When you’re a race car driver you’ll get advice from random drivers.

Friday afternoon, after his first day of driving a race car in 15 years was complete, Roy Johnson took a phone call from a longtime friend.

Johnson, who is the father of Pro Stock standout Allen Johnson, is racing in this weekend’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Stock Eliminator. The call was from drag racing school instructor Roy Hill.

“Hold it wide open. Go fast. Don't leave to early,” said Johnson when asked what advice he received.

When you’re a race car driver you’ll get advice from random drivers.

Friday afternoon, after his first day of driving a race car in 15 years was complete, Roy Johnson took a phone call from a longtime friend.

Johnson, who is the father of Pro Stock standout Allen Johnson, is racing in this weekend’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Stock Eliminator. The call was from drag racing school instructor Roy Hill.

“Hold it wide open. Go fast. Don't leave to early,” said Johnson when asked what advice he received.

Actually Johnson was already ahead of Hill’s advice. He red-lighted in the second round of F/Stock Automatic preliminary class eliminations. Class eliminations at NHRA events are a throwback to the older days when class eliminations determined who earned the right to compete in final eliminations. Even though Johnson fouled in class runoffs, he’ll race in eliminations by virtue of his No. 2 qualifying position, -1.22 seconds quicker than his class index.

Johnson lost his opportunity to snag a trophy by losing to Eric Merryfield, who is qualified No. 1 headed into Saturday.

“Well two runs he ran quicker, but the rest of the time I had him covered,” Johnson beamed. “And, that run I covered him too, but I didn't know that before we went. I thought he might be sandbagging, so I had to go for it.”

Johnson learned after 15 years, drag racing can be similar to organized crime, where a participant can never leave.

“I've never been able to,” admitted Johnson. “I thought I quit ten years. I did quit ten years and now I have been 15 years back. Enjoyed every minute of it. Now, I am kinda wanting to learn how to drive this car properly.”

Flashbacks from his old days?

“It pretty much felt like those old days,” Johnson said. “This car, we haven't found the sweet spot, yet. So, it was a lot of chassis, a lot of work to be done if we are going to run it. I don't know if I want to work that hard on a Stocker, or not.”

Moments later, Johnson excused himself from the interview, citing his need to prepare for Saturday because he’s a racer again.