The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series made its first of two 2017 trips to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and DSR team driver Tommy Johnson Jr., came away with a big win following the conclusion of the Denso Spark Plugs Nationals.

(Tommy Johnson Jr won his 14th career title in NHRA racing at Las Vegas)

Johnson Jr. drove his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T from the No. 6 qualifying position to victory in the 18th annual NHRA Nationals, defeating Swedish driver Jonnie Lindberg from the right lane on a pass of 3.933 seconds at 323.66 mph with a .059-second reaction time. Lindberg turned in lap of 4.016 at 302.14 with a .071. The victory is the 14th Funny Car win for Johnson (who has also has two Top Fuel victories) and the third for the Mopar Funny Cars from the Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) stable this season. Johnson, a native of Ottumwa, Iowa, previously won in Las Vegas in 2001.

Funny Car driver Johnson was not qualified after Friday’s first two sessions, but after Saturday found himself in the sixth spot. He began his Sunday march to the class win by beating Dodge driver Jim Campbell in the first round before besting Robert Hight in the second after a Hight red light. Johnson next knocked out 16-time Funny Car champion John Force to reach the final against Lindberg.

(For the second race in a row – Sweden’s Jonnie Lindberg advanced to the fuel FC final round)

(Independent veteran racer Gary Denham went to the final four on Sunday)

Event Essentials:   NHRA Denso Spark Plugs Nationals (March 31-Apr. 2nd, 2017) 

(Courtney Force qualified #1 with a low ET of the meet effort at 3.867 secs)

(Racing his Mustang – Tim Wilkerson set top speed at 331.28 mph)

(Canadian Jeff Arend drove the Australia-based machine owned by Peter and Helen Russo at Las Vegas – but was a DNQ)

(Bob Bode’s little “Blam-O” during qualifying!)

Posted with files by Dan Hodgdon & Bruce Biegler

Photos by Bruce Biegler