Melanie Johnson Racing
STRONG SHOWING FOR MELANIE JOHNSON & MCPHILLIPS RACING AT LAS VEGAS 4-WIDE NATIONALS
LAS VEGAS — Melanie Johnson and the McPhillips Racing team made a bold statement at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las 
Vegas Motor Speedway this past weekend, April 11–13. In her debut at the unique 4-Wide format, Johnson delivered a performance that showcased both her growth as a driver and the strength of the McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster program.
Johnson started the weekend strong, racing to the top of the qualifying charts on Friday with back-to-back low E.T. and top speed runs of 5.260 seconds at 273.00 mph and 5.270 at 275.00 mph, respectively. While her first run was later disqualified due to a marginally over-limit fuel mixture (0.2% above the 95% threshold), Johnson and the McPhillips team responded immediately with a nearly identical performance in the next session to reclaim the provisional number one spot.
Melanie Johnson raced to the second round of the Las Vegas 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, photo courtesy of Melanie Johnson
On Saturday, Johnson slowed in the third qualifying session to a 5.369 at 265.43 mph but posted a solid 5.285 at 271.95 mph in the final qualifying session to secure the No. 3 qualifying position heading into eliminations. Continue reading
MELANIE JOHNSON MAKES IMPRESSIVE TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER NATIONAL DEBUT AT 2025 NHRA GATORNATIONALS
Gainesville, FL – Melanie Johnson made a memorable National Event debut in Top Alcohol Dragster this past weekend at the NHRA 
Gatornationals, piloting the McPhillips Racing A/Fuel dragster. The event marked a significant milestone in Johnson’s racing career, as she showcased strong performances and set new personal bests despite challenging weather conditions.
Qualifying kicked off on Thursday, March 6, where Johnson ran a personal best of 5.243 seconds at 279.85 mph. The run secured her the provisional number four qualifying spot in a competitive 12-car field. She followed up with an even stronger pass on Friday, clocking a 5.177 at 279.21 mph, setting a new personal best E.T. and moving up to the number two position. Unfortunately, due to several on-track delays, the third qualifying session scheduled for Friday evening was canceled, setting the field for Saturday eliminations.
Mother Nature posed significant challenges, with rain washing out Saturday’s elimination rounds and delaying Sunday’s start. After multiple rain delays, Johnson finally made her first national event elimination pass on Sunday afternoon. Her would-be opponent, Sarah Allen, broke during qualifying, resulting in solo run for Johnson. She seized the opportunity, laying down a 5.218 at 277.37 mph—the low E.T. of the round—earning lane choice for the second round. Continue reading
MELANIE JOHNSON MAKES TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER DEBUT AT LAS VEGAS REGIONAL
LAS VEGAS – Melanie Johnson, daughter of 13-time Top Fuel world champion tuner Alan Johnson, made her competitive debut in the Top 
Alcohol Dragster (TAD) category at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this past weekend.
Johnson qualified fifth in the 8-car field during the second qualifying session, running a 5.291-second pass at 274.11 mph among 15 competitors. In the first round, she faced 5-time TAD world champion Joey Severance, gaining a starting line advantage but losing traction just past the 60-foot mark. She ultimately had to shut off as Severance pulled ahead with a 5.309-second run at 273.44 mph.
Reflecting on the weekend, Johnson said, “I’m still wrapping my head around achieving my goals of licensing and racing a Top Alcohol Dragster this year. Huge thanks to Rich McPhillips Sr. and Rich McPhillips Jr. for giving me the chance to drive their ‘green car’ and guiding me through the driving procedures. I couldn’t ask for a better group of racers to work with and learn from. Although I would have loved to go more rounds, I’m proud of how I handled the car and all the seat time, learning something from each run.”
Ahead of the event, Johnson completed two test runs on Thursday, experiencing severe tire shake on both. However, she managed to step off the gas quickly and maintain control. In Friday’s first qualifying round, the car, set up aggressively, ran a 0.919 sixty-foot time—one of the event’s quickest—but drifted out of the groove, leading her to coast to a 6.759-second pass at 132.99 mph. The second and third qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday allowed Johnson to make smooth passes down the quarter mile, clocking a 5.291 in Q2 and a 5.335 in Q3, securing her the fifth qualifying position. Continue reading
