Johnson Holds Grip on No. 6 Spot Heading into Eliminations at NHRA Las Vegas Nationals

Oct. 31, 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 23 of 24
Oct. 30-Nov. 1
NHRA Las Vegas Nationals

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Johnson Holds Grip on No. 6 Spot Heading into Eliminations at NHRA Las
Vegas Nationals 


Las Vegas, Nev. (Oct. 31, 2009) - Team Mopar(r) NHRA Full Throttle Pro
Stock driver Allen Johnson maintained his No. 6 position after the final
two sessions of qualifying today at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The
Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Johnson will face off with No. 11
qualifier Jeg Coughlin in eliminations tomorrow. 

 

Johnson's Mopar HEMI(r)-powered Dodge lost power shortly after take-off
during the first qualifying session today, and the Team Mopar veteran's
final qualifying run resulted in a 6.739-second/204.29 mph pass. The
Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T driver's qualifying run yesterday of
6.679/206.61 was good enough to hold the No. 6 spot, as warmer
temperatures today contributed to no movement in the Pro Stock top
twelve qualifiers. 

 

The berth in the top half of the Pro Stock field was a welcome rebound
for Johnson after suffering a hard-luck Did Not Qualify (DNQ) at the
previous NHRA event in Richmond.

 

"After Richmond, to be No. 6 is encouraging," said Johnson. "But we
still haven't made a good run at this event yet. I'm not happy with our
performance."

 

Johnson will square off with 2008 Pro Stock champ Coughlin in the first
round.

 

"He's always tough," said Johnson of Coughlin. "But if I can go up there
and do my job, and the car can do its job, we can beat him, just like
anybody else out there. We've got to get on our game here."

 

Vinnie Deceglie, competing with a Mopar HEMI engine prepped by Allen
Johnson's father and J&J Racing engine builder Roy Johnson, secured the
No. 2 spot, a career best start. Deceglie will face No. 15 qualifier and
fellow Mopar-powered driver Rickie Jones. 

 

"It's great for those guys," said Allen Johnson of Deceglie and his
team. "They work hard. If Vinnie gets on his game, he can go some
rounds. It just shows what great work Dad is doing with our HEMI
engines."

 

Mopar-fueled driver Larry Morgan (No. 8 qualifier) will battle Jason
Line in the opening stanza, while Johnny Gray (No. 5 qualifier) will
match his Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge against Greg Stanfield.