No.1 Qualifier Position for Johnson Jr. and 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car at NHRA New England Nationals
Tommy Johnson Jr. drives Make-A-Wish 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car to No.1 qualifier position at 3rd Annual NHRA New England Nationals
Johnson Jr. drives quickest Funny Car in two of four qualifying sessions and earns a total of ten bonus points
Top Mopar Pro Stock qualifier Allen Johnson puts his “Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar” Dodge Dart eighth for eliminations at New England Dragway
Epping, New Hampshire (Saturday, June 13, 2015) – Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) driver Tommy Johnson Jr. qualified in the top spot of the Funny Car eliminations ladder aboard his Make-A-Wish 2015 Dodge Charger R/T for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) New England Nationals. Johnson Jr. earned his first No.1 qualifier position of the year in his Mopar on Friday evening with a stellar elapsed time pass of 4.047 seconds at 319.35 mph.
Johnson Jr. followed it up on Saturday with two nearly identical runs of 4.133 seconds/307.79 mph and 4.134 seconds/309.63 mph for the quickest run of the third session and second quickest of the fourth at New England Dragway and earned a total of 10 bonus points for his qualifying efforts. He will face Bob Tasca III in the first round.
“The runs we made today were, in my opinion, more impressive than what we ran yesterday,” said Johnson Jr., about the pass that earned him his 11th career pole position. “Last night, a lot of guys ran quick and we ran just a little quicker, but to go out there today and run (4.13 second) two consistent passes in a row in these hot conditions makes you confident in your car. I was happy last night, but I am thrilled today.”
After posting his third win of the season last weekend at the NHRA Summernationals in Englishtown, New Jersey, Matt Hagan put his Rocky Boots Mopar Express Lane 2015 Dodge Charger R/T in the sixth spot with his best run of 4.070/318.24 under the Friday night lights. The Funny Car points leader will meet up with his DSR teammate and 11th seed Jack Beckman in the opening round of Sunday’s eliminations.
Last year’s winner at New England Dragway, Ron Capps, is second in the points behind Hagan with two wins this season and will start eliminations from the ninth place spot on the ladder with his 4.081/315.42 effort. He will have Alexis DeJoria as his first round opponent.
Pro Stock winner of the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals and last week’s runner-up finisher in Englishtown, Allen Johnson is chasing his first win this season from the eight place spot on the eliminations ladder after a best lap of 6.563/212.26. Johnson’s Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar Dodge Dart will face off against Larry Morgan in the first round.
V. Gaines will start from the 13th spot after his Dodge Dart posted a 6.643/ 211.00 and will have Erica Enders as his first round opponent. The third HEMI-powered entry in this weeken’s competition is the Dodge Avenger of Alan Prusiensky who will start from the 14th spot in his fourth career Pro Stock start. He’ll see Jason Line in the opening round. Chris McGaha was the Pro Stock No.1 qualifier with a lap of 6.520/212.66.