200 MPH Man: Greeneville’s Allen Johnson pegs magic mark in NHRA’s Factory X class

Greeneville native and NHRA series champ Allen Johnson has a staggering list of accolades and accomplishments in his three decades of racing.

The newest one just clocked-in at just over 200 miles per hour.

The former Pro Stock king got a $10,000 bonus from a division sponsor and the title of NHRA’s first Factory X class driver to eclipse the magic mark. The record-clinching run came in the second round of qualifying at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis on Saturday.

Factory X competitors compete in cars dated 2019 or earlier that are similar to the sport’s Street Stock division. Johnson’s is a Dodge Challenger that hit 200 mph again later that day.

“I thought we had a chance and that was a great run,” Johnson said. “We were fighting the chassis in Indy and Charlotte, and we made some major moves. That felt like a 200-mph run and these cars have really brought me back to my roots. It’s been a lot of fun and there’s a really cool fan appeal with this class.”

Johnson gave a retirement speech in 2017 after 22 years of Pro Stock but continues to compete with loyalties remaining with Mopar horsepower.

(IMAGE: Provided for media use by NHRA)