Johnson seeks victory in delayed NHRA Arizona Nationals, NHRA Gatornationals
Johnson among Mopar-powered stars to participate in autograph sessions at Gainesville

Auburn Hills, Mich. — Allen Johnson will get a rare opportunity at the 41st Annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway this weekend—the chance to claim two wins at one NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event. The Team Mopar® Pro Stock driver is a threat to win both the postponed elimination rounds of the NHRA Arizona Nationals, which will be contested during qualifying at Gainesville on March 12–13, and the Gatornationals crown on Sunday, March 14.

Johnson has experience in the race-within-a-race format. He won the 2008 K&N Horsepower Challenge during the qualifying rounds of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. The Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger driver hopes to put his prior experience to good use at Gainesville.

“It would obviously be a huge early-season boost to double up and win both the Arizona event and the Gatornationals in one weekend,” said Johnson. “It would be like the K&N Challenge. Gainesville is one of my favorite races, being near spring time. I’ve always wanted to win that race.”

The Greeneville, Tenn. native came close to victory last year, losing in the 2009 Gatornationals final on a close holeshot to Jason Line. Fittingly, Johnson will face Line in the second round of qualifying at Gainesville, which will double as the quarterfinals of the Arizona Nationals.

“I owe him one,” said Johnson, laughing. “It gives me a lot of incentive to do well both on Friday and on Sunday.”

Johnson will begin a three-day test session at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida today to continue to dial in his new Mopar Dodge Avenger. The Team Mopar veteran has already driven his new Mopar HEMI®-powered ride to the semifinals in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals, but is looking for even greater results at Gainesville.

“I think we need to be second [in qualifying], at least,” said Johnson. “If Mike [Edwards, current Pro Stock points leader] stubs his toe just a little bit, I think we can even qualify No. 1. We need to start making better runs during qualifying. We’re gaining on it. This car is a little different. We’ve got a little bit bigger window in the Mopar Dodge Avenger. We’ve got to get on the edge a little more with it. The more seat time I have in it, the better it is going to be. ”

Johnson among Mopar-powered stars to participate in autograph sessions at Gainesville
Allen Johnson will join a number of his fellow Mopar-powered NHRA stars as well as Dodge Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch and Mopar racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits in autograph sessions scheduled to take place at the Mopar Image Center in the manufacturers midway at Gainesville.

Garlits will sign autographs for fans at the Mopar Image Center at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 12. Johnson and Mopar HEMI-powered Pro Stock drivers V. Gaines and Vinnie Deceglie will appear from 10:30–11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 13. NHRA Funny Car racers Ron Capps, Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan and Melanie Troxel will visit for a signing session following the first round of qualifying on Saturday.

Busch will race his 1970 Dodge Challenger in the NHRA Super Gas Sportsman class at Gainesville. The driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Penske Racing Dodge Charger on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will also take part in an autograph session at the Mopar Image Center. The date and time of Busch’s appearance will be available later in the week at http://www.moparspeed.com.

CRETE, Ill. March 8, 2010: It’s hard to hold back a good thing, and Mountain Motor racing has proven to be a very good thing. As the Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association prepares for its inaugural season, there is certainly no holding back.

Elite Motorsports has just been named the title sponsor of the final stop on the MMPSA tour. This event held at Tulsa Raceway Park, October 15-16, will be the culmination of a year of hard work. Here, competitors will battle out for the Championship Crown to determine which driver truly is King of the ‘Mountain’. Drivers will earn points all season long and the Championship will be decided at the Elite Motorsports King of the Mountain Crown.

Elite Motorsports, by now a very familiar name on the mountain motor scene, has stepped up to be the first title sponsor of an MMPSA event, an event which will also be the first to secure TV coverage.

Elite Motorsports is widely known for their field of successful Pro Stock teams (finishing 3rd, 7th, and 8th in 2009 IHRA Pro Stock points standings in 2009), but they are also number one in sales and purchases of complete race operations, as well as a major dealer of race cars, trailers, haulers, engines and more. In 2010 Elite Motorsports expanded upon this to form Elite Performance, which offers complete ride and drive programs, as well as an in-house engine program. Elite Performance offers several options for racer needs by providing, selling and leasing their ride and drive programs and engines. There is hardly a company that more completely offers opportunity in drag racing.

Elite Motorsports is, indeed, an opportunity maker, as evidenced with the announcement of the Elite Motorsports King of the Mountain Crown race at Tulsa Raceway Park, where opportunities will culminate as one driver will be crowned Mountain Motor King.

