Mopar
With Pro Stock Title in Reach, Johnson Will Start No. 2 at Vegas
Courtesy of Mopar
Las Vegas, NV – The prize is near, but Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson knows plenty of work remains in order to reach the ultimate 
goal: the 2012 NHRA Pro Stock championship. Johnson will start No. 2 and face fellow Mopar-powered driver Deric Kramer in the opening round of eliminations at the NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Johnson enters the Sunday money rounds with an 86-point lead over the second-place Jason Line, with just eight rounds of eliminations remaining: four at Vegas and four at the season-ending event in Pomona, Calif.
The Greeneville, Tenn., native and Mopar Dodge Avenger/J&J Racing driver and team owner claimed the provisional pole with an elapsed time (ET) of 6.600-seconds at 208.68 mph on Friday, and was second quickest in the first qualifying session today with a 6.606/209.07, earning two bonus points. Johnson wrapped up the day by posting a 6.622/208.36 effort, giving him the quickest pass in three out of the four qualifying sessions and a total of 11 all-important bonus markers as he attempts to lock down the first Pro Stock championship of his 17-year career.
Mopar Pro Stock Driver Johnson Earns Preliminary Pole at Vegas
Courtesy of Mopar
Las Vegas, NV – Each point accumulated represents another step towards the Championship title for Mopar Dodge Avenger NHRA Pro Stock driver and current points leader Allen Johnson. The 17-year Team Mopar veteran took exactly six more important steps towards securing that elusive first Pro Stock championship, racking up the most bonus points possible and seizing the provisional pole following the first two rounds of qualifying for the NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday.
Johnson shot to the top spot in his first qualifying effort, putting up an elapsed time (ET) of 6.600-seconds at 208.68 mph. The Greeneville, Tenn., native and five-time Pro Stock event winner this season was also quickest and fastest in the second session, as he once again had the field covered with a 6.609/207.69, giving him six huge bonus points and total lead over second-place Jason Line of 86 markers, which represents more than four rounds of racing.
Going Rounds the Goal for Team Mopar® Driver Johnson as NHRA Pro Stock Title Fight Hits Vegas
Courtesy of Mopar
Auburn Hills, MI — All season long, Team Mopar® NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson has had a pretty simple approach — be consistent, go rounds and let the points fall where they may. That mantra will remain intact heading into the final two rounds of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Johnson, the current points leader, continues his bid for his first Pro Stock title as he returns to the track this week in the 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Oct. 25–Oct 28.
“Las Vegas is a track I’ve always enjoyed racing at and I’m really looking forward to this week’s event,” said Johnson. “We’ve always had a pretty good setup and notes for Vegas and have run well there over the years. Having won there earlier this year definitely boosts our confidence going back for the second time.”
Mopar®-powered Gaines Wins in Pro Stock at Reading; Gray Reaches Funny Car Final
Courtesy of Mopar
Photo courtesy of Roger Richards
Auburn Hills, MI — V. Gaines was victorious in a Mopar®-powered Dodge Avenger in Pro Stock on Monday, Oct. 8, in the rain-delayed 
conclusion of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. For Gaines, it marked his first win of the season and fourth of his career.
“All of us at Mopar would like to offer congratulations to V. Gaines on his big win at the NHRA Reading event,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “V. has been campaigning with Mopar power for many years and is a loyal and longstanding advocate for our brand. Mopar-powered Pro Stock cars have earned eight wins this year, and we look forward to V. and his fellow Mopar-powered drivers contending for more wins in the final two races of the season, as well as Allen Johnson continuing his battling for the championship.”
Johnson Starts Sixth at Reading; Beckman Scores Funny Car Pole and Record
Courtesy of Mopar
Auburn Hills, Mich. —Team Mopar® driver Allen Johnson claimed the No. 6 position in Pro Stock qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 6, 
during the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. For the current points leader, he has now qualified sixth or better in all 21 races this season.
Johnson, who earned six bonus points during the first three rounds of qualifying, leads Jason Line in the standings, heading into eliminations on Sunday, where he will face teammate and fellow Mopar-powered driver Vincent Nobile in the opening round. Three events remain this season in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs, including this weekend.
Johnson Advances to Final at St. Louis; Beckman Seizes Funny Car Class Victory for Mopar
Courtesy of Mopar
Madison, IL – Mopar Dodge Avenger NHRA Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson earned his ninth final-round appearance of the seaon and third in a row in a runner-up performance on Sunday, Sept. 30, at the AAA NHRA Midwest Nationals, held near St. Louis. But the stat that matters most to Johnson is the 109-point lead the Team Mopar veteran will take away from Gateway Motorsports Park, a greater sum than when he entered the third of six races in the NHRA Pro Stock “Countdown to the Championship” playoffs.
