Melanie Johnson made a memorable National Event debut in Top Alcohol Dragster this past weekend at the NHRA Gatornationals, piloting the McPhillips Racing A/Fuel dragster. The event marked a significant milestone in Johnson’s racing career, as she showcased strong performances and set new personal bests despite challenging weather conditions.
Qualifying kicked off on Thursday, March 6, where Johnson ran a personal best of 5.243 seconds at 279.85 mph. The run secured her the provisional number four qualifying spot in a competitive 12-car field. She followed up with an even stronger pass on Friday, clocking a 5.177 at 279.21 mph, setting a new personal best E.T. and moving up to the number two position. Unfortunately, due to several on-track delays, the third qualifying session scheduled for Friday evening was canceled, setting the field for Saturday eliminations.
Mother Nature posed significant challenges, with rain washing out Saturday’s elimination rounds and delaying Sunday’s start. After multiple rain delays, Johnson finally made her first national event elimination pass on Sunday afternoon. Her would-be opponent, Sarah Allen, broke during qualifying, resulting in solo run for Johnson. She seized the opportunity, laying down a 5.218 at 277.37 mph—the low E.T. of the round—earning lane choice for the second round.
In the next round, Johnson faced off against seasoned competitor Matt Cummings. Despite a strong performance with a 5.225 at 277.54 mph, she fell to Cummings’ 5.260 at 278.06 mph in a close holeshot loss.
“I’ve been preparing for this race and this season for the last four months,” Johnson shared. “I’m obviously disappointed in the holeshot loss because Rich, Richie, and the crew gave me a great car all weekend. I’ve got high expectations for myself and for the car, but I’m trying to remind myself that this is just the beginning. There’s still so much to learn about driving an A/Fuel dragster, and this is all part of the process.”
Johnson also reflected on the personal significance of racing at Gainesville Raceway, drawing inspiration from her late uncle, Blaine Johnson, and her father, Alan Johnson. “Leading up to Gainesville, I thought a lot about my Uncle Blaine and the great memories him and my dad had at the Gators—especially the 1988 victory that marked their first National Event win at the second national event they entered in TAD. It really just made me smile that I get to race at the same track in the same class.”
Despite the second-round exit, Johnson left Gainesville with valuable experience, confidence, and data to fuel her progression throughout the season. Her next race will be the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, March 28-30 in Pomona, Calif.—a special homecoming for the Santa Maria, Calif. native.
For updates and information from Melanie Johnson’s racing journey, follow her on social media (@melaniejohnsonracing) and stay tuned for more exciting moments in the 2025 season.
This story was originally published on March 11, 2025. 
