EVENT ESSENTIALS:    31^st  NHRA  Mopar Mile-High Nationals – July 23-25^th, 2010  Denver, CO.   

AJ Swings Pro Stock Pendulum

 (By: Bruce Biegler)

Following his truly dominating victory on Sunday at his sponsor’s own race, Team Mopar Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson may have put momentum on his side as the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series nears it’s playoff round.

Driving his Mopar-sponsored 2010 Dodge Avenger, Johnson was clearly on a mission throughout the 31^st Mopar Mile-High Nationals event, Colorado’s top annual drag racing event. 

In a nutshell he qualified low (6.966 secs), reset the track speed record for Pro Stock (198.64 mph) and was the quickest car during each and every round of eliminations to win going away.

In the championship final round, “AJ” delivered a stellar .004 RT and roared to a one-sided win over Jeg Coughlin with a time of 6.974 secs at 198.26 mph.

Pro Stock Winner - Allen Johnson

He had beaten Bob Yonke, Greg Anderson, and Johnny Gray during earlier eliminations.

The victory was Johnson’s first of the 2010 season, but his 3^rd overall at the high altitude  Bandimere Speedway facility, which he basically now owns.  And Johnson’s win was also very timely.  It capped off a terrific event sponsorship effort by Mopar which kicked off (on Thursday) with their annual Block Party (downtown Golden). 

“We made perfect runs every time,” said Johnson.  “I just can’t say enough about our guys. And I was real tickled by how I did my job after the second round. We’ve got to continue this pace, be aggressive and go toward that championship.

“All the folks from Mopar, including the boss, Pietro (Gorlier), and Byron Kearney from Dodge, have been our good luck charms. They’re family to me. It’s not just a sponsor relationship. It’s so special to have them here.”

Johnson’s win was complimented at Denver by Pro wins from Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

(Remainder of report courtesy of NHRA Communications)

Kalitta’s win was also his first of the season in Top Fuel and joined uncle Connie Kalitta and late cousin Scott Kalitta as winners at the high-altitude dragstrip. Kalitta posted a 3.963 at 308.35 in his Kalitta Motorsports dragster to beat Brandon Bernstein, who trailed with a 4.003 at 297.35 in his Copart/Lucas Oil dragster.

Kalitta outran Terry McMillen, Steve Torrence and Rod Fuller in earlier rounds to claim his 32nd career victory.

“Seeing that win light come on down there was real special and a great relief,” Kalitta said of his final round match with Bernstein. “This facility gets better and better. I am so glad to finally get a win here. We’ve been close a bunch of times and finally got it done today.”

Hight earned his fourth victory of the season and 18th of his career in Funny Car as he outran team owner John Force in the final round.  Hight’s Auto Club Ford Mustang finished in 4.215 at 296.05, just ahead of Force’s Castrol GTX High-Mileage Mustang, which ran 4.386 at 284.99.

“It’s a great win for us and we only have one more race to go before the Countdown,” said Hight, who advanced to the final with early round wins over James Day, Ron Capps and top qualifier Matt Hagan. “It is definitely a turnaround from last year when we went into Brainerd and wasn’t even qualified for the Countdown.”

Hight took his second Bandimere win and closed the gap between series leader Force, who is now 28 points ahead.

“This is the best season I’ve ever had,” Hight said. “I’ve never won four races in a season. John and I are only separated by a little over one round and I am sure he’ll be ribbing me about it the next two weeks. You can see how bad John wants to win. He’s definitely on a mission. I am sure he’s happy for us, but you know he wanted to win.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hines claimed his third win of the season and 21st of his career by defeating Karen Stoffer in the final. Hines rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 7.342 at 178.02 to hold off Stoffer’s GEICO Powersports Suzuki, which clocked a 7.402 at 175.94.

“My riding has really come around in the last three or four races,” said Hines, who defeated rookie LE Tonglet, Jim Underdahl and top qualifier Michael Phillips in the first three rounds. “Every round we had to scratch for it. Karen is a tough competitor and she’s got her motorcycle turned around. The Suzuki’s were dominant all weekend, but our V-Rod was able to beat them today all four rounds.” 

Hines, a California native who spent all of his teenage years in Trinidad, Colo., says winning his second race at Bandimere is very special to him.

“I grew up three hours south of here and spent ages 10 to 20 here,” Hines said. “I know this place as my home. To come back here and get a win on the mountain says a lot about my team. We didn’t have the best motorcycle all weekend, but we were able to get the job done.”

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