Johnson's Maiden Voyage in Mopar Dodge Avenger Results in No. 5 Spot in NHRA Winternationals Thursday Qualifying

Feb. 11, 2010

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

 

TEAM MOPAR(r) PRO STOCK QUALIFYING REPORT
2010 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 1 of 23
Feb. 11-14
50th Annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals

Auto Club Dragway at Pomona
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Johnson's Maiden Voyage in Mopar(r) Dodge Avenger Results in No. 5 Spot
in NHRA Winternationals Thursday Qualifying


Pomona, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2010) - Allen Johnson drove his 2010 NHRA Pro
Stock Mopar(r) Dodge Avenger to a solid NHRA national event debut today
in the first round of qualifying for the 50th Annual Kragen O'Reilly
NHRA Winternationals. The Team Mopar star grabbed the provisional No. 5
spot at Auto Club Dragway at Pomona, Calif., in his maiden run in his
new Mopar HEMI(r)-powered machine. 

 

Following months of testing and tuning, the Greeneville, Tenn., native's
Mopar Dodge Avenger reeled off a first-class first pass. Johnson posted
a 6.611 ET at 209.39 mph in the first run that counted in his Mopar
Dodge. Lower elapsed times and higher speeds will come in the final two
days of qualifying, according to Johnson.

 

"We were really conservative on the starting line," said Johnson, who is
celebrating his 15th year on the Pro Stock circuit, all in a
Mopar-powered Dodge. "That right lane always bites people, but maybe we
were a little bit too conservative. The tune-up is close. For the first
run in the new Mopar Dodge Avenger, right off the bat, we were happy.
We'll throw another Mopar HEMI motor in for tomorrow and compare motors
a little bit while we're qualifying.

 

"It seemed like we ran a little closer to Mike (Edwards, defending Pro
Stock champion) at Vegas last weekend than what we did today, so
hopefully the other motor will be a bit better and we can pick up
another couple of hundredths. If the air stays the same, I think we can
go .57 or .58. That's what we're shooting for."

 

Mopar-powered veterans Vinnie Deceglie and V. Gaines also experienced
fine competition debuts in their new Dodge Avengers. Deceglie, who will
work closely and share data with Johnson's J&J Racing team, posted a run
of 6.613/209.23, good for No. 6 today. Gaines' run of 6.647/207.82
penciled him into the No. 11 spot at the end of today's session.

 

One round of qualifying will take place tomorrow, with two final
qualifying sessions set for Saturday, Feb. 13, at Auto Club Dragway at
Pomona. Elimination rounds are scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb.
14.