All posts by ARP Trish

Chevy Racing-NASCAR–Talladega Post Race

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
GEICO 500
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MAY 1, 2016

AUSTIN DILLON LEADS TEAM CHEVY WITH THIRD-PLACE FINISH AT TALLADEGA
Caution Filled Race Ends with Six Chevrolet SS Drivers in Top 10

TALLADEGA, Al. (May 1, 2016) – Austin Dillon guided the iconic No. 3 Dow – Energy & Water/Intellifresh Chevrolet SS to give Team Chevy a third-place finish in a crash-laden GEICO 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, the 10th round in the 2016 season. The third place finish did not come easy. Dillon was involved a multi-car accident on lap 97, but the No. 3 team never gave up and made 16 trips to pit road to fix crash damage. In the waning laps, the 26-year-old driver used the draft to inch his way closer to the lead spot and gave his team a shot at the victory. Dillon led the parade of six Chevrolet SS drivers to a 3-4-5-6-7-8 finish. Continue reading Chevy Racing-NASCAR–Talladega Post Race

Troy Coughlin Sr. races to Houston semifinals in JEGS.com Pro Mod

Troy Coughlin Sr. races to Houston semifinals in JEGS.com Pro Mod
HOUSTON (May 1) — Troy Coughlin Sr. and the JEGS.com Pro Mod team stepped up with a semifinal finish in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Racing Series race as part of the 29th annual SpringNationals this weekend at Royal Purple Raceway.

Coughlin rebounded from a tough season-opener in Gainesville, Fla., to qualify No. 2 and race to the semifinals in Houston. Continue reading Troy Coughlin Sr. races to Houston semifinals in JEGS.com Pro Mod

Allen Johnson Drives Marathon Petroleum Dodge to Semifinal Round

ALLEN JOHNSON
MARATHON PETROLEUM/J&J RACING DODGE DART GT
RACE REPORT: 29TH ANNUAL NHRA SPRINGNATIONALS
ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY
APRIL 29-MAY 1

Allen Johnson Drives Marathon Petroleum Dodge to Semifinal Round

BAYTOWN, T.X. (MAY 1, 2016) – Allen Johnson went to the semifinal round today at the 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals in his Marathon Petroleum Co./J&J Racing Dodge Dart GT.

Beginning the day in the No. 5 spot gave Johnson lane choice advantage over Shane Gray in the first round of eliminations. At the starting line, Johnson had a .027-second reaction time over Gray’s .040 and drove ahead of Gray the entire length of the racetrack as he went through the top end at 6.635-seconds at 208.46 mph. That 6.635-second pass was the third quickest of the round and guaranteed the Marathon Petroleum team lane choice again over Drew Skillman. Continue reading Allen Johnson Drives Marathon Petroleum Dodge to Semifinal Round

Richard Childress Racing–Talladega 500

Team Work Helps Austin Dillon Earn Career-Best NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Finish in Dow Energy and Water Intellifresh Russell Chevrolet

“I had a really good run. My car was actually dragging enough from damage from an earlier wreck that the No. 1 could stick to my bumper and he gave me a heck of a push all the way through turns three and four. When he did that, I knew that we were going to have a shot at the win but as soon as I pulled out my car kind of became a parachute. I knew I had to take a shot at it though. I wanted to have a shot to win. Hats off to these guys. They fought so hard today. We made 15 pit stops. That’s amazing. The car was killed and to come home with a top-three finish is just amazing. This Dow Energy and Water Intellifresh team never panicked today. We’ve panicked a lot this year in certain situations and today was smooth and calm. They handled every situation they were put through. It was team work.” Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Talladega 500

CORVETTE RACING AT MONTEREY: GTLM Points Lead Heading to Le Mans

CORVETTE RACING AT MONTEREY: GTLM Points Lead Heading to Le Mans
Visit Florida Racing, No. 31 Action Express Racing Corvette DPs on overall podium

Fuel strategy nearly pays off for Garcia, Magnussen
Gavin, Milner retain GTLM points battle despite pit penalty
Goossens, Dalziel second after starting from pit lane

MONTEREY, Calif. (May 1, 2016) – Corvette Racing ended its early-season IMSA campaign with fourth- and seventh-place finishes in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class in the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix, results that were good enough for America’s premier GT racing team and Chevrolet to retain their Driver, Manufacturer and Team points lead heading to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT MONTEREY: GTLM Points Lead Heading to Le Mans

Chevy Racing–NHRA–Springnationals

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA SPRINGNATIONALS
ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY, BAYTOWN, TEXAS
MAY 1, 2016

TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES:

RACE WINNERS:
An interview with Funny Car winner COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, TRAXXAS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS:

Q: This is not only your first win of the season but the first with your brother-in-law as crew chief.

