Mopar Motorsports KANSAS Qualifying Report

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Johnson and Gray Top Mopar Qualifiers at Kansas Nationals


*         Mopar qualifies third in Pro Stock and fourth in Funny Car at the 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals

*         Johnson is top Mopar Pro Stock entry with a third place qualifying position

*         Gray qualifies fourth as top Mopar entry in Funny Car class

*         Johnson and Coughlin had exact same e.t. and incremental times on their second qualifying runs with just .16 mph difference

*         Coughlin aiming for his 500th round win at Topeka





Topeka, Kansas (Saturday, May 18, 2013) - Under grey skies and humid conditions at Heartland Park near Topeka, Mopar drivers wrapped up two days of qualifying in preparation for Sunday's 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals.  Defending Pro Stock winner of the event, Allen Johnson was the top Mopar entry with a third place qualifying spot, while Johnny Gray was fourth quickest to lead the Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car contingency.



Johnson quickest run was made in Friday's second qualifying session when both he and teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. not only posted the exact same elapsed time of 6.633 seconds, but matched incremental times as well at 60 ft (0.997 sec), 330 ft (2.784), 660 ft (4.272) and 1,000 ft (5.553) marks.  Only a 0.16 mph difference put the Johnson's Mopar Express Lane Dodge in third spot ahead of the Jegs.com Mopar with the quicker speed of 208.62 mph.



Johnson wrapped up qualifying on a high note by setting the quickest elapsed time of the final Pro Stock session to add three more bonus points to his total, but remained third to no.1 qualifier Mike Edwards who posted his seventh pole position in eight events.



"We're making gains and that's the goal," said Johnson who has two wins in the last three years at the higher altitude track. "We were third in two sessions and then quickest in that last one and that gives us a bit of a confidence boost heading into eliminations. We knew Jeg (Coughlin Jr.) and I were pretty close but to see the numbers match up like that on Friday was pretty neat and shows just how consistent we can be. Conditions should be just about the same on Sunday and hopefully the rain will hold off so we can do our best to get through as many rounds as we can."



Johnson will match up with Deric Kramer in the first round of eliminations while Coughlin, who qualified fourth, will face Greg Stanfield.



"I'm happy with the way we've started here at Heartland Park," said Coughlin who could reach a milestone 500 round victories in his Pro Stock career by reaching the semifinals on Sunday. "We were second in the first session and fourth the other three runs. I'm real confident the car is going to continue to perform well, and I feel great behind the wheel. I like the total package we've brought to the track this weekend."



The HEMI-powered entries of V. Gaines and Vincent Nobile qualified eighth and ninth respectively and will face each other in the first round of eliminations.



In Funny Car qualifying, the top eleven cars were all in the 4.0-second range with John Force lowering the e.t. track record to 4.043 (313.22mph) to earn the pole position. Don Schumacher Racing's Johnny Gray put his Mopar fourth on the scoring sheets with a 4.053-second (313.37 mph) final run and will meet Alexis DeJoria in the first round of eliminations.



Matt Hagan's "Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar" Dodge Charger R/T was sixth with his e.t. of 4.069 seconds and he'll face Bob Tasca in first round action.  Don Schumacher Racing teammate and defending winner at Topeka, Jack Beckman made his quickest pass of the weekend on his final run (4.081 sec /312.42 mph) to keep him ninth on the timing charts. He will face Cruz Pedregon as his first match up while Mopar teammate Ron Capps was tenth (4.087 / 309.77) and has Tim Wilkerson for his first round competitor.



ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will provide coverage of this weekend's 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals, the eighth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, with a three hour broadcast of the elimination rounds on Sunday, May 19, starting at 8 p.m. (ET) from Heartland Park near Topeka.





PRO STOCK Qualifying Results (e.t. / top speed)

1. Mike Edwards - 6.618 sec / 208.55 mph

2. Erica Enders-Stevens - 6.625 / 208.30

3. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger - 6.633 / 208.62

4. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Avenger - 6.633 / 208.46

5. Shane Gray - 6.640 / 208.04

6. Greg Anderson - 6.655 / 207.88

7. Jason Line - 6.657 / 208.20

8. V. Gaines, Dodge Avenger - 6.658 / 208.52

9. Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger - 6.666 / 207.78

10. Matt Hartford - 6.667 / 207.53

11. Larry Morgan - 6.668 / 206.99

12. Rickie Jones - 6.669 / 207.88

13. Greg Stanfield - 6.699 / 206.54

14. Deric Kramer - 6.709 / 205.07

15. Rodger Brogdon - 6.723 / 206.35

16. Steve Kent -6.742 / 206.01



FUNNY CAR Qualifying Results (e.t. / top speed)

