Mopar's Johnson To Return to His High School

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NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
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Johnson Gives Back to Hometown High School
Will Educate Children About Drag Racing & Safety

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 22, 2003)  Mopar Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson
will be returning to his alma mater South Greene High School on Oct. 29. Not
to get another diploma, but to educate driver¹s education students on the
dangers of illegal street racing.

Johnson, who graduated from South Greene in 1977, has stayed a lifelong
member of the community and takes every opportunity to give back.

³It¹s real important to tell kids there are options out there other than
racing on the street,² said Johnson, who currently sits fifth in NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series points. ³I also wanted to do this to say support
Mr. (Dwight) Renner, who asked me to come.

³I am going to do about an hour program,² Johnson added. ³What I was going
to try and do was start it off by explaining what the NHRA is and what drag
racing is all about. They are also really interested in me showing a video
of that wreck that I had in Gainesville a few years back. We¹re going to
utilize that as a vehicle to talk about safe driving and the importance of
seat belts and safety equipment. We¹re also going to talk about the dangers
of street racing. I just want to show them how easy it is to have a wreck,
and to let them know that an experienced racer can get into trouble. I want
to try and get these kids to the track instead of street racing and tell
them about Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway¹s really good street legal program as
well.²

Mr. Renner is the driver¹s education teacher at the high school. He asked
Johnson to give his students a little background on the sport of drag racing
and what it¹s like to be a professional race car driver.

³We wanted Allen to come here and talk to the kids about the dangers of
street racing,² said Renner, who has been teaching driver¹s education at the
school for seven years now. ³These kids are so impressionable, especially at
this age, and we felt Allen¹s influence would be very positive for them. We
want them to realize there are other opportunities out there besides racing
on the streets. It¹s also important to recognize that Allen is one of our
own.²

Renner is very pleased with the direction Johnson has taken his life and
said, ³I would have never of dreamed, back when Allen was in high school,
that he would have be as successful in life that he has been right now. He
was one of our football stars and we used to call them, big rooster and
little rooster, when talking about Allen and his dad, Roy.²

Johnson mused about his high school experiences.

³I participated in all of the sports, but excelled in football,² Johnson
recalls. ³I played in the Watauga Conference here in Tennessee. My senior
year; I was All Conference; All Greene County and had almost 1,000 yards
rushing playing halfback. We were a small school so I did a little bit if
everything, which included returning punts, playing defense and on special
teams. I also did a lot of the other sports like basketball, track, baseball
and everything else the first couple of years of highs school. The last
couple I just concentrated n football.

³I guess I¹d have to say the only thing that kept me out of trouble and in
school was football,² Johnson continued. ³My old football coach was a really
good friend of my dad. I can tell you a few stories about wanting to quit
because I didn¹t start as a sophomore. My dad and coach (John Thomas) kicked
my butt and ran me until I puked. He has since passed away, so I support a
golf tournament in his honor for the Cancer Society. The John Thomas
Memorial Cancer Tournament is held every year, which I¹m a big sponsor of in
his memory. I got in enough trouble the way it was, but if it wasn¹t for
football, I would have gotten into a lot more.²