COURTNEY FORCE: “It’s a lot of fun working with my brother-in-law Dan Hood and Ronny Thompson – both of them tuning my race car. It’s such a great team and all they guys work really hard. I’m just lucky to be a part of it. It’s amazing to get this win. It seems a lot harder than the first one and took a lot longer, but definitely worth it. I felt we fought hard and it definitely feels good to win here in Texas.”

Q: That victory gives you a tie for the points lead. There’s a little bit of mojo going forward.

COURTNEY FORCE: My sister Brittany is in the points lead in Top Fuel and I’m tied for the points lead in Funny Car with Tim Wilkerson, and it’s pretty unbelievable. Just to be out here with my sister Brittany and my dad (Funny Car driver and team owner John Force) doing what we love to do because of all the sponsors is great.

An interview with Pro Stock winner GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS:

Q: You’re the only guy to beat your teammate (Jason Line) this year. What do you have over him?

GREG ANDERSON: He is a tough competitor, a tough one. Somebody just reached down and let my foot off that clutch. I don’t know how that happened. I do not want a rerun. It’s in the books; we got the victory. I feel just a little bit bad for him, but I’ll get over it. OK, I’m over it.

Q: Last year was a bit of a comeback year after the heart surgery and then a lot of turmoil in the offseason with the electronic fuel injection. But it’s come up roses for your team. How do you account for that?

GREG ANDERSON: Just a lot of hard work, and I couldn’t be more proud of this team. The car has been a dream to drive all weekend, and it’s a 100 percent team effort. And I can’t thank the fans enough today. I don’t know what it was like in your world, but it was sunshine in my world.

TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “Houston was tough for us this week. We struggled a little bit in qualifying battling this weather that has been back and forth. We need to get out of the first round, but we leave with the points lead and that’s probably the most important. We’ll try to keep that momentum (at Atlanta) and stay up there and hopefully improve.”

FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS PEAK CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (on daughter Courtney winning Funny Car final): “I’m really proud of her. There’s a lot of pressure put on her at 27. (about his car) I’m struggling with my own seat in the car with a new team. It’s like I’m learning all over again in this car.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AAA TEXAS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “We’ve had a lot of success at (next race) Atlanta. I’ve won that race quite a few times and been runner-up a few times. All I can say is I wish it was next weekend. After a loss like today and losing the points lead I want to get right back at it and get the points lead back. We’re a better team than the last two races have shown.”

PRO STOCK:
DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN RACING, RAY SKILLMAN RACING CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “In the first round I darn near crashed the car and the second round I have a transmission failure. It’s shaping up to be one of those years. It’s frustrating but we’re trucking along. We’re getting a little better. We (as a team) sat down this weekend and talked about where we need to go next. We’re ready to keep moving.”
SHANE GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE/NOVA SERVICES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “It’s frustrating, but we’re not going to throw our hands in the air and give up. Nobody said this was easy, and it sure hasn’t been this year. But we’re not going to stop until we get it figured out. I’ve got some really smart guys on this team, and we’ll keep working on it. I truly believe we have plenty of power under the hood. Our guys back in the engine shop have been working extremely hard building good motors. We have the power; we just need to get it to the racetrack better. There’s only one way to get better, and that’s to keep working. We’re not afraid of that. If we can match the early numbers to the late numbers, we’ll be right there. I know we can.”

CHRIS MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “First round was great especially since it was against Mopar. The fact that we took out Mopar is big. Winning on a holeshot against the Mopar car was awesome for Chevrolet. Second round we made a few little changes and was going try to go out there and make the same run as E1, if not better, and it didn’t work out. I was on the wrong side of the green and then we shook. We lost as a team.”

