Team Mopar Driver Allen Johnson Looks Forward to Going Four-Wide at Charlotte

    Johnson to take part in Team Mopar autograph signing at NHRA 4-Wide Nationals

Auburn Hills, Mich. — Team Mopar® driver Allen Johnson faces a daunting task each and every time he lines up for an NHRA Pro Stock event, with the best competition in the world staring at him in the next lane. This weekend, he’ll have three competitors awaiting him as he looks to advance to the next round and ultimately pick up the event victory and add his name to the record books as just the second Pro Stock driver in history to win at the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, scheduled for April 14–17.

The Mopar Dodge Avenger driver heads into the 4-Wide Nationals fresh off his first round win of the season two weeks ago in Las Vegas. Johnson qualified third in his self-owned J&J Racing machine and broke into the Top-10 in the NHRA Pro Stock standings for the first time this season. He’ll look to keep the momentum going as he seeks to close in on his first overall event win of the 2011 campaign at Charlotte.

“I look forward to Charlotte in a way because it’s a challenge for the driver to do everything correctly and not screw up your run,” said Johnson of the 4-Wide Nationals. “I like a challenge. We’ve got our momentum going here and hopefully nothing throws a monkey wrench in it to slow it down. We’re going to take it as a challenge. It’s real fruitful at Charlotte to maintain lane choice and at least stay in those left two lanes. So that’s our big challenge there, to qualify well and maintain lane choice throughout.”

With the 4-Wide Nationals being the only time all season that competitors line up side-by-side-by-side-by-side, Johnson will use the information he gained while testing at zMAX Dragway prior to the Las Vegas event, in addition to the knowledge he has accumulated in the Pro Stock ranks over the last 15 years. Johnson also has a solid outing at the 2010 4-Wide event to draw from, qualifying No. 7 at the inaugural event and advancing from the first round before falling in the semis.

“You’ve got to mentally get it in your head that you’re dealing with four bulbs instead of two. It’s just a mental drill you do in your head,” shared Johnson. “There’s no way to practice for it. In a regular race when both pre-stage bulbs are lit, the first stage bulb is lit and you’ve got seven seconds to get in. At Charlotte, you’re dealing with four pre-stage bulbs. The first person lights the stage bulb, and you’ve got seven seconds to get in. You’ve got four drivers that have to get staged in seven seconds, so it adds some stress, but like I said, you’ve got to take it as being up for the challenge and have fun with it.”