WORKING HIS WAY BACK - Allen Johnson knew he needed to make a strong run out of the gate if he hoped to salvage his 2010 season, both literally and figuratively,

The Pro Stock racer from Greeneville, Tenn., parlayed the quickest “short time” of Friday’s second qualifying session at the NHRA O’Reilly Fall Nationals into the best “long time” to gain the provisional No. 1 qualifying position at 6.632 seconds.

Johnson was the quickest of the Pro Stockers to the 60-foot mark at .979 seconds.

“That’s the part we were missing,” said Johnson, who ran a 6.67 in his first effort.

Johnson is in catch-up mode at an extreme level. Penalized for a positive alcohol test, last weekend at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Nationals in Concord, NC, Johnson was stripped off all points from the event after being disqualified on Saturday.

WORKING HIS WAY BACK - Allen Johnson knew he needed to make a strong run out of the gate if he hoped to salvage his 2010 season, both literally and figuratively,

The Pro Stock racer from Greeneville, Tenn., parlayed the quickest “short time” of Friday’s second qualifying session at the NHRA O’Reilly Fall Nationals into the best “long time” to gain the provisional No. 1 qualifying position at 6.632 seconds.

Johnson was the quickest of the Pro Stockers to the 60-foot mark at .979 seconds.

“That’s the part we were missing,” said Johnson, who ran a 6.67 in his first effort.

Johnson is in catch-up mode at an extreme level. Penalized for a positive alcohol test, last weekend at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Nationals in Concord, NC, Johnson was stripped off all points from the event after being disqualified on Saturday.

Johnson tested .027 in a random drug/alcohol test administered by a third party independent lab. The NHRA maintains a zero tolerance even though Johnson’s reading was below the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle on the street.

Johnson entered this weekend with the full intent of swinging for the fence in every remaining run for the Countdown to 1 playoffs phase of the 2010 season. He has a mission impossible challenge being out of the lead by 196 points.

“We’re coming up there dialed on kill for every run,” Johnson explained. “We’re gunning for solid runs every time we go up there. We have a lot of points to make up.”

Johnson said he spent a lot of time with his team focusing on the task at hand.

“We’re positive and still have this [championship] in sight,” Johnson said. “There’s a sense of racing for redemption this weekend. We know we are going to have to work harder than anyone else out here to get to where we need to be. Everybody is willing to do what it takes to get there.

“Our fan base probably doubled this week. The outpouring of support from the NHRA community has been incredible. Family friends and even NHRA folks have offered their support.”

And for Johnson, some of his best advice came from father Roy Johnson, who builds the engines on his Mopar-sponsored Dodge Avenger.

“You’re always going to get that,” Johnson said of his father and son talks. “He’s wiser than I probably ever will be. It’s just a blip in the road. We’re going to make a positive out of a negative.”

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