He may not be the first to achieve the feat, but he’d like to be the fourth.

Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson heads into this weekend’s Fram-Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, CA. with the opportunity to be the one of an   elite number of drivers who has reached the finals in all three stops of the famed NHRA Western Swing.

Only Greg Anderson has done it before in the Pro Stock ranks, sweeping the series in 2004. Johnson lost in the finals of the NHRA Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Co. two weeks ago.

“It would be a real accomplishment to go to the finals at all three stops on the Western Swing,” said Johnson. “Not too many Pro Stock drivers have ever done that. It would be great to add my name to that list, hopefully with a finals win this time as the result.”

Pro Stock racer could become only the fourth to reach the finals in the final leg of Western Swing …
 
He may not be the first to achieve the feat, but he’d like to be the fourth.

Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson heads into this weekend’s Fram-Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, CA. with the opportunity to be the one of an   elite number of drivers who has reached the finals in all three stops of the famed NHRA Western Swing.

Only Greg Anderson has done it before in the Pro Stock ranks, sweeping the series in 2004. Johnson lost in the finals of the NHRA Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Co. two weeks ago.

“It would be a real accomplishment to go to the finals at all three stops on the Western Swing,” said Johnson. “Not too many Pro Stock drivers have ever done that. It would be great to add my name to that list, hopefully with a finals win this time as the result.”

Johnson added, “We’re just racking up points now. To come out of the Western Swing in the top four, we’re going to have to go to the finals at Sonoma. We love it there. The area is beautiful. The whole Western Swing is just a really great experience.”

 

 

I think we’re sort of like a sprinter. The first part of the year we’re trying a lot of stuff. About this time of year we settle in on a really good combination and get the bugs worked out. Then the whole team goes to work on the finish stroke. We’re about to that phase right now, and it would be awesome to start it rolling with a Sonoma victory.

Johnson currently ranks fifth in the points on the strength of the back-to-back final round appearances in Denver and last weekend in Seattle. As fate would have it, last season in Sonoma, Johnson clinched his playoff berth with a semi-final finish.

“I don’t feel really good about saying we’re okay or secure yet,” said Johnson of his chances to lock in a playoff position. “A lot can happen. We have put a lot of distance between us and the tenth spot [the points cutoff for the six-race NHRA Countdown to One playoff, which will be set following the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals next month]. My main goal is to get up there in the top four. That’s our focus right now, just going rounds.”

If you’re trying to gauge Johnson’s racing style and you’re a racer, you might quickly subscribe to the belief that he’s a hard-charger in the lights.

“I think we’re sort of like a sprinter,” said Johnson. “The first part of the year we’re trying a lot of stuff. About this time of year we settle in on a really good combination and get the bugs worked out. Then the whole team goes to work on the finish stroke. We’re about to that phase right now, and it would be awesome to start it rolling with a Sonoma victory.”