Allen Johnson Gets NHRA Pro Stock Win
AP Photo/King County Journal, David Nelson
Allen Johnson celebrates his first win of the 2006 season in Pro Stock at the NHRA Northwest Nationals Sunday in Kent, Wash.
Source:
The Greeneville Sun
07-24-2006
KENT, Wash. -- Allen Johnson earned his fourth career NHRA Pro Stock victory on Sunday, defeating Tom Martino in the finals of the Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
Johnson finished in 6.767 at 204.63, pulling away from Martino, who lost traction near half track.
“We’ve had the best car for the last four races so this isn’t a big surprise to me,” said Johnson, who defeated Mike Edwards, Greg Stanfield and Warren Johnson in earlier rounds. “We’ve struggled a little with our race day tune-up and we especially stubbed our toe in Denver in the first round but that mistake really taught us what we needed to know to get down these hot, gummy racetracks. If we hadn’t done that there we probably wouldn’t have learned enough to do well here.”
Since Columbus, Johnson has been on the verge. He picked up his first career number one qualifier there and has consistently been in the top part of the qualifying ladder.
That has enabled Johnson to go rounds and move up to seventh in the points standings.
Reigning NHRA POWERade Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher raced to his second victory in his last three starts. Schumacher had little trouble beating Dave Grubnic in the Top Fuel final with a 4.690 at 321.96 mph in his U.S. Army dragster to Grubnic’s 4.761 at 316.75.
It was Schumacher’s 32nd career victory and second at this track.
Whit Bazemore drove his Matco Tools Dodge Charger to the Funny Car win over teammate and series points leader Ron Capps. Bazemore posted a 5.036 at 309.42 to edge Capps’ Brut Charger, which posted a 5.108 at 293.15.
With his runner-up finish, Capps extended his series lead to 88 over John Force, who lost in the first round. The NHRA completes round three of the Western Swing this weekend at Sonoma.
