Motorsports Recap And Behind The Scenes Access

Allen Johnson Announces Retirement

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (September 1, 2017) In a press conference yesterday afternoon at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, Allen Johnson has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2017 season after 22 years of competition in the Pro Stock category.

“It’s with heavy heart that today I’m announcing our retirement, our team’s retirement from a full time professional race team. It’s been a great ride and thanks to a lot of people for making it happen, but we felt like it was the right time to step away,” an emotional Allen Johnson told the media. Since his Pro Stock debut in 1996, Allen Johnson has been a permanent fixture in the NHRA. Throughout his two decade career Johnson has accomplished 37 No. 1 qualifier spots, 27 national event wins, 59 final round appearances, and the 2012 Pro Stock World Championship.

For Johnson, racing was always a family affair. His father, Roy, served as his crew chief and his mother, Revonda, could be found close by rooting for her son. In addition, Allen’s wife, Pam, is always standing behind her husband’s racecar on any given Sunday. “Lots of folks I want to thank. First of all, family, that has been here with me and supported me and participated with me for 22 years and before that in our sportsman careers that dates back to the seventies,” said Johnson. “Second of all is my employees and everyone on the team and back at home at Greeneville Oil & Petroleum and Quik Stop Markets that has allowed me to do this 22 years. A real hand goes out to them because they run my business when I’m gone,” he continued.

NHRA fans may know Johnson best as the “King of the Mountain.” For 10 years in a row Johnson advanced to the final round of the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colorado. He won 7 of those finals. What makes his accomplishments in the “Mile High” city even more special is that Johnson spent his entire career racing a Mopar HEMI Dodge. Mopar was his primary sponsor from 1996 to 2015. “Thirdly, Mopar, who has been a sponsor for my dad back in the seventies and for our team in some ways as an associate or primary sponsor for well over a decade and an associate in some other ways for well over four decades,” Johnson explained. Even after Mopar left the Johnson & Johnson Racing operation in 2016  Allen remained loyal to the brand and continued to race a Dodge Dart.

Following Mopar’s departure as Johnson’s primary sponsor, Marathon Petroleum came onboard for the 2016 season. Halfway through the year, Marathon decided to extend their partnership with Allen Johnson for the 2017 season. “In [2015] when Mopar elected to go in a different direction, Marathon Petroleum Company, a great business partner of mine as well as a racing partner of mine for the past two year stepped up and bailed us out and we’ve had a great first two years with them.”

Despite announcing his retirement from the full time professional competition, Johnson told the media, “not sure what the future holds…you may see us out here at time or two next year.”

Heading into the U.S. Nationals, Allen Johnson currently sits ninth in the points and is looking to clinch his spot in the top ten in the Countdown to the Championship.

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