McPhillips Racing has announced the signing of Melanie Johnson to pilot their Top Alcohol Dragster for the 2025 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season. Johnson, a third-generation racer and daughter of 13-time Top Fuel champion tuner Alan Johnson, aims to compete in the North Central Region for points. citeturn0search0
Melanie made her Top Alcohol debut with McPhillips Racing during the 2024 fall regional event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Prior to that, she earned her Top Alcohol license at Brainerd International Raceway in August 2024. During testing, she recorded her quickest pass to date in the Alcohol Dragster, clocking in at 5.289 seconds. Her fastest speed was 274.11 mph during qualifying at the Las Vegas regional event. citeturn0search0
For the upcoming season, Johnson will drive the renowned “Green Machine” chassis, which has secured numerous victories over its 16-year history with McPhillips Racing. She will receive support from Alan Johnson Performance Engineering (AJPE) and plans to announce additional partnerships soon. Her goal is to become a Top Alcohol Dragster world champion, following in the footsteps of her father and her late uncle, Blaine Johnson, who together won four consecutive TAD titles from 1991 to 1994. citeturn0search0
Expressing her enthusiasm, Johnson stated, “I’ve dreamed of competing in Top Alcohol Dragster for the past six years, and I couldn’t be more eager to get out on the track and race this season. TAD is an incredibly competitive class, and with Rich [McPhillips] and Richie [McPhillips Jr.] handling the tuning and the strength of AJPE power, I’m confident we can achieve great success this season.” citeturn0search0
McPhillips Racing, established in 1969 by team owner Rich “Pops” McPhillips Sr., has a storied history in drag racing. The team has amassed nearly 100 wins and nine regional/divisional championships over 56 years. Notable drivers for McPhillips Racing have included Peter Gallen, Skip Gladstone, Bill Litton, Rich McPhillips Sr., Rich McPhillips Jr., Troy Coughlin Jr., Mike Coughlin, Matt Cummings, and Tony Stewart. The team is aiming for their first world championship in 2025. citeturn0search0
Team owner Rich McPhillips Sr. expressed his excitement about the new partnership, stating, “We’re really excited to have Melanie and the Johnson family join McPhillips Racing. Their family has racing in their DNA like we do. Melanie is a former collegiate athlete that has a fierce competitive mentality. We’re looking forward to being a part of the start of her professional racing career and can’t wait to accomplish great things together.” citeturn0search0
As the 2025 NHRA season approaches, all eyes will be on Melanie Johnson and McPhillips Racing as they strive for success in the highly competitive Top Alcohol Dragster class.
