Johnson to Start in No. 2 Spot at 30th Annual MoparR Mile-High NHRA Nationals

July 11, 2009

Contact: Darren Jacobs, (248) 553-4566, Cell: (313) 530-9910
E-mail: djacobs@jrthompson.com  

 

TEAM MOPAR(r) PRO STOCK QUALIFYING REPORT
2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 13 of 24
July 10-12
30th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals

Bandimere Speedway
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Johnson to Start in No. 2 Spot at 30th Annual Mopar(r) Mile-High NHRA
Nationals


Morrison, Colo. (July 11, 2009) - Team Mopar(r) NHRA Full Throttle Pro
Stock driver Allen Johnson held his grip on the top spot through three
rounds of qualifying for the 30th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals.
Unfortunately, the fourth and final qualifying session today proved to
be Johnson's undoing, as Mike Edwards bested the Mopar-powered driver's
track record run on Saturday to bump A.J. to the No. 2 spot for
tomorrow's eliminations.

 

Johnson seized the provisional top spot yesterday in qualifying with a
run of 7.038/195.70. After an hours-long rain delay, the Team Mopar
veteran recaptured the No. 1 Qualifier position in dramatic fashion,
posting a Bandimere Speedway track record ET of 6.964 to bump Greg
Anderson from the qualifying lead. 

 

In the first qualifying session today, Johnson was the only driver to
crack the six-second mark, putting up an impressive pass of
6.993/196.53. Johnson was in the final pair following Edwards' run but
was unable to recapture the pole and his track record as his Mopar/J&J
Racing Dodge Stratus R/T lost the groove and slowed shortly after
leaving the starting line. 

 

Johnson, winner of the 2007 Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals and runner-up
in 2008, remains confident he can bring home a win for primary sponsor
Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC's Parts division, in the brand's headline
event. The Greeneville, Tenn. native will face fellow Mopar
HEMI(r)-powered Pro Stock driver Danny Gruninger in the opening round
tomorrow.

 

"We had a transmission malfunction and couldn't get it in second gear.
We had three great runs, and then one marginal run," said Johnson, who
had the quickest pass in each of the first three qualifying rounds.
"It's a good thing it happened tonight instead of tomorrow in the first
round. So we'll try to make a positive out of it.

 

"I've just got to go out there tomorrow and do my job. I've got to get
from A to B correctly. We're not taking anybody lightly. We know we have
the car to bring home a victory for Mopar."

 

Local favorite and Mopar-powered driver V. Gaines grabbed the No. 7 spot
and will face Johnson's J&J Racing partner, Johnny Gray, in the first
round. Larry Morgan, who will go up against Jeg Coughlin in the opening
stanza, and Rickie Jones, who will line up against Roger Brogdon, round
out tomorrow's group of six Mopar HEMI-powered Pro Stock competitors.