Sun, 25 Feb 2007, 12:40 PM Roy Johnson Update

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Roy Johnson, father and co-crew chief of veteran Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson, suffered an apparent heart attack late Saturday at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix, where the Greeneville, Tenn.-based team is competing in the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals.

He was transported to Chandler Regional Hospital, where he was admitted for bypass surgery at 7 p.m. The procedure took approximately 30 minutes and according to family members, he had several blockages that had to be repaired (with stints).

Johnson is now resting at the hospital and is expected to remain there for two to three days.

"It looks like he's going to be OK," said his son Allen, who drives the J&J Racing/Team Mopar Dodge Stratus. "My family and I appreciate everybody coming by and really appreciate Don Schumacher arranging to fly my family here from Tennessee. It was a life-saver. We also appreciate everybody's prayers. My Mom is with Dad right now. He was very lucky. The doctor said if he hadn't been exactly where he was, it might have been a different outcome. The Chandler Regional Hospital has awesome (cardiac specialists), so we're very lucky that he was taken there."

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