1. John Force - 4.043 sec / 313.22 mph

2. Courtney Force - 4.050 / 315.56

3. Robert Hight - 4.050 / 315.12

4. Johnny Gray, Dodge Charger R/T - 4.053 / 313.37

5. Del Worsham - 4.065 / 313.15

6. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger R/T - 4.069 / 312.57

7. Tim Wilkerson - 4.071 / 310.55

8. Cruz Pedregon - 4.079 / 302.55

9. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger R/T - 4.081 / 312.42

10. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger R/T - 4.087 / 309.77

11. Bob Tasca III - 4.094 / 314.02

12. Chad Head - 4.105 / 310.13

13. Alexis DeJoria - 4.119 / 303.30

14. Jeff Arend - 4.132 / 306.60

15. Dale Creasy Jr. - 4.297 / 284.45

16. Tony Pedregon - 4.628 / 270.81


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About Mopar Motorsports
Mopar's commitment to professional motorsports competition was established in the 1950s when a partnership ignited with drag racing pioneer Don Garlits, resulting in the breaking of numerous speed and performance barriers in HEMI(r)-powered vehicles over the next several decades. In 2013, Mopar looks to defend its two NHRA 2012 World Championship titles in Pro Stock and Funny Car categories, and celebrates 25 consecutive years as title sponsor of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Colorado. While Mopar remains involved in a various professional motorsports series, it continues to honor its roots by being a proud supporter of amateur racing within the NHRA with its sponsorship of the HEMI Challenge and Mopar Sportsman Cup.
Mopar-first Features
Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:

  *   Vehicle-information apps: first to introduce smartphone vehicle-information applications, a new channel of communication with consumers
  *   Electronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user-guide format and first to offer complete vehicle-information kits in Spanish
  *   Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
  *   Wireless charging: first to introduce in-vehicle wireless charging for portable devices
  *   Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS): first to market with a new interactive vehicle tracking device that sends owner a text when vehicle is driven too fast or too far based on pre-set parameters
  *   2011 Mopar Challenger Drag Pak: first to introduce a 500-plus cubic-inch V-10 drag-race package car
  *   Brand-specific customer care telephone lines: first to offer Sunday service hours for customers
  *   WiTECH: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf personal computers and a dedicated wireless tool network

About the Mopar Brand
Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand. With the creation of the Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. partnership, Mopar is extending its global reach, integrating service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance dealer and customer support worldwide. Combined with Fiat S.p.A., Mopar's global portfolio includes more than 500,000 parts and accessories that are distributed in more than 130 countries. Mopar is the source for all genuine parts and accessories for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. brands.
Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. vehicles - a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.
More than 75 Years of Mopar
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for antifreeze product in 1937. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s - the muscle-car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth "package cars" equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of "special parts" for super-stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use. The brand has expanded to include technical service and customer support.
About Magneti Marelli
Based in Italy (Corbetta, Milan), Magneti Marelli was established in 1919. The company is a subsidiary of Fiat Group and has a presence and reputation in racing, including Formula 1 and World Rally Championship (WRC) and now the NHRA. With 2012 revenues of $7,5 billion and approximately 36,900 employees, Magneti Marelli designs and produces advanced automotive systems and components. The company has 83 production facilities, 12 research and development centers and 26 application centers in 19 countries. The group supplies leading automakers in Europe, North America, South America and the Far East. Magneti Marelli USA coordinates the activities of all Magneti Marelli divisions in the NAFTA region from its North American headquarters, located in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Magneti Marelli has established a significant presence in the world of aftermarket and service networks in the US, thanks to the partnership with MOPAR

Mopar Express Lane Service
Mopar Express Lane service, offered at participating Chrysler Group dealerships, provides a dedicated service lane for fast oil changes, and much more, in order to maximize customer convenience for all make and model vehicles. Available services include oil and filter changes, multi-point vehicle checkup, tire rotation with brake inspection, air and cabin filter replacement, wiper blade replacement, headlight and light bulb replacement and battery testing. Mopar Express Lane service is a consumer's best choice for vehicle maintenance, with highly-skilled Chrysler Group dealership technicians ready to get to work and get you back on the road in no time. No appointments. No waiting. No worries.
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