Honda Racing–Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix

Honda Racing Report
Sunday, May 1, 2016

Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix
Circuit: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (2.238-mile road course) Monterey, CA
Weather: Sunny, mild, 75 degrees F

Honda, Michael Shank Racing Win in Monterey
• Ozz Negri, John Pew pilot Ligier-Honda to victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
• Third WeatherTech SportsCar Championship win in four races for Honda in 2016
• Honda extends lead in IMSA Manufacturers’ Championship

Michael Shank Racing, with drivers Ozz Negri and John Pew, brought its Ligier-Honda to Victory Circle Sunday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, scoring its first triumph – and the third win for Honda – in four 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events. Continue reading Honda Racing–Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega Post Race

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
GEICO 500
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
MAY 1, 2016

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW- ENERGY&WATER/INTELLIFRESH CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 3RD
“My car was actually probably dragging; the No. 1 (Jamie McMurray) could stick to my back bumper and he gave me a heck of a push all the way through (Turns) 3 and 4 and when he did that, I knew we were going to have a shot at it. But as soon as I pulled out, it was kind of a parachute but I had to make a shot at it. I wanted to have a shot at the win. If I would have pushed the No. 18 (Kyle Busch), he might have beaten the No. 2 (Brad Keselowski), I don’t know. But hat’s off to these guys. They fought so hard. We pitted 15 times, they said. That’s amazing. The car was killed, and to come home with a third place finish we’ve got to thank the good Lord above.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega Post Race

Jeg Coughlin Jr. sees red in first-round defeat in Houston

Jeg Coughlin Jr. sees red in
first-round defeat in Houston
HOUSTON (May 1) — Jeg Coughlin Jr. said the magic words after a first-round defeat with his Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar/JEGS.com Dodge Dart at the 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals on Sunday at Royal Purple Raceway: “When it rains, it pours.”

Coughlin wasn’t referring to rain that plagued Sunday’s eliminations but instead to a recent turn of fortunes for his Elite Motorsports.

“Something’s made a turn in our program starting in Vegas,” Coughlin said. “We weren’t the fastest cars out there, but we’ve slowed down some. We’ve got a great team and good bunch of guys. We’re struggling to figure it out.” Continue reading Jeg Coughlin Jr. sees red in first-round defeat in Houston

Pro Stock champ Erica Enders can’t bring home another Houston win

Pro Stock champ Erica Enders can’t bring home another Houston win
HOUSTON (May 1) — The 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals this weekend at Royal Purple Raceway didn’t go exactly as Erica Enders had hoped, and it certainly didn’t go as well as the 2014 and 2015 races for the two-time Pro Stock champion.

Enders, who won her home race here the last two years, fell in the first round in 2016 with her ShirleysKids.org/Elite Motorsports Dodge Dart.

“Winning only makes you want to win more, and when you don’t you’re clearly disappointed,” Enders said. “We’ve had a lot of fun here the last couple of years, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be this time around. That’s OK; it only makes all of us fight that much harder to get back to the winner’s circle.” Continue reading Pro Stock champ Erica Enders can’t bring home another Houston win

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Race Notes

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
GEICO 500
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
MAY 1, 2016

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – INVOLVED IN A MULTI-CAR CRASH ON LAP 51

ON WHAT HAPPENED:
“We had a real bad problem at the first run, the splitter was on the ground real bad. I was really tight and couldn’t run anywhere, but up against the wall. We made some adjustments to help the car and the splitter was still on the ground really bad. I got in a bad area with the wind and the air and it just got loose and spun out. The same thing that happened at Daytona to us. We just got to look at what we are doing on our adjustments and try not to do that.”

‘We were real tight. The splitter was on the ground real bad the whole first run and we took some rounds out of the back and that really made the car too loose off the corner. Same thing we did at Daytona. We’ve just go to look at our adjustments a little bit different.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Race Notes

Steady Progress for Mopar in Qualifying at NHRA SpringNationals in Houston

Steady Progress for Mopar in Qualifying at NHRA SpringNationals in Houston

· Ron Capps and Allen Johnson lead the Mopars in Funny Car and Pro Stock qualifying respectively at the 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals
· Capps’ DSR Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car earns sixth seeded position with 3.953 second run at 321.27 mph at Royal Purple Raceway
· DSR driver Matt Hagan takes his special paint scheme Pennzoil Mopar to a speed of 327.43 mph in qualifying at Houston
· Johnson drives HEMI-powered Mopar into the top-five in Pro Stock qualifying
· Chance for Mopar to double up on Stock and Super Stock title wins on Sunday in Sportsman Racing Continue reading Steady Progress for Mopar in Qualifying at NHRA SpringNationals in Houston

Two-time Pro Stock champ Erica Enders gunning for Houston three-peat

Two-time Pro Stock champ Erica Enders gunning for Houston three-peat
HOUSTON (April 30) — Racing in her home state of Texas always puts a smile on the face of two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders. So does going fast with her Elite Motorsports/Mopar Dodge, which she did in qualifying for the 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals on Friday at Royal Purple Raceway.

