Download Print Allen Johnson to Unleash New Mopar® Dodge Avenger at 50th Annual Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals Johnson will begin his 15th season on the Pro Stock circuit in a brand-new ride February 8, 2010 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season will see Team Mopar® driver Allen Johnson take the wheel of a fresh yet also familiar ride. The NHRA Pro Stock veteran began his career in 1996 driving a Dodge Avenger and he will happily return to the car that started it all when he pilots his new 2010 Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger in its competition debut at the 50th Annual Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals. The historic event is scheduled to take place Feb. 11–14 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.). Johnson will also celebrate his 15th year on the NHRA Pro Stock circuit in 2010. The J&J Racing team owner and driver’s entire career has been spent behind the wheel of a Mopar-powered pro stocker. He previously competed in a Dodge Avenger from 1996–2000, capturing his first career win in 1999 at Richmond. Johnson is excited to debut his new Mopar HEMI®-powered ride. “It’s a treat to still be with Mopar after all these years and also to be back in the Dodge Avenger,” said Johnson, who finished seventh in the 2009 point standings, his fourth consecutive top-10 points finish. “This new version of the Dodge Avenger puts us in a car that is going to be ultra-competitive as far as aero goes. We’re as good as the other guys. I feel like it’s the best car we’ve ever had. ” Johnson, winner of two events in 2009, the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka and the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver, spent most of his off-season dialing in the Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger. Johnson also teamed up in test sessions with fellow Pro Stocker Vinnie Deceglie. The Mopar-powered Deceglie will campaign in 2010 with Mopar HEMI engines supplied by J&J Racing engine builder Roy Johnson. Deceglie’s team will work closely with the J&J Racing squad and Mark Ingersoll, Allen Johnson’s crew chief. “We will work in tandem with Vinnie’s team,” said Allen Johnson. “They’re planning to run only 15 races, but if we can get Vinnie out strong early and up in the points, they might just do it all year.” Johnson and his J&J Racing crew tuned up for the Winternationals during testing at the Pro Stock Showdown in Las Vegas last weekend, qualifying second in the new Mopar Dodge Avenger with an ET of 6.684. Deceglie was fourth in his Avenger with an ET of 6.709. Johnson believes his Mopar Dodge will be formidable out of the box in its competition debut at Pomona: “The new car will compete just as well as the Dodge Stratus did, right out of the gate at Pomona, if not better.” The Greeneville, Tenn., native is mindful of the legends who have made their mark at the Winternationals. A victory at the event’s historic 50th anniversary would be a “golden” finish to Johnson’s first race in his new ride. “To be part of the 50th anniversary is big for the entire team,” said Johnson. “The first memory I have of the event is looking up the track and seeing the snow-covered mountains, while you’ve got on a short-sleeve shirt. To a Tennessee boy, a country boy, that was pretty awesome. It would be an absolute dream come true to get my first win at Pomona in the new Mopar Dodge Avenger this weekend.” Johnson’s Statistics of Note At Auto Club Raceway at Pomona • Qualified No. 3 and advanced to the semifinals at the 2009 NHRA Winternationals • Posted a runner-up finish at Pomona in the 2003 Winternationals 2009 Season • Clinched a spot in the 2009 NHRA Countdown to 1 six-race playoffs • Captured two 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 semifinal 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 1 in each of first three years since NHRA adopted playoff format in 2007 • Claimed seven career NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock wins • Claimed 188 career round wins • Recorded 17 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 50th Annual Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals The 50th Annual Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals is scheduled to take place Feb. 11–14 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.). Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, Feb. 13, beginning at 11 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, Feb. 14, beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information on the NHRA, log on to http://www.nhra.com. The Mopar Brand: Authentic Motor Parts and Accessories for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram 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. In addition to its proud muscle-car heritage, Mopar established a solid reputation as a one-stop shop for proven, quality-tested, reliable and original parts. Just this year, in 2010, Mopar has introduced more than 100 new parts and accessories. “Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same team that creates all of our factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram vehicles,” said Pietro Gorlier, President & CEO, Mopar Service, Parts & Customer Care, Chrysler Group LLC. “At Mopar, we offer more than 280,000 parts and accessories for customers who want to customize and refresh their rides.” Today, Mopar is responsible for the distribution of authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles sold in more than 90 countries. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler engineering standards. # # # ON THE INTERNET Visit Chrysler’s Media Services Web site at http://www.media.chrysler.com for additional Chrysler and Mopar news. For additional information about Mopar, log on to http://www.mopar.com or http://www.moparspeed.com.