Johnson, Beckman lead Mopar Contingent in Qualifying at Reading NHRA Nationals

October 5, 2013 , Reading, Pa -  Qualifying for the 29th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals helped mix things up a bit in the championship standings for two Mopar drivers heading into Sunday’s elimination round at Maple Grove Raceway. Defending Pro Stock champion Allen Johnson was the best of the Mopars posting the second lowest elapsed time run in qualifying and earned enough bonus points to jump two spots into fourth place in the points battle. Looking to defend his own world title, Jack Beckman paced the Dodge Chargers with a third place seeding on the eliminations ladder while his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan ran consistently to qualify fourth but was nudged out of his top spot in the championship standings with just three playoff eliminations left in the “Countdown to the Championship”.
 
After earning the provisional pole on Friday, Johnson’s Mopar Express Lane Dodge earned more bonus points for running the second and third best times in both Saturday sessions and lowering his e.t. to 6.597 seconds (210.34 mph) to place second to Jason Line who took the No. 1 qualifier spot with a 6.573 sec (210.70 mph) pass in the final session.
 
“I feel like we had a really good car for all four sessions and gained a few little points on a few people,” said Johnson who moves to the fourth spot in the championship fight from sixth after the Midwest Nationals. “Our game plan is good. Our car is good. Team is confident. We just have to go out there tomorrow and get a break or two and try to win it. Some big match ups in the first round to make the second even more interesting. It’s going to be fun and a knock down drag out.”
 
He will face Greg Stanfield as his first round opponent.
 
Mopar teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr., who sits second in the points battle to Mike Edwards, had a great final qualifying run (6.581 / 209.95) with his quickest pass of the weekend straight down the lane for second place in that session to put him fourth overall.
 
"We're real happy with it. We were sixth and then fourth and then sixth and then second for the (final) session and qualified No. 4," said Coughlin who will stage his Jegs.com Mopar against Larry Morgan in the first round of eliminations. "That's a solid effort. Looking at the top seven or eight cars, they're all within a hundredth of a second. It's really just a matter of being on the good end of all the efficiencies. Fortunately, we're in a really good spot and I feel really good about the car. I feel good behind the wheel. It's time for game day.
 
The HEMI-powered Dodge of V. Gaines also had a strong showing, qualifying fifth with his 6.586-second (210.60 mph) effort, while Vincent Nobile qualified his Mopar in the top half of the eliminations ladder with a 6.589 sec (209.95 mph) pass for the eighth spot.
 
There was also some movement atop the Funny Car championship standing as the No. 1 qualifier, John Force, bumped the “Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar” machine out of the lead that Hagan had held since his title win at Englishtown, N.J., in June. Force was quickest in three of four sessions and his Friday night qualifying run of 3.987 seconds and track record speed of 323.50 mph gave the 15-time NHRA champ the extra points needed to unseat Hagan. The Mopar driver did however take solace in having consistent runs and earning a point for the third quickest pass in the final qualifying session. He’ll face Tony Pedregon in the first round.
 
"We've been very solid all weekend," said Hagan who hopes to add to the four wins and eight final round appearances he’s had this season to retake the lead in the points fight. "The car has been down the racetrack every lap. Obviously we earned up a few points in qualifying and that's what we are here to do."
 
DSR teammate Beckman, who is currently third in the championship battle without having posted a win yet this year, lead the team’s qualifying efforts with a third place showing based on his 4.034-second (318.99 mph) pass Friday evening at the Reading, Pa., drag track, but also was second quickest with a 4.099-second (312.42 mph) run in the final session. For a third consecutive event, Beckman’s first round rival will be Alexis DeJoria.
 
Johnny Gray had a solid qualifying effort that saw him improving his time aboard his Alex’s Lemonade Stand Dodge Charger R/T with each pass to set the second quickest run of the third session (4.081 / 313.88) The Mopar driver will start fifth and match up against his teammate Ron Capps, who had some disappointing qualifying runs that saw him seeded 12^th for the opening round.
 
Complete qualifying highlights from Maple Grove Raceway scheduled to be televised Saturday, Oct. 5, on ESPN News at 11:30 p.m. (ET). On Sunday, Oct 6, three hours of elimination rounds coverage at the 29th annual Auto-Plus® NHRA Nationals will be broadcast starting at 8 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD.
 
