ALLEN JOHNSON
MARATHON PETROLEUM CO./J&J RACING DODGE DART
QUALIFYING REPORT: 47TH ANNUAL AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE RACEWAY
March 18-20, 2016

Marathon Petroleum’s Allen Johnson Enters Gatornationals Raceday in Top Half

Gainesville, Florida (March 19, 2016) – Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Pro Stock racer Allen Johnson continued his consistency in the Pro Stock category with repeated 6.66-second passes throughout qualifying but really shined in the final run before raceday when he jumped up the ladder with a 6.628-second pass at 207.91 mph landing him in the No. 7 spot. Still learning new ways to advance their ET with the fuel injection, Johnson and his Dodge Dart GT are on an upward motion to conquering the new rule changes in the class.

Battling the threat of weather all of Friday, Johnson knew they needed to capitalize on the runs they did get when weather permitted. In Friday’s first session, Johnson drove to a conservative 6.702-second pass at 206.13 mph. Friday’s night session, he powered his Marathon Dodge Dart to an improved 6.662, 206.29.

Mother Nature tried her best to suspend qualifying on Saturday with a constant drizzle but by the afternoon, the track was dry and Pro Stock jumped into action. Johnson ran another consistent 6.669, 206.73. In the final round of qualifying, Johnson and the team made huge gains when they ran a 6.628, 207.91 to move them up to the top half of the field.

“If we would’ve started there, it’s hard telling how good we would’ve been at the end of qualifying,” said Johnson. “We’re just really happy to get on it and make a good run in the last run as we go into eliminations tomorrow.”

Johnson finished qualifying in the No. 7 spot and will have lane choice over Erica Enders-Stevens in the first round.

“I just have to do my job as a driver and that’s the way it is every raceday,” admitted Johnson. “If I don’t do my job, she’s likely to kick my butt so I’m going to go out there and do my job.”