Marathon Petroleum’s Allen Johnson Saved Best for Last in Qualifying, Positive for Sunday

BAYTOWN, T.X. (April 30, 2016) – Allen Johnson drove his Marathon Petroleum Corporation/ J&J Racing Pro Stock Dodge Dart GT to the No. 5 spot and will race Shane Gray in the first round of eliminations on Sunday morning at the 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals.

In Friday’s first session, Johnson made a solid pass down the track and clocked in with a 6.645-second pass at 207.62 mph. For Friday’s night session, he beat the muggy conditions and improved his time with a 6.635, 208.97.

The Marathon Petroleum team was greeted with sunshine when they arrived to the track on Saturday. With the track temperature reaching 125 degrees when they made their pass first pass of the day, Johnson ran a 6.665, 208.71. Johnson made consistent passes all throughout qualifying but in the final qualifying, he really turned heads when he came out and ran a 6.638, 208.94 in the extreme warm air and track conditions. That was the run the Marathon Petroleum team needed to give them confidence going into raceday.

“You know, we’ve got a pretty good car for a hot track,” said Johnson. “Conditions like this is usually when our car runs the best. On hot, greasy tracks, that’s where we do good.”

Johnson will start raceday in the top half at No. 5 and will have lane choice over Shane Gray in the first round of eliminations.

“I feel pretty positive going into tomorrow,” smiled Johnson. “Shane can cut a light and that team is fast when they make good runs so I gotta go up there and do my job. That’s how I approach everybody I race.”