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• Johnson is ready to get ‘hot and grimy’ in test sessions
• Johnson stats
• O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals event details
Center Line, Mich. — Team Mopar® driver Allen Johnson has launched himself to a stout start in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock series, claiming the fourth spot in the early points’ battle. But the Greeneville, Tenn., native won’t be content until he becomes a familiar guest in the winner’s circle on Sundays. He plans to pay his first ’08 visit to victory lane at this weekend’s O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston.
“We’ve had a lot better start [than 2007], and we are consistent, but I feel like we’ve already given away two rounds this year, and we should have been in a final, at least,” said Johnson, pilot of the HEMI®-powered Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T. Johnson added, “We’ve got to get better on Sunday. We’ve had a car that could have won every race this year and we’ve been going out in the second round. It’s just not acceptable.”
Johnson advanced to the finals at the 2007 Houston event, finishing runner-up to Jason Line. The Pro Stock veteran is focused on one-upping his performance from last year.
“We’ve always done well there,” said Johnson. “We’ve got a lot of fans there in Houston. The track is sort of like Gainesville — it’s always fast. It seems like we adapt to it pretty well. We’re happy to go back there and see a lot of old friends and complete what we didn’t complete last year.”
Johnson is ready to get ‘hot and grimy’ in test sessions
Johnson has been automatic in qualifying, starting no worse than fifth in the first three events and capturing his fourth career No. 1 qualifier award at the Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals in late February. The Team Mopar driver’s troubles, unfortunately, have come at a most inopportune time — on race day.
“When the track is good, we perform really well. On Sunday, when the track gets a little marginal, it seems to be our foe,” remarked Johnson. “We’re going to test this week at a track near Houston, and try to set it up hot and grimy like we had at Gainesville, and get better on conditions like that. That’s what we are working on.”
Johnson is very mindful of the urgent need to meld his consistency in qualifying with successful race set-ups.
“We’ll keep going and hopefully qualify well and put ourselves in a position to win a couple of rounds every race, and hope that consistency pays off,” Johnson said. “My goal this year is to win five races, and I feel like we’ve already let at least one get away from us. I don’t want to do that anymore. We’ve got to step it up.”
Johnson stats
• Moved to fourth in the NHRA Pro Stock points standings following the NHRA Gatornationals
• Runner-up at the 2007 Houston event
• Qualified no worse than fifth in the first three 2008 NHRA POWERade events
• Claimed his fourth career No. 1 qualifier award at 2008 Phoenix event
• Has a 4-3 round win record through three events
• Reached the semifinals in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.
• Finished fourth in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock points standings
• One of only four Pro Stock drivers to qualify for the inaugural NHRA Countdown to 1 title playoff
• Captured his 5th-career win at the 28th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals in July 2007
• Posted two runner-up finishes in 2007
• Advanced to 12 career final rounds
O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals event details
The O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals is scheduled for March 28–30 at Houston Raceway Park. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise qualifying coverage on March 29 from 4:30 to 5 p.m. and from 10 to 11 p.m. Eliminations coverage will air from 4:30 to 7 p.m., on Sunday, March 30 (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more info on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
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.
Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also 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.
Today, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler Engineering standards.
Team Mopar® Driver Allen Johnson Says He Needs to ‘Get Better on Sundays’ Starting at the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals
• Johnson is ready to get ‘hot and grimy’ in test sessions
• Johnson stats
• O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals event details
Center Line, Mich. — Team Mopar® driver Allen Johnson has launched himself to a stout start in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock series, claiming the fourth spot in the early points’ battle. But the Greeneville, Tenn., native won’t be content until he becomes a familiar guest in the winner’s circle on Sundays. He plans to pay his first ’08 visit to victory lane at this weekend’s O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston.
“We’ve had a lot better start [than 2007], and we are consistent, but I feel like we’ve already given away two rounds this year, and we should have been in a final, at least,” said Johnson, pilot of the HEMI®-powered Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T. Johnson added, “We’ve got to get better on Sunday. We’ve had a car that could have won every race this year and we’ve been going out in the second round. It’s just not acceptable.”
Johnson advanced to the finals at the 2007 Houston event, finishing runner-up to Jason Line. The Pro Stock veteran is focused on one-upping his performance from last year.
“We’ve always done well there,” said Johnson. “We’ve got a lot of fans there in Houston. The track is sort of like Gainesville — it’s always fast. It seems like we adapt to it pretty well. We’re happy to go back there and see a lot of old friends and complete what we didn’t complete last year.”
Johnson is ready to get ‘hot and grimy’ in test sessions
Johnson has been automatic in qualifying, starting no worse than fifth in the first three events and capturing his fourth career No. 1 qualifier award at the Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals in late February. The Team Mopar driver’s troubles, unfortunately, have come at a most inopportune time — on race day.
“When the track is good, we perform really well. On Sunday, when the track gets a little marginal, it seems to be our foe,” remarked Johnson. “We’re going to test this week at a track near Houston, and try to set it up hot and grimy like we had at Gainesville, and get better on conditions like that. That’s what we are working on.”
Johnson is very mindful of the urgent need to meld his consistency in qualifying with successful race set-ups.
“We’ll keep going and hopefully qualify well and put ourselves in a position to win a couple of rounds every race, and hope that consistency pays off,” Johnson said. “My goal this year is to win five races, and I feel like we’ve already let at least one get away from us. I don’t want to do that anymore. We’ve got to step it up.”
Johnson stats
• Moved to fourth in the NHRA Pro Stock points standings following the NHRA Gatornationals
• Runner-up at the 2007 Houston event
• Qualified no worse than fifth in the first three 2008 NHRA POWERade events
• Claimed his fourth career No. 1 qualifier award at 2008 Phoenix event
• Has a 4-3 round win record through three events
• Reached the semifinals in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.
• Finished fourth in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock points standings
• One of only four Pro Stock drivers to qualify for the inaugural NHRA Countdown to 1 title playoff
• Captured his 5th-career win at the 28th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals in July 2007
• Posted two runner-up finishes in 2007
• Advanced to 12 career final rounds
O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals event details
The O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals is scheduled for March 28–30 at Houston Raceway Park. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise qualifying coverage on March 29 from 4:30 to 5 p.m. and from 10 to 11 p.m. Eliminations coverage will air from 4:30 to 7 p.m., on Sunday, March 30 (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more info on the NHRA, log on to NHRA.com.
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.
Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also 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.
Today, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler Engineering standards.