 
2013 NHRA “Countdown to Championship” Points Standings
(following final qualifying at AutoPlus Nationals in Reading)

PRO STOCK (season wins in parentheses)
1. Mike Edwards (6) – 2368
2. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (3) - Dodge Avenger – 2353
3. Jason Line (2) – 2343
4. Allen Johnson (4) - Dodge Avenger – 2300
5. Erica Enders-Stevens (2) –2299
6. Shane Gray – 2293
7. Greg Anderson – 2220
8. V. Gaines - Dodge Avenger – 2219
9. Vincent Nobile (3) - Dodge Avenger – 2195
10. Rodger Brogdon (1) – 2083
 
FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)
1. John Force (2) – 2377
2. Matt Hagan (4) - Dodge Charger R/T – 2372
3. Jack Beckman - Dodge Charger R/T – 2331
4. Robert Hight (2) – 2223
5. Cruz Pedregon (4) – 2287
6. Ron Capps (3) - Dodge Charger R/T – 2257
7. Courtney Force (2) – 2246
8. Johnny Gray (4) - Dodge Charger R/T – 2223
9. Tim Wilkerson – 2175
9. Del Worsham – 2174
 

About Mopar Motorsports
Mopar’s commitment to professional motorsports competition was established in the 1950s when a partnership ignited with drag racing pioneer Don Garlits, resulting in the breaking of numerous speed and performance barriers in HEMI®-powered vehicles over the next several decades. In 2013, Mopar looks to defend its two NHRA 2012 World Championship titles in Pro Stock and Funny Car categories, and celebrates 25 consecutive years as title sponsor of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Colorado. While Mopar remains involved in a various professional motorsports series, it continues to honor its roots by being a proud supporter of amateur racing within the NHRA with its sponsorship of the HEMI Challenge and Mopar Sportsman Cup.
Mopar Brand
Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand and distributes 280,000 parts and accessories. With the creation of the industrial alliance between Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A., Mopar is extending its global reach, integrating service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance dealer and customer support worldwide. Mopar’s global portfolio includes more than 500,000 parts and accessories that are distributed in more than 130 markets. Mopar is the source for genuine parts and accessories for Chrysler Group brands as well as Fiat brands.
Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler Group and Fiat vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.
 
Mopar-first Features
Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:
 

• Vehicle-information apps: first to introduce smartphone vehicle-information applications, a new channel of communication with customers
• Electronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user-guide format. First to offer complete vehicle-information kits in Spanish
• Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• Wireless charging: first to introduce in-vehicle wireless charging for portable devices
• Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS): first to market with interactive vehicle tracking device that sends owner a text when vehicle is driven too fast or too far based on pre-set parameters
• wiAdvisor: first to provide factory-connected tablet technology in the service lane for instant vehicle diagnosis
• wiTech: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf personal computers and a dedicated wireless tool network
• 2011 Mopar Challenger Drag Pak: first to introduce a 500-plus cubic-inch V-10 drag-race package car

 
More than 75 Years of Mopar
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words Motor and PARts) was trademarked for antifreeze product in 1937. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle-car era. The former Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “special parts” for super-stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use. The brand has expanded to include technical service and customer support.
 
About Magneti Marelli
Based in Italy (Corbetta, Milan), Magneti Marelli was established in 1919. The company is a subsidiary of Fiat Group and has a presence and reputation in racing, including Formula 1 and World Rally Championship (WRC) and now the NHRA. With 2012 revenues of $7,5 billion and approximately 36,900 employees, Magneti Marelli designs and produces advanced automotive systems and components. The company has 83 production facilities, 12 research and development centers and 26 application centers in 19 countries. The group supplies leading automakers in Europe, North America, South America and the Far East. Magneti Marelli USA coordinates the activities of all Magneti Marelli divisions in the NAFTA region from its North American headquarters, located in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
 
Magneti Marelli has established a significant presence in the world of aftermarket and service networks in the US, thanks to the partnership with MOPAR


Mopar Express Lane Service
Mopar Express Lane service, offered at participating Chrysler Group dealerships, provides a dedicated service lane for fast oil changes, and much more, in order to maximize customer convenience for all make and model vehicles. Available services include oil and filter changes, multi-point vehicle checkup, tire rotation with brake inspection, air and cabin filter replacement, wiper blade replacement, headlight and light bulb replacement and battery testing. Mopar Express Lane service is a consumer’s best choice for vehicle maintenance, with highly-skilled Chrysler Group dealership technicians ready to get to work and get you back on the road in no time. No appointments. No waiting. No worries.