Roy Johnson, father of Pro Stocker racer Allen Johnson, says his son gets his competitive spirit honestly – from his mother Revonda.

“She’s just as competitive of a spirit as I am,” said the elder Johnson, whose talents as an engine builder are showcased by his son’s front-running Mopar.

Johnson began racing in the 1960s and concluded his career in 1986. The Greeneville, Tenn.-based native primarily raced IHRA competition because that was the predominant series in the region. He won two world championships and finished runner-up twice. His success was garnered during consecutive seasons beginning in 1975.

Roy Johnson, father of Pro Stocker racer Allen Johnson, says his son gets his competitive spirit honestly – from his mother Revonda.

“She’s just as competitive of a spirit as I am,” said the elder Johnson, whose talents as an engine builder are showcased by his son’s front-running Mopar.

Johnson began racing in the 1960s and concluded his career in 1986. The Greeneville, Tenn.-based native primarily raced IHRA competition because that was the predominant series in the region. He won two world championships and finished runner-up twice. His success was garnered during consecutive seasons beginning in 1975.

Two years ago Johnson suffered a heart attack while working at the NHRA CSK Nationals in Phoenix, Az., which proved to be a significant setback, it has not slowed the determined engine builder. He still has the same competitive fire burning, even to the point he’d like to take a run at racing again, but only on his terms.

Each time his son has broached the super, the father has declined.

“Yeah he’s tried and even offer up the chance,” said Johnson, as he looked over the team’s Mopar-sponsored Pro Stocker. “I wouldn’t mind a Stocker or Super Stocker. Like one of those Hemi Challengers.”

Johnson even noticed Top Fuel legend Don Garlits competing in one of those Hemi Challengers over the course of the Indy weekend.

“I doubt I could pull off a .007 light like he did,” Johnson said. “I’d probably go red.”

This idea of racing on a casual nature is nothing new for Johnson, whose last racing experience was in Competition Eliminator. He’s been in talks with former Pro Stock Motorcycle team owner George Bryce about driving one of his forthcoming Hemi Super Stock 1968 Barracudas. That project is on hold for now.

Until that day arrives, he’s channeling his energies into making the team’s 500-inch Pro Stock engines run quicker than ever, the best way he knows how. Johnson learned how to build engines the old school way and perfected them in the modern era.

“Back in the early days we didn’t even have a dyno,” Johnson said. “I just used the seat of my pants and the work of my hands to advance our team.”

He might not use the seat of his pants to make a car run quicker anymore, but that doesn’t prevent the application of old school technology in the current mix.

“You’d be amazed at the old thoughts that still works today,” Johnson pointed out. “It comes down to when you get down to figuring out what is wrong you look back at something that went wrong years ago and you see a parallel. You use that as a tool.”

Experience has always been a great tool for Johnson. Whether he races or not, one thing is for certain when it comes to Johnson, he’s happy living vicariously through his son.

“It was a dream I always wanted to do and I am just happy living it through him,” Johnson said. “The first time Allen got in a car, he was as good as I was … he grew up with me and watched me race and learned how to do it all … he learned from my screw-ups what not to do. I think he was as good as I was from the get go and he’s only taken it further.

“I didn’t have the resources to do any of this [Pro Stock racing] but we always made the best of what we had to work with.”  

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