Team Mopar®’s Allen Johnson Hopes to End Strong 2010 Season with Pomona Victory
Mopar®/J&J Racing team up for NHRA Full Throttle Hard-Working Crew Award
Auburn Hills, Mich. — It’s been a year to remember for Allen Johnson. The Team Mopar® Pro Stock veteran has set single-season career marks in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series for No. 1 Qualifier Awards (seven), final-round appearances (four) and round wins (35). Johnson will attempt to claim his fourth straight No. 1 spot and also match his previous career season-high for wins with a victory in the final race of the year, the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Nov. 11–14 in Pomona, Calif.
“We have been solid as a rock this entire year, which is an accomplishment considering we were breaking in a new car, our Mopar Dodge Avenger,” said Johnson, who has captured three straight No. 1 Qualifier Awards (Dallas, Reading, Vegas) coming into Pomona. “We’ve made some mistakes in the Countdown, but all in all it’s been an up year, with a lot of great firsts for the Mopar/J&J Racing team.
“It’s really a springboard to next year, to start the year off even stronger and make sure we keep it going during the Countdown. Winning at Pomona would be a great carry over into next year and a nice way to end the season for our team.”
Johnson’s win this season came in July at Mopar’s headline event, the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals. His Mopar/J&J Racing crew was recognized for their hard work at the event as one of four finalists in the Pro Stock class for the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Hard-Working Crew Award. Fans can vote for the J&J Racing team at Vote for the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Hardworking Crew Award. Johnson is very much appreciative of a crew that regularly gives him an advantage on race day—one he hopes to use to secure a Wally trophy at Pomona.
“I’m very proud of everybody involved in our program, including the crew, the Mopar engineers, the associate sponsors—all the folks that have had a part in this first year with the Mopar Dodge Avenger,” said a complimentary Johnson. “It’s just been a very awesome year.
“To double your career total of No. 1 Qualifier Awards in just one year is an amazing feat, and it speaks volumes about the J&J Racing crew. A win this Sunday would be a great way to repay them for their efforts.”
Johnson’s Statistics of Note
2010 Season
• Currently ranked fifth in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship Pro Stock playoff standings
• Has claimed three consecutive No. 1 Qualifier Awards, at the NHRA Dallas, Reading and Las Vegas events
• Scored his first win of the season at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, his second straight win at his primary sponsor’s race
• Advanced to four final rounds and has earned seven No. 1 Qualifier Awards, both single-season career highs
• Has a 35-20 round win record through 22 events, the most round wins of his career
• Has advanced to at least the semifinals in 11 of 22 events this season
• Advanced to the final round at the NHRA event in Norwalk, Ohio
• Scored his second final-round appearance of the season at the NHRA event in Topeka
• Earned his eighth career No. 1 Qualifier Award at the NHRA Atlanta event
• Claimed his 200th career round win at the NHRA St. Louis race
• Advanced to four straight semifinals to start the season in his new Mopar Dodge Avenger
• Banked his first final-round appearance of the year at the NHRA Houston event
2009 Season
• Clinched a spot in the 2009 NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Captured wins at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver and O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka
• Finished seventh in NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock point standings
• Made three finals appearances, scoring a runner-up finish at NHRA Gatornationals
• Captured seventh career No. 1 Qualifier Award at NHRA event in Seattle, reaching semis
• Made eight semifinals appearances
• Posted a 30-20 round win record for the season
2008 Season
• Finished seventh in NHRA Pro Stock standings
• One of only 10 drivers to qualify for NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Won K&N Horsepower Challenge bonus event at Norwalk, recording perfect .000 reaction time to defeat Greg Anderson for victory
• Powered to three No. 1 Qualifier Awards
• Made eight semifinals appearances
• Posted two straight runner-up finishes at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals and Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals
• Racked up 28-24 round win record
2007 Season
• Finished career-best fourth in NHRA Pro Stock point standings
• One of only four Pro Stock drivers to qualify for inaugural NHRA Countdown to 1 playoff
• Claimed win at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver
2006 Season
• Finished sixth in NHRA Pro Stock standings, scoring win at Seattle
Career
• Qualified for Countdown to Championship in all four years since NHRA adopted playoff format in 2007
• Claimed eight career NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock wins
• Captured 14 career No. 1 Qualifier Awards
• Claimed more than 200 career round wins
• Has a career best elapsed time of 6.545-seconds and a career best speed of 211.73 mph
• Recorded 21 career final round appearances
• Competed in 300th race at 2009 NHRA St. Louis event
• Scored second career win at Atlanta in 2002 and finished eighth in point standings
• Seized first career win in 1999 at Richmond and went on to claim first top 10 finish in standings
• Made NHRA Pro Stock debut in 1996, driving a Mopar-powered Dodge Avenger
Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
The Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals is scheduled to take place Nov. 11–14 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, Nov. 13 beginning at 10:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Two-and-a-half hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, Nov. 14, beginning at 9 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
Mopar-First Features
Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:
• Camper trailers: first to introduce off-road camper trailers
• 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
• 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
• Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• 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.
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original-equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles—a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at Mopar - Authentic Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Accessories, Service & Parts.