In the NHRA Funny Car class, the only car that could beat a Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge Charger R/T was, in fact, another Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge. The four-man Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Dodge Charger R/T squad basically duked it out for the Funny Car event title between themselves, with No. 1 Qualifier Jack Beckman emerging victorious.
Johnson to Start St. Louis in No. 2 Spot; Mopar-Powered Beckman Earns Funny Car Poll
Courtesy of Mopar
Madison, Il – Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson earned the No. 2 spot following the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, Sept. 29, for the AAA NHRA Midwest Nationals. The current leader in the NHRA Pro Stock “Countdown to the Championship” playoffs, Johnson will match his Mopar Dodge Avenger against Greg Stanfield in the first round of eliminations on Sunday, Sept. 30, at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis.
As with the two qualifying sessions on Friday, Johnson was No. 2 in the first round on Saturday, recording an elapsed time (ET) of 6.517-seconds at 212.39 mph, earning two bonus points, and six total during qualifying. Johnson posted a 6.534/212.56 in the final qualifying round, to go along with the 6.534/212.46 and 6.516/212.76 performances he notched during the two Friday qualifying stanzas.
Mopar Pro Stock Driver Johnson Gains Crucial Points in Friday Qualifying at St. Louis; Beckman Tops Funny Car Charts
Courtesy of Mopar
Madison, Il – Mopar Dodge Avenger NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series driver Allen Johnson, the current leader in the NHRA Pro Stock “Countdown to the Championship” playoffs, continues to rack up points in his fight for the title. The Team Mopar veteran gained four valuable points and earned the No. 2 provisional spot following the first two rounds of qualifying for the AAA NHRA Midwest Nationals on Friday, Sept. 28, at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis.
Johnson was second quickest in the first session with an elapsed time (ET) of 6.534-seconds at 212.46 mph, earning two bonus points as he seeks to maintain his lead in the Pro Stock standings and earn the first overall Pro Stock championship of his 17-year career. In the evening qualifying session, the Greeneville, Tenn., native also came in at No. 2 with a 6.516/212.76 effort, picking up an additional two markers. Johnson has a class-best 10 No. 1 spots on the season and will seek to move up tomorrow and claim his 11th pole of the 2012 campaign.
Team Mopar & Johnson Earn 5th Season Title Win at NHRA Texas Fall Nationals
Ennis, TX – After topping every qualifying session and earning the No.1 Qualifier honor, Allen Johnson made it a clean sweep by driving his Mopar Dodge Avenger to a title win at the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex.
“The Mopar Dodge Avenger was consistent and it was low in all four qualifying rounds, low in two of four rounds today, and got the job done,” said Johnson who collected his tenth pole position and fifth title win of the season along the way. “We’ve got a great crew that makes great decisions. We’ve got great power from Dad (Roy Johnson) and the guys at the engine shop with great support from Mopar. The driver, fortunately, did his job.”
“Congratulations from everyone at Mopar to Allen Johnson on his win at the Fall Nationals in Texas,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “We are extremely proud of Allen and the team for earning and maintaining their place atop the NHRA playoffs standings amid such strong competition, including three other HEMI-powered Dodge Avenger entries.”
Mopar Dominates Pro Stock Qualifying and Earns Pole Position at NHRA Texas Fall Nationals
Courtesy of Mopar
Photo by Roger Richards/Comp Plus
Ennis, TX – After dominating every qualifying session, Mopar Dodge Avenger driver Allen Johnson earned the Pro Stock pole position 
with the lowest quarter-mile elapsed time of 6.550 seconds and set the top speed at 211.99 mph at the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the famed Texas Motorplex near Dallas. It is Johnson’s tenth No. 1 Qualifier honor this season and the 28th of his career.
“I can remember my first one like it was yesterday and remember wondering if I’d get another one after that,” Johnson reminisced jokingly as a 17 year NHRA veteran. “It’s been a great year for the Mopar Dodge Avenger qualifying no. 1 and earning four wins this year, and hopefully I’ll add a couple more here readily.”
“We’re hitting on all cylinders and we have a very consistent strategy right now,” added Johnson who is maintaining his status as current points leader heading into the second of six playoff races in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. “I’m trying to make good clean safe runs on every run, without pushing it at all and we’re still right up front. Hopefully we can take that strategy and work the Eliminations on Sunday. If we need a little more we’ve got a little more and can push the envelope a little bit and that’s a really good feeling right now.”
