it sure feels good.

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Chandler, AZ – Even though Johnny Ahten lives near Disneyland and attends often, nothing was like the thrill ride he was on at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park for the Phoenix Regional race this last weekend. Not only did Johnny lower his career best elapsed time, he rode out a 5.154/270.48 blast in the final round. That’s the exciting part. The not so fantastic part is for that final run the Nitromethane percentage was read at 95.4%, which is over the allowable limit under the current rules. The run was thrown out, and Joey Severance was awarded the win. The 5.15 might have been taken away, but they can’t take away the experience Johnny had rocketing down the strip at over 270 miles per hour.

“I was able to experience a 5.15 run, and it’s a short list of people who have,” said Ahten. “I really enjoyed that ride and now I crave more. It was such a rush and makes me want to move up to Top Fuel right away. That day will come, but for now we have one bad hot rod,” added Ahten.

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Ahten Bringing Double Trouble to Arizona Regional

Chandler, AZ – Johnny Ahten is anxious and ready to light the nitro for the NHRA LORDS Regional at the revamped Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park this weekend. A few weeks have passed since the opening event in Pomona, and Johnny and crew chief Al Ahten have analyzed the tuning data, the car, and the tune-up.

They are bringing with them a melody of confidence and hunger. Their new-found poise comes from quick time slips, feedback from the seat-back, and enlightening computer data. The taste for wins comes from last year’s Wally grab at the NHRA Finals at Pomona. This double-pronged attack has Johnny and the Stump Puller ready to tear up the quarter mile.

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Pomona, CA – An unexpected second round exit last weekend at the NHRA’s season opening event at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for Johnny Ahten may have been frustrating, but the run data and lessons learned have the Island Renovations/Combust Filters Team in high spirits. Strong numbers and qualifying in the fourth slot are positive steps moving into the 2014 season.

“We have enough power to run with the blown guys,” said Johnny Ahten. “The car felt mean and nasty with a touch of violent – it’s a monster. The air was great and on several runs it put me back in the seat big time. Over the off season we replaced the padding inside the cockpit and I needed all of it. I would also like to announce that we have added Aeromotive as an associate sponsor.  The opportunity to stabilize our fuel system and assist Aeromotive in promoting their line of automotive and racing fuel systems and components has us really jazzed,” added Ahten.

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Pomona, CA – A young Johnny Ahten sat in the stands and dreamed of winning the Pomona Drags. Al Ahten, Johnny’s Dad, raced at many historic California Drag Strips and shared the same dream. Fast forward thirty years and Johnny is strapped into his Nitromethane Injected Dragster for the final round, his Dad standing behind him. His wife and two young sons are in the stands. As the race begins, Johnny Ahten the racer/kid-in-the-stands is ready.

Al Ahten, the Crew Chief/Dad is ready. They have both been ready for this moment for years. Johnny inches the car in deep and turns off the top bulb. At the flash of yellow the cars launch. Johnny’s .016 light has him out in front. His opponent, number one qualifier and World Champ Jim Whiteley, is closing fast. Tireshake rears its ugly head and Whiteley is forced to get on and off the throttle as his car shakes, breaks, and tosses a blower belt. Johnny Ahten rockets ahead for the win.

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Pomona, CA – The final race of the 2013 NHRA season in Pomona for Johnny Ahten is a chance to fight his foes on his own turf. Ahten grew up going to the Pomona drags and now he has some new –found power to wield.  The Island Renovations / Combust Filters dragster of Ahten Racing is feeling mean after qualifying in the #4 position at last weekend’s Vegas Regional event with a strong 5.323/262.39. The exciting thing about that run is Ahten feels the car has more to give.

“We are going in knowing the car is making power, but getting it planted and avoiding issues is our task,” said Ahten. “Our confidence comes from the data we have accumulated. We have some new sensors on the car and my Dad and I have been pouring over it. We are all looking forward to our home track and running well. The two Vegas events we just completed gave us ideas, and the desire to win.”

Ahten’s Regional Vegas outing last weekend was bittersweet. The first qualifying run was a bit hectic after a small fuel lead delayed the start. Tire smoke greeted the Stump Puller, but in round two a 5.32 made it all better. That run put Ahten in the #4 position and a first round match-up against Garrett Bateman. As Johnny went through his burnout something just didn’t fell right. The run had to be aborted and as final round bound Bateman went up in smoke for the win, Ahten could only grit his teeth and start thinking about Pomona.

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Las Vegas, NV – After winning the Best Appearing Crew award at the NHRA Toyota Nationals at the Strip as Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Johnny Ahten quipped that they may not be the fastest this weekend, but they were the best looking. The new duds debuted at the August Seattle race and were designed and sponsored by Island Renovations and Howard Katano.

“Howard and his company Island Renovations have done so much for our team,” said Ahten. “We were really excited when we heard we won. They grabbed us for the photo shoot just as we were coming down the return road after our qualifying lap on Saturday. I still had my fire suit on but to see the smile on Howard’s face made it that much sweeter,” added Ahten.

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Las Vegas, NV – Johnny Ahten is not relying upon luck for his edge this weekend at the 13^th Annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tucked neatly in his back pocket is a low elapsed time slip from Seattle. The 5.313/268.76 run at Pacific Raceways won’t get him down the track or win him a round, but for the Island Renovations/Combust Filters team it is one heck of a confidence builder. Another thing Johnny has is a new look Stump Puller.  Since 2004, the Ahten Racing Nitro Injected Dragster has remained the same. Now a fresh wrap and new sponsorship with Combust Filters is making itself known. This one-two combination is the edge Ahten is holding on to in Vegas.

“I don’t really get caught up in the spectacle of Sin City,” said Ahten. “Sure, I like Vegas because of the hoopla, but I’m here to race. Right now the car is strong and our tune-up is where it needs to be. I feel like we are up to the challenge. The density altitude makes it tougher, but we have made adjustments for that. The dry air does help us out and we are hoping for some cooler temps.”

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