Norwalk, Ohio (June 22, 2025) – Melanie Johnson won her first Top Alcohol Dragster race in only her sixth career start at the University Hospitals 19th Annual Cavalcade of Stars, held at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. The event was a North Central Regional stop on the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series tour, with a competitive field of eight cars.
Johnson, driving the McPhillips Racing A/Fuel Dragster, qualified third with a best run of 5.241 seconds at 273.61 mph, the fastest pass of the second qualifying session.
She started eliminations with a decisive first-round victory over Jared Dreher, clocking a 5.254 at 274.66 mph and a.064 reaction time. Johnson delivered a clutch performance in the semifinals against seasoned competitor Matt Cummings, running 5.283 at 275.96 mph with a.043 light to advance to her first regional final.
The final round was decided at the starting line when opponent Jamie Noonan went red in.042 seconds. Johnson exited cleanly with a.048 reaction time and pedaled to a 5.454 at 264.49 mph for her first Top Alcohol Dragster victory.
“I am so proud of this McPhillips Racing team and of myself,” Johnson told the media. “I know they’ll give me a great car every round, and I’ve been working really hard to be consistent in the car with my procedures and reaction times. There’s a lot of work that goes into being successful in this sport, and it’s great to see it pay off!”
Johnson was licensed in the McPhillips Racing dragster in August 2024 and quickly became comfortable in it. Despite her limited seat time, she has been in contention at every race, and her Norwalk victory in only her fifth event of the season demonstrates that she is settling in well.
Richie McPhillips discussed what the team has been working on in the six weeks since Johnson last raced. “Before arriving in Norwalk, we tested at Cecil County Dragway. We’ve been chasing consistency with a touchy racecar, and Jim Halsey and his crew provided us with an excellent track to work through our issues.
We also worked with Rob and Bob from Boninfante Friction to fine-tune our clutch program, which helped us get closer. This weekend, the car consistently came off the trailer. We had hoped to be a little faster, but we will keep working on it.
Mel put in a lot of work during her time off, which contributed to the weekend’s success. Her reaction times were consistent from the first hit, which made a difference on all levels. It was great to get her first win and gain momentum for the next few races.”
The victory was also a significant milestone for the entire McPhillips Racing team, which is continuing to build on their decades-long tradition in the class. Johnson also thanked Alan Johnson Performance Engineering (AJPE), her father’s championship-winning engine business.
Melanie Johnson and the McPhillips Racing team will return to action at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals next weekend.
