Melanie Johnson made her competitive debut in the Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) category at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway over the weekend.
Johnson is the daughter of 13-time Top Fuel championship tuner Alan Johnson.
“I’m still wrapping my head around achieving my goals of licensing and racing a Top Alcohol Dragster this year,” Johnson said. “Huge thanks to Rich McPhillips Sr. and Rich McPhillips Jr. for giving me the chance to drive their ‘green car’ and guiding me through the driving procedures. I couldn’t ask for a better group of racers to work with and learn from. Although I would have loved to go more rounds, I’m proud of how I handled the car and all the seat time, learning something from each run.”
Johnson qualified fifth in the 8-car field, running a 5.291-second pass at 274.11 mph during the second qualifying session. In the first elimination round, she faced five-time TAD world champion Joey Severance but lost traction past the 60-foot mark and had to shut off, finishing with a time of 5.309 seconds at 273.44 mph.
Johnson noted her pride in handling the car and learning from each run.
“Although I would have loved to go more rounds, I’m proud of how I handled the car and all the seat time,” she added.
Before the event, Johnson completed two test runs that experienced severe tire shake, but she managed to maintain control. In her first qualifying round, the aggressive set-up car clocked a 0.919 sixty-foot time before drifting, resulting in a 6.759-second pass at 132.99 mph.
In subsequent qualifying sessions, Johnson improved her performance, completing smooth passes with times of 5.291 seconds in Q2 and 5.335 seconds in Q3.
“Overall, it was a solid weekend. Melanie got test laps, qualifying runs, and an elimination round in a tough field,” said Rich McPhillips Jr.
Johnson dedicated this year to competing in Super Comp, working with Tom Bayer Racing to develop her driving skills. She earned her TAD license in August, completing successful test passes demonstrating her potential.
Johnson’s father, an iconic nitro tuner, expressed pride in her progress.
“I was impressed by her track awareness and how well she adapted to the increased acceleration of an A/Fuel dragster,” Alan Johnson said.
With plans to run an entire TAD season in 2025, Johnson is pursuing sponsorship opportunities and coordinating for additional seat time. Her ultimate goal is to become a TAD World Champion, continuing the Johnson family legacy in NHRA drag racing.
