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Melanie Johnson Charges into Semifinals with Stunning Wheelstand at Stampede
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Highlights
- Melanie Johnson secured 7th in qualifying at Texas NHRA FallNationals.
- Johnson posted fastest eliminations run: 5.222 seconds at 275.87 mph.
- Semifinal ended after a wild wheelstand against eventual winner Joey Severance.
- Johnson’s team improves performance with Alan Johnson Performance Engineering combo.
- Next race: Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas.
- Season finale scheduled for NHRA Finals in Pomona, California.
Melanie Johnson and McPhillips Racing reached the semifinals at the Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, combining pace-setting eliminations speed with a dramatic wheelstand against eventual winner Joey Severance.
With 20 entries for 16 spots, Johnson progressed through qualifying, improving to 5.265s at 275.89 mph before a setup change caused traction loss, yet she secured seventh on the ladder.
She opened with 5.312s at 273.76 mph on a hot track, then aborted the final attempt after shake past 60 feet, stopping the clocks at 10.626s.
Race day reset the tone. Johnson out-reacted Matt Cummings and delivered 5.231s at 271.08 mph as Cummings smoked the tyres, advancing comfortably.
She then set her weekend benchmark, a 5.222s at 275.87 mph, beating Kirk Wolf’s 5.380s at 265.50 mph and taking low E.T. of the round.
Low E.T. of the round: 5.222 seconds at 275.87 mph.
The semifinal against Joey Severance unraveled early. Tyre shake near 60 feet forced a lift, triggering a prolonged wheelstand as Severance recorded 5.241s at 277.38 mph.
Johnson said she saw Severance drive past and backed out, noting the moment felt slow motion from the cockpit but looked spectacular on replay.
“It all happened in slow motion in the car, but watching the video later was pretty exciting.” — Melanie Johnson
This semifinal is her second of 2025, underscoring momentum as McPhillips Racing refines its Alan Johnson Performance Engineering combination for power and repeatability.
“Each race, we’re learning more about this setup.” — Melanie Johnson
Qualifying exposed the fine margins on a hot surface. Subsequent eliminations pace suggested the window is narrowing, with robust early incrementals before the semifinal shake.
Johnson represents NGK Spark Plugs, Lucas Oil, ARP, and AJPE. The program targets further gains at the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas and the season finale in Pomona.
Visual Summary
5.222s • 275.87 mph
Johnson’s best run 🔥
Johnson’s best run 🔥
Semifinals:
Dramatic wheelstand!
“It felt like slow motion in the car.”
Dramatic wheelstand!
“It felt like slow motion in the car.”
Texas NHRA FallNationals
Top Alcohol Dragster
7th qualifier → semifinal finish
7th qualifier → semifinal finish
Johnson Soars to Her Second Semifinal of 2025 — Team Momentum Builds
Surging through Texas, Melanie Johnson delivers her fastest run ever, 5.222s at nearly 276 mph, then launches into an epic wheelstand before bowing out in the semis. The McPhillips team keeps pushing the limits, eyes set on Las Vegas and Pomona.
Miles Carter covers grassroots and regional drag-strip action, from bracket racing to street-legal shootouts. His event previews and performance-upgrade guides keep local racers up to speed on timing-slip trends, tire tech, and weekend race highlights.