Enders grabbed the No. 6 spot — her second-best qualifying position of the season — with a pass of 6.635 seconds at 209.14 mph. Continue reading Two-time Pro Stock champ Erica Enders gunning for Houston three-peat

CORVETTE RACING AT MONTEREY: Second Row Start for Milner in GTLM

CORVETTE RACING AT MONTEREY: Second Row Start for Milner in GTLM
Cameron, R. Taylor fill up all-Corvette DP second row in Prototype

Magnussen to line up behind teammate in No. 3 Corvette C7.R
Three Monterey class wins in last four years for both Corvette Racing, Corvette DP
Corvette Racing with 99 victories in program history

MONTEREY, Calif. (April 30, 2016) – Corvette Racing will challenge for its fourth class victory in five tries at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday from the second and third rows of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) grid for the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Monterey. Tommy Milner qualified the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R fourth in class Saturday with a lap of 1:23.385 (96.622 mph). Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT MONTEREY: Second Row Start for Milner in GTLM

Troy Coughlin Sr., JEGS.com Pro Mod team heating up Houston

Troy Coughlin Sr., JEGS.com Pro Mod team heating up Houston
HOUSTON (April 30) — The best way for JEGS.com Pro Mod driver Troy Coughlin Sr. to beat the Texas heat is to keep winning rounds.

With temperatures approaching 90 degrees, Coughlin raced to the second round of the 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals on Saturday at Royal Purple Raceway. The No. 2 qualifier, Coughlin hopes to go some more rounds Sunday when the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Racing Series event is slated to conclude.

“(Crew chief) Steve, Mike (Rees), and Kyle (Pettis) went down to Dallas and tested for a couple days and figured out a couple of things on the car,” Coughlin said. “We’re just trying to get a little closer than we were going into Gainesville. The test session was pretty good for the JEGS.com car. We’re coming in here swinging hard.”

Coughlin was one of only two drivers to qualify better than 5.8 seconds when he snared the No. 2 spot with a pass of 5.798 seconds at 255.92 mph. In the final qualifying session, Coughlin and the JEGS.com team made some adjustments for the heat, but the car shook the tires and Coughlin lifted early.

“Q3, we tried to run it pretty hard to see what it would run in the heat,” Coughlin said. “We saw it didn’t like it, so we kinda put it back to try and calm things down, but the track stayed the same. We’ll take it. It’s a round-win, and we’ll have her tuned up for tomorrow.”

Facing alternate Jeff Naiser in the first round of eliminations on Saturday, Coughlin left first and made a pass of 5.917 seconds at 254.28 mph to get the win. Naiser’s run was 6.465 seconds at 239.65 mph.

Coughlin will race No. 7 qualifier Khalid alBalooshi, who beat Danny Rowe in E1, in the second round on Sunday.

Coughlin and his crew will be ready, thanks to “a lot of hydration” this weekend.

“We’re staying back in the pit area instead of going out and about,” Coughlin said. “We’re trying to stay focused and tuned in on what’s going on to try and win the race.

“They work pretty hard. They’re a five-star army over here, for sure. Everyone wants to win, and we’re trying to put our best foot forward. It’s showing.”

Richard Childress Racing–Talladega–Sparks Energy 300

Austin Dillon Survives Last Lap Melee to Earn Sixth Place Finish in Rheem Chevrolet and take Control of Owner’s Point Standings

“It’ pretty difficult to put yourself in position in those closing laps. You want to be there but you really never know what the best position is. Sometimes second or third is the best. Coming to the line first takes a lot of luck at these places. I had some help at the end with my teammate Brendan Gaughan in the No. 62 South Point Chevrolet but we really couldn’t go. I was watching the outside line coming to the checker flag but it just never had enough momentum. I just kept pushing Jeremy Clements in the No. 51 and it worked out. We ended up sixth. Congratulations to Jeremy Clements. That was probably his best finish so that was pretty awesome for him. I just want to thank Rheem again for this opportunity each and every week. I’m having a good time.”
Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Talladega–Sparks Energy 300

QUALIFYING HAS JFR SET UP FOR SUCCESS AT SPRINGNATIONALS

QUALIFYING HAS JFR SET UP FOR SUCCESS AT SPRINGNATIONALS

BAYTOWN, TX – Courtney Force wrapped up Houston qualifying at the NHRA SpringNationals in the No. 3 position and drew a first round match-up against Bob Bode for race day. Her best qualifying pass was 3.915 ET at 320.66 mph in Q2 on Friday night when track and weather conditions were in their prime. The Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver picked up one bonus point for making the third-quickest pass of Q2 to nab the No. 3 starting spot.

