ALLEN JOHNSON
MARATHON PETROLEUM CO./J&J RACING DODGE DART
EVENT PREVIEW: 17TH ANNAUL DENSO SPARK PLUGS NHRA NATIONALS
THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
APRIL 1-3
Allen Johnson Bets on Lucky 13 for the K&N Horsepower Challenge
GREENEVILLE, T.N. (March 29, 2016) – Marathon Petroleum Corporation/J&J Racing Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson makes the trip west for the 17th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals and will also be competing in the prestigious K&N Horsepower Challenge for the thirteenth time in his career.
After a semifinal appearance just a few weeks ago at the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Johnson feels the team left Gainesville Raceway with gained knowledge and high spirits.
“We left Gainesville with a little bit of momentum after going to the semis,” said Johnson. “Hopefully we can go to Las Vegas and start out right where we need to be. We struggled to make a good run until the final round of qualifying in Gainesville so hopefully we can go out there and be right where we want to be. The Marathon Petroleum team has been working really hard since Gainesville; I think they’ve made about 50 to 100 dyno pulls to learn more about the fuel injection and the motors.”
Johnson has taken home the win at this event two times before, 2012 and 2013.
For his 2012 victory, Johnson added himself to an elite few as the eighth driver to ever double-up after he won the K&N Horsepower Challenge on Saturday and came back to win the main event on Sunday. With the bonus K&N Horsepower Challenge on the horizon and $50,000 up for grabs, Johnson is excited to be involved in the shootout-style race with his new sponsor, Marathon Petroleum Corporation.
“To be one of the eight best racers in the country and duke it out for extra money is always a fun deal,” beamed Johnson. “Supporting K&N Filters and being in that group is huge because they’re very important to our class. They’ve been real good to Pro Stock and introducing Marathon Petroleum to the K&N Horsepower Challenge this year is a very big deal to us.”