PHOTOS: RICK BELDEN

SHE DENIED IT as long as she could, but the urge to drive a Top Alcohol Dragster was part of Melanie Johnson’ s DNA. While other kids her age were playing with toys at the back of the suite in the tower, the young daughter of revered champion NHRA crew chief Alan Johnson was perched at the window, watching the well-orchestrated moves of the teams and the powerful runs that their thunderous race cars produced.

“ I was glued to the cars going down the track,” recalls Johnson, whose enchantment stretched to the pit area.“ I was allowed to stand in a small spot in the trailer that was lined up with the engine, and I could watch the guys. I was fascinated with the whole procedure and watching the teardown and the buildup. I fell in love with it.”

For many children of racers, entrance to the sport is a natural progression. The seed is planted early, the interest takes spark and is encouraged, and they begin to make their way. For Johnson, a shadow of tragedy hung over an obscured path. Johnson’ s father and his brother, Blaine Johnson, together won four consecutive Top Alcohol Dragster championships before transitioning to Top Fuel. Blaine lost his life following an accident at the U. S. Nationals in 1996, just 30 days before his niece was born.

“ Growing up, I always felt like my parents didn’ t want me to get into drag racing,” says Johnson.“ I think that’ s very fair; what everyone in my family went through was terrible. Whether intentional or not, I always felt like I was shied away from this. When people would ask me, my standard answer was,‘ Oh, I don’ t want to race.’ But, I always had that feeling inside.”

Johnson channeled her competitive energy toward sports, playing softball and then throwing javelin at Arizona State University. After college, she began working on social media and marketing with Scrappers Racing’ s Jianna( Salinas) Evaristo in Pro Stock Motorcycle and Jasmine Salinas in Top Alcohol Dragster with the McPhillips Racing team.

“ Being around them ignited it,” Johnson says of working with the sisters who appeared on the DI 30 Under 30 List in 2022 and 2024, respectively.“ All of those years, it had been in the background that my family might not support me racing because of the tragedy, but after college it was,‘ OK, now I’ m in charge of my life.’”

Gathering content for the team gave Johnson the opportunity to get to know Rich( Pops) and Richie McPhillips. A camaraderie formed, and one day they asked when she was going to get in a dragster.

“ I was like,‘ I would love to; how do we do that?’ That was probably the first time I’ d said it out loud,” she recalls, noting that they suggested seat time in Super Comp first.

“ On a travel back home with my dad, I had him cornered. I mentioned that I wanted to get my license in Super Comp and he looked at me like,‘ Really?’ He never really fought me on it. He just said,‘ Make a plan and we’ ll see.’”

With the help of multi-time Super Comp and 2013 Top Fuel champ Shawn Langdon, Johnson licensed at a test session in Indianapolis with her father looking on and mom Jeri Rosa warming with support. Though undoubtedly a bit nervous at first, by day’ s end her dad was excitedly offering high-fives and fist-bumps.

Johnson, now Marketing Manager at Quantum Fuel Systems, started her own social media and public relations business in 2022 with the Gordon Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car team as her first client. They encouraged her to partner with Tom Bayer, and she debuted in Super Comp at the divisional race in Las Vegas. During the season, Johnson added to her skillset, then licensed in Top Alcohol Dragster with McPhillips Racing in Brainerd.

“ I never had a nervous feeling about it,” she says.“ Richie gave me the whole rundown of the procedure, and I practiced it in my head a trillion times. I just felt excited and ready.”

Johnson’ s first race was the Las Vegas regional in 2024, where she had started her brief though valuable Super Comp journey. She raced a full season with McPhillips Racing in 2025, setting

her career best at 5.17 seconds at 279 mph in Gainesville at her first national event.

Her first win came at the regional event at Summit Motorsports Park in just her fifth Top Alcohol Dragster race, but her most impactful triumph happened at the prestigious U. S. Nationals. There, Johnson powered through a pedalfest in the first round, then cut a. 041 light in the second round to win by. 0007-second. The win light there sent her ahead to her first semifinals appearance at a national event.

“ To make it to Monday at Indy, the best and biggest race, was almost as good as a win,” she says.“ That was a round I will remember forever. I cut a. 026 light against Shawn Cowie, the leader in points in the best car out there, and

I gave him a run for his money. The margin of loss was. 002, but gosh, I wasn’ t mad about it. My first Indy was incredible.”

Next season is already locked in with McPhillips Racing, and although many are prodding Johnson about her future intentions, she is content.“ I see myself in Top Alcohol Dragster,” she says.“ My dad and my uncle won four championships together, so the ultimate goal would be to win one, and if I can win multiple championships, that’ s a dream.

“ This is a great group,” Johnson continues.“ We have an AJPE block and cylinder heads in this car, and that’ s a big deal to me. My dad is still out here, and that makes this so special. I want to get into a position where I can do well and be successful while he’ s out here and can be part of it.” – KELLY WADE DI

November / December 2025

DragIllustrated. com | Drag Illustrated | 101