“Our Traxxas team showed pretty good performance out here in Houston, qualifying in the No. 3 spot and even made a great run in the heat of the day. A lot of cars were struggling to get down on a 130 degree track out there. I think it’s the hottest track we’ve had all year,” said Force.

Force has qualified in the top four at the last five races. She has qualified in the top half of the field at every event so far this season and gone into race day with lane choice. She has only raced Bob Bode once in previous events; two races ago at the NHRA DENSO Spark Plugs Nationals at Las Vegas. She is 1-0 to the veteran driver. Continue reading QUALIFYING HAS JFR SET UP FOR SUCCESS AT SPRINGNATIONALS

CHEVROLET RACING – NHRA AT HOUSTON

CHEVROLET RACING – NHRA AT HOUSTON
29TH ANNUAL NHRA SPRINGNATIONALS
ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY
BAYTOWN, TEXAS
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP
APRIL 30, 2016

BAYTOWN, Texas – After four rounds of qualifying, Greg Anderson in the Summit Racing Equipment KB Racing Camaro SS captured his third Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier spot of the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The four-time champion’s run of 6.589 secs/210.70 mph laid down in Round Two of qualifying for the 29th annual Spring Nationals stood to hold the top spot for the remainder of qualifying. Anderson has a bye for Sunday’s Round One of final eliminations. Anderson’s teammate Jason Line put up a hard charge and claimed the second position in the final order.

Team Chevy drivers qualifying positions in Pro Stock:
1. Greg Anderson Summit Racing Equipment Camaro SS 6.589 210.70
2. Jason Line Summit Racing Equipment Camaro SS 6.590 210.28
3. Bo Butner Jim Butner Auto Camaro SS 6.623 209.88
4. Drew Skillman Ray Skillman Chevy Camaro SS 6.632 209.01
7. Vincent Nobile Mountain View Tire Camaro SS 6.639 208.49
8. Alex Laughlin Gas Monkey Garage/360 Wraps Camaro 6.644 209.07
9. Chris McGaha Harlow Sammons of Odessa Camaro SS 6.646 208.39
10. Shane Gray Gray Manufacturing Tech Camaro SS 6.653 209.07
12. Aaron Strong Strong Trucking/FigSpeed Camaro SS 6.683 207.21

In Funny Car, Courtney Force led the John Force Racing contingent in her Traxxas Camaro SS with a pass of 3.915 sec/320.66 mph. She will face Bob Bode in first round Sunday. Tim Wilkerson claimed the No, 1 qualifier spot.

John Force Racing Camaro SS driver in Funny Car drivers after four rounds of qualifying:
3. Courtney Force Traxxas Camaro SS 3.915 320.66
5. Robert Hight AAA Texas Camaro SS 3.953 324.98
10. John Force Advance Auto Parts PEAK Camaro SS 4.005 322.11

Two-time Top Fuel winner Brittany Force, the most recent at the Four-Wide Nationals last weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, piloted her Monster Energy Chevrolet John Force Racing Top Fuel dragster to seventh in the final order for Sunday’s eliminations with a pass of 3.761 sec/307.30 mph. Steve Torrence is No. 1 qualifier.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. hoping a fifth Houston title is in the cards at this year’s SpringNationals

Jeg Coughlin Jr. hoping a fifth Houston title is in the cards at this year’s SpringNationals
HOUSTON (April 30) — Five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. secured the No. 11 starting spot for Sunday’s elimination action at the 29th annual NHRA SpringNationals with a best pass of 6.655 at 207.91 mph on a challenging Royal Purple Raceway.

Battling humidity and overnight rain storms that only exacerbated issues with the track surface, Coughlin and his Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar/JEGS.com Dodge Dart race team are doing their best to prepare a race car capable of scoring what would be Coughlin’s fifth Pro Stock trophy at this facility. He previously won here in 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2010. Continue reading Jeg Coughlin Jr. hoping a fifth Houston title is in the cards at this year’s SpringNationals

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

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.”