NHRA (JOLIET) - K.J. downs Stanfield for $50,000 King Demon Crown prize

Veteran Pro Stock racer Kurt Johnson became the first four-time winner of the King Demon Crown Saturday, pocketing the $50,000 top prize of the special event by beating surprise finalist Greg Stanfield at Route 66 Raceway.

After stuffing starting line expert Dave Connolly with a better reaction time to take his opening round win on a holeshot, Johnson simply out-drove and out-ran points-leader Greg Anderson and Stanfield to win the 23rd annual race, which showcases the top eight qualifiers from the previous 12 months.

The final showed Johnson's ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt leaving first and arriving at the top end first, as he posted a 6.692 at 207.15 mph pass to Stanfield's 6.729 at 206.26 mph in the PiranaZ Pontiac GTO.

Entering the day in a tie with Bob Glidden, Warren Johnson, and Larry Morgan with three King Demon Crown wins each, K.J. moved into first place on the all-time list with his victory here. This was his 14th King Demon Crown race. Runner-up Stanfield was competing in his first King Demon Crown.

Aside from Johnson's top prize of $50,000, Stanfield earned $10,000 for his runner-up finish. Anderson and fellow semifinalist Allen Johnson were awarded $3,000 each, while Connolly, Vieri Gaines, Jason Line, and Mike Edwards took home $2,500 apiece for making the field.