Time to Shine

Words: Darren jacobs

The journey to success on the drag strip hasn’t been an easy one for Team Mopar® Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson and his J&J Racing team. The veteran Mopar driver entered NHRA Pro Stock competition as a self-funded driver in the mid-1990s and through hard work watched his team expand and improve each year. Now, the fruits of that labor have been realized as Johnson and his J&J Racing group are earning buzz from many camps in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series as a team to watch out for in the 2009 Pro Stock title chase.

“We started racing in NHRA Pro Stock in 1996 on our own nickel,” said Johnson, owner of J&J Racing. His father, Roy Johnson, acts as engine builder for the team. “We didn’t have one dime of sponsorship during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Dad was the engine builder, crew chief and chief bottle washer. I maintained the clutch. We’ve progressed from zero sponsorship to a fully-funded team. Instead of having two engines, now we have ten. We progressed from dad acting as crew chief to enabling him to focus solely on the engines. We have a partner now, with Johnny Gray’s Mopar-powered team. It’s been a pretty structured progression for us.”

Johnson and his J&J Racing crew have stepped up their performance in the last three years. Johnson has recorded three straight top-ten finishes in the Pro Stock point standings and has qualified for the NHRA Countdown to 1 playoffs in each of the first two years since the NHRA adopted the playoff format. Yet Johnson wasn’t satisfied.

The Greeneville, Tenn. native kicked his J&J Racing team into overdrive following the 2008 season, adding Jeff Perley, a former championship Pro Stock tuner with the KB Racing organization, as co-crew chief to aid respected J&J mainstay Mark Ingersoll. Johnson also added another at-track engine tuner and a machinist with CNC experience at the J&J shop back home in Greeneville to the payroll. The moves brought forth a well spring of positive pre-season buzz regarding Johnson and J&J.

“I think, of course, our past performances over the last few years have definitely been pointing in a positive direction,” said Johnson. “With the addition of Jeff as co-crew chief to an already strong team, coupled with the recent success in engine power gains from our Mopar HEMI® engines, I think people just put two-and-two together. With the buzz, it means we have to do better. I enjoy that added expectation to do better because it makes me perform at a higher level.”

Johnson has definitely measured up to pre-season expectations in the early stages of the 2009 NHRA Pro Stock season. He qualified No. 3 at the first three NHRA events and scored a runner-up finish at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway in March—his best performance ever at the prestigious event. He also earned a semifinals appearance at the season-opening NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., and at press time was second in the Pro Stock standings.

“I think we’re really toe-to-toe with some of the other premier teams out there, like KB Racing and the Cagnazzi team, "said Johnson." We’re definitely in the mix with the elite teams, and that’s a great feeling.”

Two constants have aided Johnson in his rise to the top—his father Roy, and, of course, Mopar power. Johnson began his Pro Stock career behind the wheel of a Mopar-powered car, and Mopar signed up as Johnson’s primary sponsor in 2002. Johnson’s ties to Mopar go back even further. Roy Johnson drove a Super Stock car sponsored by Dodge throughout the ’70s, and when Allen was 18-years-old he ran a second car for his dad in 1978–80 that was sponsored by Dodge.

“We’ve just always driven Mopar-powered cars, it seems,” Johnson said. “When I was young dad drove a Mopar, and all I’ve ever driven as a Pro Stock driver is Mopars. It’s really been great to grow our organization through the years with Mopar as our partner.”

Having his dad as a partner has also played a huge role in Johnson’s success.

“It pays big dividends due to the trust factor,” Johnson remarked. “You’re not worried about him going out and giving away secrets, or changing jobs to get a raise. The other benefit is working with your dad every day, working stuff out together. It’s great to see him excel at something that he wanted to do all of his life.”

Of course, with any relationship, there is some friction.

“Sometimes when you’re struggling a little bit, I might say something like, ‘Dad, did you look at the tune-up to make sure it’s right?’” said Johnson. “Dad will say, ‘You think you can do it better, then do it yourself!’ We’ve had our moments over the years. But that’s like one percent of the time. We’re having fun 99 percent of the time, but also focused and dead serious about winning.”

Maintaining focus is something in which Johnson has experience, considering his dual role as team owner and driver. At which role is Johnson better? “I feel I’m equally good at both,” said AJ. “I don’t try to micromanage people. I like to work in an advisory capacity and watch them succeed. From there I let them manage their own people. I really enjoy working with people. I enjoy giving people opportunities and watching them excel.”

It’s a management style that has served Johnson and his Mopar/J&J Racing team well—and it might just take them to the 2009 NHRA Pro Stock championship.