More than 70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. 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.
Mopar®/J&J Racing team up for NHRA Full Throttle Hard-Working Crew Award
Auburn Hills, Mich. — It’s been a year to remember for Allen Johnson. The Team Mopar® Pro Stock veteran has set single-season career marks in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series for No. 1 Qualifier Awards (seven), final-round appearances (four) and round wins (35). Johnson will attempt to claim his fourth straight No. 1 spot and also match his previous career season-high for wins with a victory in the final race of the year, the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Nov. 11–14 in Pomona, Calif.
“We have been solid as a rock this entire year, which is an accomplishment considering we were breaking in a new car, our Mopar Dodge Avenger,” said Johnson, who has captured three straight No. 1 Qualifier Awards (Dallas, Reading, Vegas) coming into Pomona. “We’ve made some mistakes in the Countdown, but all in all it’s been an up year, with a lot of great firsts for the Mopar/J&J Racing team.
“It’s really a springboard to next year, to start the year off even stronger and make sure we keep it going during the Countdown. Winning at Pomona would be a great carry over into next year and a nice way to end the season for our team.”
Johnson’s win this season came in July at Mopar’s headline event, the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals. His Mopar/J&J Racing crew was recognized for their hard work at the event as one of four finalists in the Pro Stock class for the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Hard-Working Crew Award. Fans can vote for the J&J Racing team at Vote for the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Hardworking Crew Award. Johnson is very much appreciative of a crew that regularly gives him an advantage on race day—one he hopes to use to secure a Wally trophy at Pomona.
“I’m very proud of everybody involved in our program, including the crew, the Mopar engineers, the associate sponsors—all the folks that have had a part in this first year with the Mopar Dodge Avenger,” said a complimentary Johnson. “It’s just been a very awesome year.
“To double your career total of No. 1 Qualifier Awards in just one year is an amazing feat, and it speaks volumes about the J&J Racing crew. A win this Sunday would be a great way to repay them for their efforts.”
Johnson’s Statistics of Note
2010 Season
• Currently ranked fifth in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship Pro Stock playoff standings
• Has claimed three consecutive No. 1 Qualifier Awards, at the NHRA Dallas, Reading and Las Vegas events
• Scored his first win of the season at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, his second straight win at his primary sponsor’s race
• Advanced to four final rounds and has earned seven No. 1 Qualifier Awards, both single-season career highs
• Has a 35-20 round win record through 22 events, the most round wins of his career
• Has advanced to at least the semifinals in 11 of 22 events this season
• Advanced to the final round at the NHRA event in Norwalk, Ohio
• Scored his second final-round appearance of the season at the NHRA event in Topeka
• Earned his eighth career No. 1 Qualifier Award at the NHRA Atlanta event
• Claimed his 200th career round win at the NHRA St. Louis race
• Advanced to four straight semifinals to start the season in his new Mopar Dodge Avenger
• Banked his first final-round appearance of the year at the NHRA Houston event
2009 Season
• Clinched a spot in the 2009 NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Captured wins at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver and O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka
• Finished seventh in NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock point standings
• Made three finals appearances, scoring a runner-up finish at NHRA Gatornationals
• Captured seventh career No. 1 Qualifier Award at NHRA event in Seattle, reaching semis
• Made eight semifinals appearances
• Posted a 30-20 round win record for the season
2008 Season
• Finished seventh in NHRA Pro Stock standings
• One of only 10 drivers to qualify for NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs
• Won K&N Horsepower Challenge bonus event at Norwalk, recording perfect .000 reaction time to defeat Greg Anderson for victory
• Powered to three No. 1 Qualifier Awards
• Made eight semifinals appearances
• Posted two straight runner-up finishes at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals and Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals
• Racked up 28-24 round win record
2007 Season
• Finished career-best fourth in NHRA Pro Stock point standings
• One of only four Pro Stock drivers to qualify for inaugural NHRA Countdown to 1 playoff
• Claimed win at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver
2006 Season
• Finished sixth in NHRA Pro Stock standings, scoring win at Seattle
Career
• Qualified for Countdown to Championship in all four years since NHRA adopted playoff format in 2007
• Claimed eight career NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock wins
• Captured 14 career No. 1 Qualifier Awards
• Claimed more than 200 career round wins
• Has a career best elapsed time of 6.545-seconds and a career best speed of 211.73 mph
• Recorded 21 career final round appearances
• Competed in 300th race at 2009 NHRA St. Louis event
• Scored second career win at Atlanta in 2002 and finished eighth in point standings
• Seized first career win in 1999 at Richmond and went on to claim first top 10 finish in standings
• Made NHRA Pro Stock debut in 1996, driving a Mopar-powered Dodge Avenger
Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
The Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals is scheduled to take place Nov. 11–14 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, Nov. 13 beginning at 10:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Two-and-a-half hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, Nov. 14, beginning at 9 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
Mopar-First Features
Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:
• Camper trailers: first to introduce off-road camper trailers
• 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
• 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
• Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• 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.
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original-equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles—a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at Mopar - Authentic Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Accessories, Service & Parts.
More than 70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. 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.