“We are very excited to be a part of the MMPSA,” said Richard Freeman of Elite Motorsports. “As a Mountain Motor Pro Stock driver myself, I know the appeal of the class. We’re excited to see it take this new direction and want to support the MMPSA and all of its competitors. The Elite Motorsports King of the Mountain Crown should be a very exciting event and we’re looking forward to it.”

Along with the exciting news of the Elite Motorsports King of the Mountain Crown, the MMPSA is thrilled to announce the next step in establishing their brand to the world with a partnership with SPEED TV’s Lucas Oil on the Edge program.

“To say I am thrilled about Elite coming on board would be an understatement,” said Tommy Dupree, Director of Business Development for the MMPSA. “Then you add in the opportunity to partner with one of the most well known motor sports shows on TV. We couldn’t be happier!”

Dupree also added “Tulsa is just the first event to be finalized for TV coverage. Deals are being put together now to include all five events in not only the Lucas Oil shows, but also in the new Fox Sports Network’s Race Freaks.”

TV coverage time and dates will be announced as they come available.

From Celeste Smith
After a long cold/snowy winter, 2010 at Dallas Raceway starts off with a great crowd on hand to see what changes have been made during the off season on 19 Pro Mod teams. After 2 rounds of qualifying, here’s what went down:

#1 Cody Barklage – 3.713 at 200 mph **Track record ET** worth 30 extra bonus points + Low ET and Top MPH of race
#2 Frankie Taylor – 3.796 at 196 mph
#3 Ken Thomas – 3.902 at 185 mph (pushed head gasket out)
#4 Gene Hector – 3.969 at 175 mph (banged blower)
#5 Gaylen Smith – 3.997 at 196 mph
#6 Wes Johnston – 4.045 at 166 mph **10 bonus points for best reaction time**
#7 Michelle Wilson – 4.277 at 169 mph
#8 Nick Williams – 4.280 at 176 mph
#9 Eric Clark – 4.520 at 163 mph
#10 Doug Riesterer – 4.530 at 150 mph
#11 Randell Reid – 4.692 at 84 mph
#12 Steve Wiley – 4.803 at 175 mph
#13 Kayla Morton – 4.960 at 110 mph
#14 Gaylon Gradick – 5.570 at 151 mph
#15 Car #13 ?? – 6.021 at 138 mph (Brandon McKinney??)
#16 Chuck Poindexter – 6.191 at 143 mph
#17 Eddie Roach – 10.357 at 58 mph
#18 Clayton Pool – NT ?
#19 Randy Rencher – NT ?

First Round:

Gaylen Smith (W) 4.401 at 190 mph (-.007 RT)
Eric Clark (RU) NT

Eric Clark filled in for Gene Hector who banged the blower HARD during qualifying and was unable to make the first round call. After the national anthem, Eric was unable to get his fired in the water box giving Gaylen a competition bye run.

Wes Johnston (W) 4.009 at 190 mph (.038 RT)
Ken Thomas (RU) 8.959 at 49 mph (.074 RT)

Immediately after unclutching the Hell Hoss, Ken Thomas went up in tire smoke and just coasted thru meanwhile, Wes was on a great run taking the win.

Frankie Taylor (W) 3.808 at 197 mph (.144 RT)
Michelle Wilson (RU) 4.513 at 132 mph (.074 RT)

Despite the holeshot advantage by Wilson, she was not able to hold off the hard charging Vette in the other lane and Frankie claims the win.

Cody Barklage (W) 4.097 at 178 mph (.090 RT)
Nick Williams (RU) 4.333 at 173 mph (.094 RT)

Cody was in and out of the throttle but manages enough for the win.

Semi-Finals:

Frankie Taylor (W) 3.798 at 196 mph (.084 RT)
Wes Johnston (RU) 3.997 at 198 mph (.026 RT) **10 points)

Wes did what he was supposed to do and got the light, but Frankie was on a mission and overcomes the holeshot by Johnston to claim the victory.

Gaylen Smith (W) 4.141 at 165 mph (.097 RT)
Cody Barklage (RU) 6.567 at 72 mph (.068 RT)

Cody white smoked the tires at the hit of the throttle and Gaylen was able to corral the Hell Fish down his lane for the win.

Finals:

Frankie Taylor (W) 10.745 at 55 mph (.768 RT)
Gaylen Smith (RU) NT

I pulled Gaylen into the 1st light and ran to the back of the car and turned around to watch the race and his red light was on. Apparently the auto start timed Gaylen out.

Congratulations to Frankie Taylor and team for your victory and also to Team TBH for your runner-up finish. Great job guys.

Cody Barklage got low ET (5 points) and TOP mph (5 points) and also 30 points for track record ET. He did not get the track record MPH because Gaylen still holds that record with a 201.19 mph from last year.