Wed, 08 May 2013, 23:51 PM Johnson Recognized as Champion On and Off Drag Strip

Courtesy of Pat Caporali

Winning the 2012 NHRA Pro Stock World Championship was a goal and a dream that Mopar's Allen Johnson was able to achieve in grand style with years of hard work, dedication and determination. While the defense of his world title is already underway, with two national title wins already posted in the first quarter of the 2013 NHRA season, the impact of the championship combined with both his on and off-track accomplishments have garnered Johnson recognition outside of the world of drag racing and motorsports.

Johnson's Greeneville, Tenn., based Pro Stock category drag race team will be presented "Team of the Year" honors by the Tennessee Hall of Fame for representing their state with excellence and a distinct Tennessee flavor in winning a career best seven national titles and the NHRA World Championship title. Johnson's team will be recognized as honorees during the Hall of Fame's annual banquet on May 4 at the Renaissance Hotel Nashville. Part of an ceremony also will be celebrate the induction of a great class that includes basketball coach Rick Byrd, basketball player Penny Hardaway, and country music's Vince Gill.

"I'm so honored to accept this award from the Tennessee Hall of Fame on behalf of my team because this is a true team award," said Johnson as the team owner and driver of the Pro 1 Dodge Avenger. "What can I say about the accomplishments of the Johnson & Johnson racing team in 2012 except that they were certainly perfect or as close to perfect as you could get, especially in the Countdown to the Championship. We worked as a team and built a great game plan during the year to achieve a lofty goal. I am proud to be part of the team as they get this very well deserved recognition from our home state."

Johnson is due to accept an award from Junior Achievement, not just for his on-track accomplishments, but also for his contributions to society and specifically young members of his community through his race team and business, Greeneville Oil & Petroleum. Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating young people about work force readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs that in turn help students put these lessons into action and learn the value of contributing to their communities.

"The prestigious Junior Achievement award is a personal award that recognizes what you have done for the juniors and others in your area." Johnson said. "It really is a humbling award because they go back to birth and recognize your life and what you have done. To be able to include my daughters, my parents, my in-laws and certainly my wife to share in this award is really humbling."

While Johnson and his engine builder and father, Roy Johnson along with his team are being recognized by others for their accomplishments last season, the accolades and recognition are helping to shine the spotlight on what Mopar has always known.

"Allen Johnson has always been a champion, only now it is officially in record books and others are beginning to take notice, " said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand. "What these awards demonstrate is that the qualities differentiating him, both on the drag strip as a competitor but also away from the race track as a valued member of society, are now rightfully being recognized by other organizations outside our automotive and motorsports world. That recognition is well deserved.

"Allen, his father Roy, as well as his team and family have been loyal friends and amazing representatives for our brand," Gorlier added. "The qualities that have made them champions on the drag track also epitomize the core values of Mopar. They live the experience as true 'Mopar motorheads' just like many of our fans, starting from the heart of the engine build, to the driver, to working as a team.

"Allen and Roy's loyalty to Mopar is commendable as they have lived the ups and downs along with our brand. It is only fitting that, as we too began to see an upswing, that they were rewarded and recognized for their own perseverance, determination, hard work and dedication with a championship as well as all the accolades and attention that goes with it. Everyone at Mopar is excited to cheer them on as they work to defend that world title through this season."

Johnson and the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Avenger are currently second in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series championship points standings with two wins in the first six events of the 2013 season.

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