Alderman to Run Pro Stock Dodge Stratus This Weekend

Mopar Motorsports
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals
Gateway International Raceway -- Madison, Ill.
Preview Notes & Quotes

Alderman to Debut New Stratus at GIR This Weekend
Johnson & Johnson Racing Very Pleased With Progress

MADISON, Ill. (June 25, 2003) -- Three-time POWERade Pro Stock World
Champion Darrell Alderman will debut his new Hemi-powered Dodge Stratus Pro
Stock entry at this weekend¹s Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals at Gateway
International Raceway.

Alderman, who has been competing with a Dodge Neon for the first part of the
season, will join teammate and team owner Allen Johnson with the new car.
The team completed testing at the Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway on Tuesday, and
feel very confident in what they have for this weekend. Mopar factory
teammate Gene Wilson also competes with a Dodge Stratus.

³We had an extremely hot and slick track at Bristol to work with and the car
made it down every time,² Johnson said. ³This car has a few different aero
things on it than mine does, so it should even be a little better. The new
Stratus is an excellent race car but, more importantly, it¹s a great Sunday
car. I love my Stratus and I think Darrell is going to have a lot of luck
with his.²

Johnson drove his Stratus to the semifinals during the most recent NHRA
national event at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio. The Greeneville,
Tenn., resident qualified the car fifth and knocked out Jim Yates in the
first round and defending Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin, Jr. in the
quarters. It was only the third time that Johnson had competed with the
Stratus at a national event.

Alderman, 53, is taking aim at a 29th NHRA national event victory. The
Morehead, Ky., resident drove to the finals at Old Bridge Township Raceway
Park in Englishtown, N.J., last month.

 ³The new Stratus will be a good car for us,² said Alderman, who currently
sits 10th in the POWERade Pro Stock title chase. ³The car is much more
drivable than the Neon was, and will be fine aerodynamically. The Mopar
engineers, especially (aero engineer) Terry DeKoninck, have put a lot of
time and effort in making this car competitive. The results will be shown on
the race track.²